THE 


Science  of  Correspo 

ELUCIDATED. 


KEY  TO  THE  HEAVENLY  AND  TRUE  MEANING 
OF  THE  SACRED  SCRIPTURES. 


BY  / 

Rev.  EDWARD  MADELEY, 

EDITED  BY  HIS  SON:     BEVISED  AND  GREATLY  ENLARGED 
BY 

B.  F.  BAREETT. 


"  For  as  the  heavens  are  higher  than  the  earth,  so  are  my  wars  higher  than 
your  ways,  and  my  thoughts  than  your  thoughts." — Isa.  Iv.  9. 

"For  the  Invisible  things  of  Him  from  the  creation  of  the  world  are  clearly 
seen,  being  understood  by  the  things  that  are  made."— iJom.  i.  20. 


FIBST  A3IERICAN  EDITION. 


PHILADELPHIA: 
E.  CLAXTON  &  COMPANY, 
930  Maeket  Street. 
18  84. 


Copyright. 

THE  SWEDENBORG  PUBLISHING  ASSOCIATION. 
1883. 


EDITOE^S  PEEFACE. 


OINCE  the  removfil  from  this  world  of  my  dear  father,  it  lias 
been  a  labor  of  love  for  me  to  finish  the  work  on  which  he 
was  engaged  for  many  years,  but  Avhich  the  state  of  his  health  pre- 
vented him  from  carrying  to  completion.  The  intricate  nature  of 
the  corrections  he  introduced,  often  with  years  of  intervals,  and  the 
voluminous  notes  he  collected  from  his  extensive  reading,  has  kept 
the  work  longer  in  my  hands  than  I  desired  or  expected.  I  have 
at  last  found  time  to  complete  it,  and,  through  the  kindness  and 
liberality  of  an  American  friend,  to  whom  my  best  thanks  are  due, 
I  am  now  enabled  to  offer  a  worthy  and  affectionate  memorial  to 
my  father's  memory,  and  also  to  present  to  the  Church  a  new  edi- 
tion of  a  work  which  stands  alone  in  her  literature,  and  which  I 
trust  and  believe  will  be  useful  in  extending  a  knowledge  and  love 
of  God's  most  Holy  Word. 

■p  TV]" 

BoxLEY,  Maidstone,  England. 
Sept.  21st,  1883. 


iii 


AUTHOE'S  PEEEACE. 


rriHE  following  work  [Part  I.]  originated  in  a  lecture  delivered 
at  the  opening  of  Albion  Chapel,  Albion  Street,  Leeds,  in  1847. 
I  reluctantly  consented  to  the  earnest  request  of  many  who  heard 
it  for  its  publication,  as  an  epitome  of  the  great  subject  on  which 
it  professed  to  treat.  On  reflection,  I  thought  it  would  be  but  a 
brief  and  imperfect  sketch — little  more  than  a  tract,  of  which  sev- 
eral admirable  ones  on  the  same  topic  are  widely  circulated  by  the 
Manchester  Tract  Society,  and  the  London  Missionary  and  Tract 
Society  of  the  New  Church — and  I  determined  to  give  it  a  more 
permanent  value ;  and  in  this  edition  have  altered  its  arrangement, 
and,  indeed,  rewritten  no  inconsiderable  portion  of  the  work.  I 
have  added  a  series  of  notes,  not  only  such  as  are  explanatory, 
illustrative  or  confirmatory  of  the  subjects  and  reasonings  of  the 
text,  but  many  drawn  from  various  sources  designed  to  show  the 
remarkable  coincidences  of  thought  which  have  obtained  among 
pious  and  learned  men,  of  all  periods  and  classes ;  and  which  indi- 
cate most  distinctly  that  an  idea,  in  some  shape  or  other,  has  been 
and  still  is  prevalent,  that  an  inward  spiritual  sense  or  meaning 
exists  within  the  letter  of  the  Word  of  God. 

Much  which  has  been  Avritten  on  this  subject,  especially  by  the 
early  Christian  Fathers,  affords  only  fonciful  and  arbitrary  expla- 
nations of  the  Holy  Word ;  yet  they  seem  eagerly  to  have  sought 
a  more  certain  rule  of  exposition,  which,  in  the  Avisdom  of  Provi- 
dence, was  reserved  for  a  distant  and  more  prepared  age.  Even 
the  Apostles  only  "  knew  in  part,  and  prophesied  (or  taught)  in 
part"  (1  Cor.  xiii.  9).  The  declaration  of  our  Lord  to  his  dis- 
ciples, "For  many  prophets  and  righteous  men  have  desired  to  see 

those  things  which  ye  see,  and  have  not  seen  them ;  and  to  hear 

iv 


A  UTIIOR'S  PREFA  CE. 


V 


those  things  which  ye  hear,  and  have  not  heard  them"  (Matt.  xiii.  17), 
is  equally  applicable  to  the  New  Disj^ensation  under  which  we  are 
now  living. 

The  illustrious  Swedenborg  has  been  the  appointed  instrument,  in 
the  order  of  Divine  Pi'ovidence,  for  restoring  the  long-lost  Science 
of  Correspondences  to  the  world, — that  "  chain  of  golden  links  by 
which  heaven  and  earth  are  bound  in  harmonious  unison ; "  and 
this  work  is  designed  to  answer,  without  any  pretension  to  critical 
exactness,  and  in  as  plain  and  familiar  a  manner  as  possible,  the 
inquiries  which  are  continually  and  naturally  urged,  as  to  what  is 
meant  by  this  science, — how  a  knowledge  of  it  may  be  acquired, — 
how  its  truth  may  be  demonstrated, — and  in  what  way  it  is  to  be 
applied  in  expounding  the  Holy  Word :  and  also  to  remove  some 
of  the  difficulties  which,  from  want  of  a  knowledge  of  this  science, 
every  one  will  encounter  in  first  taking  up  a  volume  of  Sweden- 
borg's  expositions,  and  which  have  induced  some  earnest  minds  to 
relinquish  the  study  of  his  writings,  and  regard  his  interpretations 
as  clever,  but  chimerical  and  capricious.  I  can  exhibit  only  the 
rudiments  of  this  momentous  subject,  and  for  its  complete  devel- 
opment must  refer  the  reader  to  the  works  of  Swedenborg  himself. 
No  satisfactory  reasoning  can  be  substituted  for  the  confirmations 
which  so  vividly  and  so  constantly  present  themselves  in  his  pages, 
especially  such  as  are  founded  upon  his  extensive  and  profound 
metaphysical  and  physiological  investigations,  and  his  luminous  ex- 
positions of  mental  phenomena,  or  deduced  from  his  own  marvelous 
psychological  experience.  I  have  endeavored,  therefore,  by  the 
numerous  quotations  made  from  this  enlightened  author,  to  keep 
the  necessity  of  attentively  reading  and  studying  his  works  con- 
stantly before  the  reader's  mind,  in  the  hope  of  awakening  an 
interest  in  them  as  treating  of  the  things  which  preeminently  belong 
to  our  spiritual  and  eternal  well-being. 

For  the  notes  to  'which  no  writer's  name  is  annexed,  the  author 
is  responsible,  with  the  exception,  however,  of  a  few  to  be  found  in 
Lexicons.  Several  of  the  papers  in  the  Appendix  are  inserted  by 
*1 


yi 


A  UTHOE  S  PREFA  CE. 


special  desire,  with  a  view  to  obviate  difficulties  which  might  otherwise 
joerplex  the  reader.  The  former  edition  having  been  exhausted  in  a 
few  months  from  the  time  of  its  publication,  this  enlarged,  and  the 
author  hopes  greatly  improved,  edition  is,  at  the  eai-nest  solicitation 
of  numerous  and  valued  friends,  submitted  to  the  public,  with  de- 
vout prayer  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  (without  whose  blessing  our 
best  efforts  are  vain),  that  it  may  prove  conducive  to  the  advance- 
nent  of  true  religion,  and  be  instrumental  in  removing  from  manj 
minds  those  objections  which  hinder  their  belief  in  the  truth  of  Rev- 
elation, because  based  on  what  appears  to  derogate  from  the  purity, 
sanctity,  authority  and  divinity  of  the  ORACLES  OF  TRUTH. 

E.  M.,  Sr. 

BlRJlIKGHAM. 


CONTENTS. 


PART  I. 

The  Science  of  Correspondences  Elucidated. 

CHAPTER  I.  PAGE 
Importance  of  the  Subject.— Inspiration  Defined,  and  the  True  Canon  of  the  Word  of 
God  Decided  13 

CHAPTER  II. 

Difficulties  of  the  Mere  Literal  Sense  of  the  Word  Stated.— The  Literal  Sense  Proved 
to  be  Indefensible  and  Inexplicable  if  an  Internal  Sense  be  Denied ....  24 

CHAPTER  III. 

That  the  Divinity  and  Sanctity  of  the  Word  of  God  is  the  Consequence  of  its  Contain- 
ing an  Internal  or  Spiritual  Sense  32 

CHAPTER  IV. 

The  Laws  of  the  Science  of  Correspondences  Stated  and  Confirmed.— The  Doctrine  of 
Correspondences  well  known  to  the  Ancients,  and  its  Corruption  the  Origin  of  all 
Idolatry  and  Superstition  38 

CHAPTER  V. 

'    That  the  Sacred  Writers  bear  the  most  Ample  and  Cogent  Testimony  to  the  Existence 

of  a  Spiritual  Sense  in  the  Word  of  God  54 

CHAPTER  YI. 

Tht,  Difference  between  Correspondence  and  Metaphor,  Fable,  etc.,  stated. — Corre- 
spondence defined,  with  Examples  of  its  Application  in  expounding  the  Holy 
Word  71 


CHAPTER  VII. 

The  Science  of  Correspondences  not  a  Speculative  and  Visionary  Theory,  but  an 
Absolute  Reality.— Illustrations  from  Opposites,  and  various  other  Subjects. — The 
Objects  for  which  the  Word  of  God  was  Revealed  only  Answered  by  the  Admis- 
sion of  its  Internal  Sense,  which  alone  Distinguishes  it  from  all  other  Compo- 
sitions, and  Reconciles  its  Apparent  Contradictions.— Universality  of  this  Divine 
Science,  and  the  Necessity  that  Exists  for  the  Word  being  Written  according  to  it.  85 

CHAPTER  VIII. 
The  Difference  between  the  Apparent  and  Genuine  Truths  of  the  Literal  Sense  of  the 


Holy  Word  Explained  and  Illustrated  112 

CHAPTER  IX. 

The  Correspondence  of  War  and  Implements  of  War  in  the  Holy  Word      .      .  .124 

CHAPTER  X. 

On  the  Will  and  Understanding,  as  Comprising  both  the  Divine  and  the  Human 
Mind ;  on  the  Marriage  of  Divine  Goodness  and  Truth  therein,  and  on  the  Union 
of  Love  and  Wisdom  in  the  Holy  Word,  with  Illustrations  131 

CHAPTER  XI. 

The  Three  Degrees  of  Life,  the  Trinal  Distinction  in  God,  and  the  Threefold  Consti- 
tution of  the  Human  Mind  and  the  Holy  Word  Explained,  and  their  Mutual 

Correspondence  Illustrated  141 

vii 


VIU 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  XII.  PAGE 
Colors,  Numbers,  Weights,  Measures,  Musical  Instruments,  etc   170 

CHAPTER  XIII. 
The  Correspondence  of  Animals,  Parts  of  Animals,  and  Compound  and  Monstrous 

Animals,  with  Illustrations  190 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

Correspondence  of  the  Vegetable  World,  with  Illustrations  206 

CHAPTER  XV. 

Correspondence  of  Earths,  Minerals,  etc.,  with  Illustrations  233 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

Correspondence  of  the  Sun,  Moon,  and  Stars ;  the  Idolatrous  Worship  of  them,  and 
its  extensive  Prevalence  and  Influence  239 

CHAPTER  XVII. 

The  First  Chapters  of  Genesis,  to  the  27th  Verse  of  Chapter  XI.,  A  Grand  Series  of 
Divine  Allegories,  which  can  only  be  Interpreted  by  the  Science  of  Corre- 
spondences  242 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 
History  of  the  Flood,  the  Ark,  and  of  Noah  and  his  Posterity,  an  Allegory ;  or,  rather, 
a  Spiritual  History  clothed  in  the  Divine  Language  of  Correspondences      .      .  255 

CHAPTER  XIX. 

Sacrificial  Worship  266 

CHAPTER  XX. 

The  Entire  History  of  the  Four  Gospels  Literally  True,  but  Significative  and  Repre- 
sentative in  every  Particular  Recorded. — Illustrations  from  the  Lord's  Parables 
and  Miracles,  His  Transfiguration,  Life,  Ministry,  and  Crucifixion  ....  279 

CHAPTER  XXI. 

The  Book  of  Revelation  Wholly  Composed  of  Divine  Symbols  or  Correspondences  .  292 
Conclusion  295 


PART  11. 

Additional  llhtstrations  and  Conjirmations  of  the  Doctrine. 
CHAPTER  I. 

The  Key  of  Knowledge. — Introduction,  303.— Creation  of  the  World, ."05.— Contra- 
dictory Views  of  Chronologcrs  Concerning  the  Age  of  the  World,  307.— Geology  in 
Harmony  with  Scripture,  308. — The  Sun  the  Instrumental  Cause  of  Creation,  311. — 
Sir  Humphry  Davy's  View,  313.— Connection  between  the  Creator  and  His  \\'orks, 
•    314.— Plenary  Inspiration  of  the  Word  of  God,  317.— Correspondence,  the  Sure  Rule 

of  Scripture  Interpretation  321 

CHAPTER  II. 

The  Origin  of  Correspondence,  and  why  the  Scripture  is  AVritten  in  Agreement  with 
it,  325.— Some  Proofs  Given,  325.— Revelation  the  Voice  of  God  Speaking  to  Man's 
Will  and  Intellect;  therefore  of  Plenary  Inspiration.  332.— Opinions  of  Ancient 
and  Modern  Authors  Respecting  Correspondence,  337.— The  Prayer  of  Moses, 
"  Lord,  I  Beseech  Thee,  Show  me  thy  Glory,"  Explained,  345.— The  Tri-Unity  of 
God,  as  Consisting  of  Love,  Wisdom,  Power,  Exhibited  in  all  Creation,  347.— Cor- 
respondence of  the  Three  Kingdoms  of  Nature  with  the  Three  Degrees  of  Life 

In  Man  34S 

CHAPTER  III. 

The  Lord's  Word  Magnified  above  all  His  Name,  352.— Comparisons  Between  the  Lit- 
eral and  Spiritual  Senses  of  the  Word  of  God ;  Illustrations  of,  353.— The  Use  of 


CONTENTS. 


IX 


Correspondence  in  Explaining  Difficult  Passages  of  Scripture,  355.— Its  Use  in 
Explaining  the  Miracles  anrl  Parables,  357. — Correspondence  of  the  Sun,  Moon, 
and  Stars,  360.— The  Israelitish  Journey  from  Egypt  to  Canaan,  3CG.— Explanation 
of  Various  Scripture  Phrases,  307.— Ezekiel's  Vision  of  Holy  Waters,  369.— Two 
Miracles  Illustrated  by  the  Law  of  Correspondence,  viz.,  "Deatli  in  the  Pot,"  and 
the  Restoration  of  Sight  to  the  Man  Born  Blind,  by  Washing  in  the  Pool  of  Siloam, 
377.— The  Tribute-JIoney  found  in  the  Fish's  Mouth,  3S7.— Religion  and  Science 


Connected,  391.— Conclusion  396 

CHAPTER  IV. 

A  Key  to  the  Spiritual  Signific.\tion  of  Nu.mbers.— Introduction,  398.— Numbers 
1  to  12,  Inclusive— One,  403.— Two,  411.— Three,  419.— Four,  426.— Five,  434.— Six,  445. 
—Seven,  451.— Eight,  460.— Nine,  460.— Ten,  469.— Eleven,  475.— Twelve.  478.— A  Rule 
for  Discovering  the  Signification  of  other  Numbers  487 

CHAPTER  V. 

A  Key  to  the  Spiritual  Signification  of  Weights  and  Measures  .     .     .  .490 

CHAPTER  VI. 

Precious  and  Common  Stones,  their  Meaning  in  Scripture.— A  General  Account 
of  the  Stones  mentioned  in  the  Sacred  Scriptures,  the  Purposes  to  which  they 
were  applied,  and  their  various  Significations  503 

CHAPTER  VII. 

Stones  used  for  Altars,  Pillars,  Witnesses,  and  Memorials  509 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

Tables  of  Stones  for  the  Ten  Commandments  515 

CHAPTER  IX. 

The  <Ereast-Plate  of  Aaron,  called  the  Breast-Plate  of  Judgment,  and  also  Urim  and 

Thummim  529 

CHAPTER  X. 

The  Science  of  Correspondence  Applied  as  a  Key  to  the  Spiritual  Interpretation  of 
the  Principal  Symbols  in  Revelation  xxi.  Chapter,  and  its  Applicability  and  Suf- 
ficiency Demonstrated  549 


CHAPTER  XI. 

The  Word  and  its  Inspiration.— No  Written  Word  before  the  Fall. — The  Ancient  Word 
that  became  Lost. — Source  of  the  Grecian  Mythology. — All  Religious  Knowledge 
from  Divine  Revelation. — The  Scriptures  a  Light  to  all  Nations. — The  Medium  of 
Communication  between  Angels  and  Men.— Nature  of  the  Word  in  Heaven. — Il- 
lustrating and  Confirming  the  Doctrine  of  Correspondence. — Distinction  between 
Verbal  and  Personal  Inspiration.— No  Written  Word  on  any  Earth  but  ours,  and 


the  Reason  why  562 

CHAPTER  XII. 

The  Doctrine  of  CorrespSndence  Applied  as  a  Key  to  the  Spiritual  and  True  Meaning 
of  Matthew  xvi.  18, 19.— The  Rock  on  which  the  Church  is  Built.— The  Keys  of 
the  Kingdom  of  Heaven,  etc  590 

CHAPTER  XIII. 
Corre.spondence  Applied  to  the  Interpretation  of  Isaiah  vii.  15. — "  Butter  and  Honey 
shall  he  Eat,  that  he  may  know  to  refuse  the  Evil  and  choose  the  Good  "      .      .  595 

CHAPTER  XIV. 
The  Correspondence  of  Salt,  599.— Some  Illustrative  Examples  from  the  Word,  600.— 
The  Preserving  Principle  of  Salt,  and  its  Correspondence,  601. — Its  Fructifying 
Principle,  and  Its  Correspondence,  602. — Its  Conjoining  Principle,  and  its  Corre- 
spondence  604 


X 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  XV.  PAGE 
Correspondence  Applied  to  the  Interpretation  of  Matthew  sxiv.  20 :  "  Pray  ye  that 
your  flight  be  not  in  the  Winter,  neither  on  the  Sabbatli  day  "  COS 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

Correspondence  of  the  Serpent,  with  Illustrative  Examples  from  Scripture  .      .  .616 

CHAPTER  XVII. 

Natural  and  Spiritual  Substance  and  Form. — Truth  and  Love  are  Substantial. — The 
Natural  and  Spiritual  Body.— Objects  in  the  SpiritualWorld.  and  tlie  Law  of  their 
Existence.— Discrete  Degrees,  Confirmiug  the  Doctrine  of  Correspondence.— God, 
the  Infinite  and  self-existing  Substance  627 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 
Correspondence  of  the  Human  Body  and  its  Parts  to  Things  Spiritual  and  Divine    .  635 

CHAPTER  XIX. 
The  True  Worship  of  the  I^ord  Represented  by  the  Offerings  of  the  Wise  Men  from  the 
East. — The  Spiritual  meaning  of  Gold,  Frankincense,  and  Myrrh,  as  unfolded  by 
Correspondence  642 


APPENDIX. 

'  Sec.  I. — Dissertation  on  the  Possibility  and  Neccssitj-  of  Divine  Revelation ;  on  the 
Canon  of  Sacred  Scripture,  and  the  Genuineness  and  .-Vuthenticity  of  the 
Various  Books  Composing  the  Word  of  the  New  Testament  and  their  Uncor- 
rupted  Preservation ;  with  a  Brief  A^ialysis  of,  and  a  few  Remarks  on,  each 

Book   6bl 

'    Sec.  II.—The  Canon  of  Scriptuie   653 

.  Sec.  III.— The  Books  of  the  Authorized  Version  of  the  Bible  which  are  not  Plenarily 
Inspired,  656.— Ezra  and  Nehemiah,  659.— Ruth,  659.— Esther,  660.— Job,  661. 

—Proverbs,  662.— Ecclesiastes,  662.— The  Song  of  Solomon   663 

Sec.  IV.— The  Apocrypha   606 

Sec.  v.— Rabbinical  Literature   666 

Sec.  VI.— The  Septuagint,  or  Greek  Version  of  the  Old  Testament   667 

.   Sec.  VII.— The  Versions  of  the  Scriptures  used  by  Emanuel  Swcdcnborg     .      .  .668 

•  Sec.  VIII.— On  the  Integrity  of  the  Word  of  God,  and  its  Miraculous  Preservation     .  670 

-    Sec.  IX.— The  Epistles  of  the  Apostles   676 

Sec.  X.— The  Jewish  Canon  of  the  Old  Testament   683 

Sec.  XL— The  Four  Different  Styles  in  whicli  the  Word  of  God  is  Written    .      .      .  6S5 

Sec.  XII.— The  Ancient  Word   C86 

Sec.  XIII.— Why  was  not  tlie  Internal  Sense  of  the  Word  Revealed  before?  .     .  .688 

Sec.  XIV.— The  Authorized  English  Version  of  the  Bible   688 

Sec.  XV.— Degrees   690 

Sec.  XVI.-Dmidism   696 

Sec.  XVIL— The  Pythagorean  Doctrine  of  Metempsychosis   702 

Sec.  XVIIL— The  Hieroglyphics,  Hieroglyphs,  or  Sacred  Writings  and  Engravings, 

and  the  Representative  Images  of  the  Egyptian.?   704 

Sec.  XIX.— How  was  it  that  the  Spiritual  Method  of  Interpretation  Practised  by  the 
Early  Christian  Fatheis,  ceased  in  the  Church,  or  what  were  the  Causes  of  its 

Decline?   720 

Sec.  XX.— The  Document  Theory,  and  the  Assyrian  Tablets   724 

Sec.  XXL— Tlie  Three  Terms,  Correspondences,  Representatives,  and  Significatives  .  726 


PART  I. 

THE 

Science  of  Correspondences 

ELUCIDATED. 


xi 


ABBREVIATIONS. 


The  following  are  the  abbreviated  titles  of  the  works  of  Swedenborg  quoted 
■  referred  to  in  this  work. 


A.  C.       stand  for  Arcana  Coelestia. 

A.  E.  "  Apocalypse  Explained. 

A.  E.  "  Apocalypse  Eevealed. 

T.  C.  R.  "  True  Christian  Religion. 

C.  S.  L.  "  Conjugial  and  Scortatory  Love. 
H.  H.  "  Heaven  and  Hell. 

D.  L.  W.  "  Divine  Love  and  Wisdom. 
D.  P.  "  Divine  Providence. 

S.  S.  "  The  Sacred  Scripture. 

D.  L.  "  Doctrine  of  the  Lord. 

W.  H.  "  The  White  Horse  in  the  Revelation. 

H.  K.  "  Hieroglyphic  Key. 

I.  S.  B.  "  Intercourse  between  the  Soul  and  the  Body. 


zii 


THE 


SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Importance  of  the  Subject. — Inspiration  Defined,  and  the  True 
Canon  of  the  Word  of  God  Decided, 

11HE  subject  of  this  treatise  is  one  of  momentous  interest  to  every 
-  well-disposed  and  reflective  mind.  Accustomed  to  reverence  the 
Bible^  as  a  book  containing  the  revealed  will  and  wisdom  of  the  Su- 
preme Being,  written  under  immediate  inspiration,  and  j^rofessing  to 
regard  it  as  the  fountain  of  all  spiritual  light,  and  the  source  of  all 
religious  knowledge,  we  must,  if  indeed  we  are  humble  and  teacha- 
ble, feel  greatly  rejoiced  when  we  learn  that  there  exists  a  certain  and 
universal  rule  of  interpretation,  by  which  its  glorious  truths  can  be 
disclosed,  its  heavenly  wonders  unfolded,  its  consolatory  doctrines  dis- 
played, and  its  sacred  precepts  made  plain.  In  this  state  of  mind  we 
are  prepared  rationally  to  perceive  the  true  nature  and  character  of 
the  Holy  Word  as  "  the  power  and  wisdom  of  God," — the  only  au- 
thentic source  of  religious  knowledge  and  spiritual  wisdom  (John  i. 
1,  2;  Rom.  i.  16 ;  1  Cor.  i.  24).  We  shall  be  disposed  to  regard  it 
as  a  spiritual  meat  and  drink, — "  the  green  pastures  and  still  waters" 
for  the  repose  and  refreshment  of  the  Lord's  flock  (Ps.  xxiii.  2) ;  and 
as  we  receive  the  heavenly  nourishment  by  which  our  souls  live,  we 
shall  exclaim,  with  the  proi^het  Jeremiah,  "  Thy  words  were  found, 
and  I  did  eat  them  ;  and  they  were  unto  me  the  joy  and  rejoicing  of 
my  heart"  (xv.  16). 


>  Bible  is  a  word  derived  from  "  biblos,"  the 
Greek  name  for  papyncs,  tlie  most  ancient 
material  out  of  which  its  derivative,  paper, 
was  made.  Blblus,  the  Egyptian  plant,  gave 
to  the  Greeks  their  name  for  paper,  and  this 
agaui  gave  their  name  to  the  earliest  trans- 
2 


lation  of  the  Hebrew  Scriptures  as  "  tlie 
Book,''  and  which  has  been  adopted  into 
all  languages  as  the  designation  of  the  Sa- 
cred Scriptures  in  a  collected  form. 

The  Jews  call  their  Hebrew  Bible,  "  The 
Book  of  Holiness,"  or  "The  Holy  Book." 

13 


14 


THE  SCIEXCE  OF  CORRESPOXDENCES. 


■  Incontrovertible  reasons  migl:'^  \:o  adduced  for  the  absolute  necessity 
of  a  direct  revelation,  and  also  what  are  commonly  called  the  pre- 
sumptive and  positive  but  irresistible  evidences,  both  internal  and 
external,  satisfactory  as  they  are,  in  proof  of  the  genuineness,  authen- 
ticity, and  integrity  of  those  books  which  form  the  Word,  together 
with  the  overwhelming  testimonies  in  favor  of  their  verity  derived 
from  the  wonderful  literal  fulfillment  of  many  of  the  inspired  pre- 
dictions,' and  from  their  marvellous  effects  in  advancing  human 
civilization  wherever  they  have  been  freely  circulated ;  likewise  the  in- 
vincible proofs  of  the  divinity  of  the  Holy  Word,  as  exemplified  in  the 
perfect  harmony,  simplicity,  and  practical  tendency  of  its  doctrines,  and 
their  universal  adaptation  to  the  exalted  purposes  projiosed  ;  the  fur- 
ther corroborative  testimony  which  might  be  adduced  from  important 
philosophical  investigations,  philological  inquiries  and  responses,  scien- 
tific scrutiny,  and  archaeological  discoveries,  together  with  its  miracu- 
lous preservation  from  age  to  age,  amid  the  fiercest  commotions  and 
devastations,  and  the  dismemberment  of  all  the  nations  that  have 
ever  existed  on  the  face  of  the  earth;''  and  the  wonderful  unity 
of  the  whole,  though  written  by  the  instrumentality  of  various  men, 
at  distant  periods, — all  of  which  facts  and  circumstances  strongly 
argue  a  divine  inspiration  and  prescience.  I  pass  over  these  multi- 
plied arguments,  satisfactory  as  they  ai-e,  and  take  far  higher  grounds 
than  these  in  behalf  of  the  inspiration  of  the  Word,  and  appeal  to 
the  inward  consciousness,  experience,  and  reason  of  all. 

To  admit  that  a  book  is  the  pure  dictate  and  voice  of  God,  de- 
mands that  we  should  require  it  to  be  authenticated,  as  well  as  dis- 
criminated from  other  productions,  not  merely  by  verbal  exegesis, 
critical  analysis,  and  historical  researches  (however  valuable  they 


s"  A  prophecy,  literally  fulfilled,  is  a  real 
miracle:  one  such,  fairly  produced,  must  go 
a  great  way  in  convincing  all  reasonable 
men."— Collins. 

'  "  Four  thousand  years  this  great  volume 
has  withstood  not  only  the  iron  tootli  of 
time,  but  all  the  physical  and  intellectual 
strength  of  man.  Pretended  friends  have 
corrupted  and  betrayed  it :  kings  and  princes 
have  ]>erseveringly  sought  to  banish  it  from 
the  world:  the  civil  and  military  powers  of 
the  great  empires  of  the  world  have  been 
leagued  for  its  destruction  ;  the  fires  of  perse- 
cution have  been  lighted  to  consume  both  it 
and  its  friends  together;  and  at  raanyseasons.  | 
death,  in  its  most  horrid  forms,  has  been  the 
almost  certain  consequence  of  atfording  it  | 


an  asylum  from  the  fury  of  its  enemies. 
Though  it  has  been  ridiculed  more  bitterly, 
misrepresented  more  grossly,  opposed  more 
rancorously,  and  burnt  more  fre(|ueutly  than 
any  otlier  book,  and  perhaps  than  all  other 
books  united,  it  is  so  far  from  sinking  undir 
the  etTorts  of  its  enemies,  that  the  probabil- 
ity of  its  surviving  is  now  much  greater  than 
ever.  The  rain  has  descended,  the  Hoods 
have  come,  the  storm  has  arisen  and  beat 
upon  it ;  but  it  fell  not :  for  it  was  founded 
upon  a  rock.  Like  the  burning  bush,  it  has 
been  in  flames,  yet  it  is  still  unconsumed,— 
a  sulhcient  proof  that  there  is  no  oiher  reve- 
I  Inlion  from  God.— that  He  who  spake  from 
the  bush,  is  the  author  of  the  Bible."— Pay- 

I  SON. 


THE  KEY  TO  THE  HEAVENLY  MYSTERIES. 


15 


may  be  in  furnishing  expositions  and  confirmations  of  the  letter), 
but  by  the  highest  and  most  cogent  evidence.*  "  I  speak  as  to  wise 
men,  judge  ye  what  I  say  "  (1  Cor.  x.  15).  "  Prove  all  things,  hold 
fast  that  which  is  good"  (1  Thess.  v.  21).  Far  be  it  from  me,  how- 
ever, to  decry  or  undervalue  the  use  and  application  of  profound 
philosophical,  archisological,  and  scientific  researches,  applied  to  the 
enodation  and  illustration  of  the  letter  of  the  Word  of  God,  from 
which,  when  directed  by  sound  piety  and  judgment,  there  is  nothing 
to  fear.  On  the  contrary,  honor  and  gratitude  are  due  to  a^  who,  in 
a  right  spirit,  engage  in  Biblical  criticism.  For  it  is  of  the  utmost 
consequence  that  the  literal  sense  of  the  Word  should  be  as  critically 
correct,  and  as  absolutely  definite  as  possible ;  because  this  sense, 
adapted  to  all  readers,  is  the  only  just  source  and  faithful  standard 
of  all  true  doctrine  and  genuine  morality.* 

A  careful  examination  of  the  Bible  may  lead  an  impartial  and  re- 
flective mind  to  see  that  it  consists  of  tAVO  kinds  of  writings,  distin- 
guished by  two  very  different  degrees  of  insjiiration : — one  primary, 
plenary,  and  infallible — the  other  secondary  and  partial,  which  might 
aj^propriately  be  considered  as  the  result  of  the  spiritual  illumination 
of  the  writer's  rational  mind.  The  first,  or  superior  degree  of  inspira- 
tion, is  that  in  which  the  speakers  and  writers  were  inspired  as  to  the 
very  words  they  uttered  and  recorded.  For  the  time  their  individu- 
ality was  suspended.  Their  mind,  reason,  and  memory  were  alto- 
gether subservient  to  the  prevalent  influence  of  the  Spirit  of  Jeho- 
vah, who  "  spake  by  them,  and  his  Avord  was  in  their  tongues,"  which, 
were  as  "the  pen  of  a  ready  writer"  (2  Sam.  xxiii.  2;  Ps.  xiv.  i.). 
The  writers  were  only  seen  in  their  representative  characters.  Their 
states  were  intermittent ;  at  times  they  were  in  the  Spirit,  and  had  di- 
rect intercourse  with  the  spiritual  Avorld,  and  conscious  comruunion 
with  God,  while  at  others  they  were  in  their  ordinary  state  of  mind.* 


* "  One  is  tempted  to  remark  how  much  we 
may  lose  bj'  the  cold,  dry  way  in  which  we 
are  apt  to  read  the  sacred  history,  as  mere 
matter  of  criticism,  historical  or  moral,  con- 
trasted with  the  high  and  thrilling  views 
wherewith  the  ecclesiastical  rules  of  inter- 
pretation warrant  those  who  adopt  them." 
— Tracts  oj  the  Times,  Ixxxix.,  p.  101. 

'  On  the  above  important  topics  much  has 
been  ably  written  by  a  host  of  learned,  in- 
defatigable, and  skilful  men— of  all  ages  and 
countries,  whose  names  and  works  it  is  un- 
necessary to  enumerate.  Judiciously  read, 
with  every  allowance  for  the  respective  au- 1 


thors'  means  of  information,  religious  senti- 
ments, and  predilections,  these  works  will 
satisfy  every  inquiry  of  the  student  on  the 
historical,  chronological,  and  philological 
evidences,  both  internal  and  extenial,  or 
on  the  unquestionable  genuineness  and  au- 
thenticity of  the  sacred  books  which  com- 
pose the  Word  of  God.  {See  Appendix,  on  the 
Integrity  of  the  Word  of  God  in  the  Letter.) 

«  "  During  the  prophetical  ecstasy  the  very 
actions  and  words  of  a  prophet  are  symboli- 
cal, as  is  rightly  observed  by  Irenteus." — 
Lancaster,  Perp.  Com.,  p.  16.   (See  Isa.  xx. 
13;  Ez.  iv.  i;  xxxiv.  33.) 


16 


TEE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


Thus  every  term,  yea,  every  "jot  and  tittle"  (Matt.  v.  18)  of  such 
books  was  dictated  or  spoken  by  the  Lord  himself, — necessarily  con- 
tains a  heavenly,  spiritual  sense,  distinct  from  but  within  the  lit- 
eral sense,  and  consequently  both  senses  are  most  holy  and  divine. 
Now  the  books  of  the  Bible  written  according  to  this  peculiar  style 
are  the  pure  and  plenary  Word  of  God.  For  "  inspiration,"  Swe- 
denborg  says,  "  implies  that  in  all  parts  of  the  Word,  even  the  most 
minute, — as  well  the  historical  as  other  parts, — are  contained  celestial 
things,  w'tich  i-efer  to  love  or  goodness,  and  spiritual  things,  which 
refer  to  faith  or  truth,  consequently  things  divine.  For  what  is  in- 
spired by  the  Lord,  descends  from  Him  through  the  angelic  heavens, 
and  so  through  the  world  of  spirits,  till  it  reaches  man,  before  whom 
it  presents  itself  as  the  Word  in  the  letter."  (A.  C.  1837.) 

The  second  or  lower  degree  of  inspiration  is  that  which  is  gener- 
ally supposed  to  belong  to  the  entii'e  Bible,  in  which  the  writei's,  for 
the  edification  of  the  Church,  were  led  by  the  illumination  and  di- 
rection of  the  Holy  Spirit  as  far  as  the  sense  is  concerned,  without 
being  inspired  as  to  the  words  they  used,  or  in  the  descriptions  of  the 
events  and  facts  they  related. 

The  views  of  the  New  Church,  therefore,  do  not  differ  from  those 
of  other  Christian  expositors  and  commentators  in  regard  to  the  au- 
thority Avhich  belongs  to  the  latter  class  of  writings,  the  subsidiary 
objects  for  which  they  were  composed,  or  the  mode  of  interpretation 
usually  adopted  (see  Appendix,  p.  651)  ;  but  we  widely  diifer  from 
all  others  as  to  the  character  of  those  books  which  are  affirmed  to  be 
plenarily  insjiired.  And  the  distinction  is,  that  these  are  maintained 
to  be  of  immediate  divine  authority,  and  thus  more  sacred — more 
practical  than  modern  theologians  admit.  We  believe  them  to  be 
the  divine  truth  itself, — an  emanation  from  the  divine  goodness  itself, 
— and  holy  even  to  the  very  letter.  And  further  confirmed  as  it  is 
to  us  by  the  most  convincing  evidence  that  this  very  Word  of  God, 
thus  plenarily  inspired,  is  written  according  to  peculiar  laws,  which 
are  applicable  to  no  other  compositions  whatsoever.  And  moreover, 
that  the  books  so  written  are,  in  the  Old  Testament — those  enumer- 
ated by  our  blessed  Lord,  in  Luke  xxiv.  44,  with  reference  to  Him- 
self, namely,  "the  law"  (the  Pentateuch,  or  five  books)  "of  Moses,* 


"  Inspired  persons  remain  merely  human 
beings  in  respect  of  purposes  not  immedi- 
ately connected  with  their  special  missions 
and  endowments." — Kenlislt's  Xotes  and  Com- 
mtnts,  2d  Ed.,  p.  131. 


'  In  the  celebrated  catechism  of  Rabbi 
Abraham  Jagel,  originally  extracted  from 
Maimonides,  it  is  asserted  that "  Moses  acted 
as  the  mere  amanuensis  of  God  in  writing 


THE  KEY  THAT  OPEXS  THE  SCRIPTURES. 


17 


THE  PROPHETS  AND  THE  PsALMs,"'  and  ill  the  New  Testament,  the 
Four  Gospels,*  which  relate  to  the  history  of  our  Lord's  incarna- 
tion, ministry,  and  glorification,  and  record  his  very  Avords ;  together 
with  the  book  of  Revelation,  which  the  Apostle  John  calls  "  the 
revelation  and  testimony  of  Jesus  Christ,"  and  which  he  says  was 
"signified"  to  him,  or  as  the  original  word  {arjuaviv  means,  symboli- 
calhj  shotvn  to  him.  These  Scriptures,  then,  are  contradistinguished 
from  all  human  compositions  whatsoever ;  and  while  the  histories  re- 
corded are  all,  in  the  general  sense,  literally  true,'"  yet  the  whole  is 
capable  of  being  interpreted  by  the  knoAvn,  determinable,  harmonious, 
universal,  and  unerring  law  on  which  they  rest,  and  according  to 
M-hich  they  were  written. 

That  the  terra  Gospel  (or  "  glad  tidings,"  or  "  news  that  is  well ")  " 
is  taken  to  mean  the  Four  Gospels,  and  that  these  were  always  re- 
garded as,  in  some  sense,  more  holy  than  the  Epistles,  is  evident — 


both  the  historical  and  ceremonial  parts  of 
his  five  books." — Paria  Mosis,  p.  164. 

"The  entire  Old  Testament  is  a  connected 
series  of  mysteries,  relating  to  Christ,  who, 
though  one,  is  represented  by  various  types 
and  emblems."— De  amor  et  Cult,  in  Spir.  el 
Ver.,  p.  31. 

'The  Son  of  Sirach  seems  to  allude  to 
this  threefold  division  of  the  Scriptures,  in 
the  preface  to  the  book  of  Ecclcsiasticus, 
written  about  130  years  before  the  Christian 
era,  wliere  he  mentions  •'  The  Law,  the 
prophets,  and  the  otlier  books  of  our  Fa- 
thers."— Wolf,  Bib.  Heb .,  vol.  i.,  p.  255. 

'"Tatian,  a  little  after  the  middle  of  the 
second  century,  composed  a  Harmony  of  the 
Gospels;  the  first  of  the  kind  which  had  been 
attempted,  which  he  called  Diatesseron  [of 
the  four],  which  demonstrates  that  at  that 
time  there  were  four  gospels,  and  no  more, 
of  established  authority  in  the  Church. 
Iren;eus,  not  long  after,  mentions  all  the 
Evangelists  by  name,  arranging  them  ac- 
cording to  the  order  wherein  they  wrote, 
which  is  the  same  as  that  universally  given 
them  throughout  the  Christian  world  to  this 
day,  assigning  reasons  why  the  gospels  can 
be  neither  fewer  nor  more.  Early  in  the  third 
century,  Ammonius  also  wrote  a  harmony 
of  the  four  gospels."  —  Campbell's  Prelim. 
Diss,  to  the  Four  Gospels,  vol.  i.,  p.  131.  See 
also  Westcott's  Canon  of  the  New  Test.,  p.  355. 

"  The  gospel  WTiters  were  four— but  the 
gospel  is  one  "  (Origen,  Cont.  Marcion,  sec.  i., 
p.  9).  "  Like  that  river  which  went  out  of 
Eden  to  water  the  garden,  it  was  by  the 
2*  B 


Holy  Ghost  '  parted,  and  became  into  four 
heads.'  "—Burtjon's  Sennons,  p.  62.  [Cyprian 
uses  the  same  figure.] 

Origen,  as  quoted  by  Eusebius,  presbyter 
of  Alexandria,  also  says  "  The  four  evan- 
gelists alone  are  received  without  dispute  by 
the  whole  Church  of  GoO."— Hist.  EccL,  lib. 
vi.,  cat.  25.  Augustine,  who  flourished  a.  d. 
398,  writes  that  "  The  four  gospels  have  the 
highest  authority." — Lardner's  Gospel  Hist., 
vol.  xii.,  p.  302. 

"•By  finding  a  spiritual  sense  In  the  Word 
of  God,  Hilary  will  not  allow  that  historical 
truth  is  weakened  or  betrayed. — "In  the  be- 
ginning of  our  treatise  we  warned  others 
against  supposing  that  we  detracted  from  the 
belief  in  transactions  by  teaching  that  the 
things  themselves  contained  within  them 
the  outgoings  of  subsequent  realities." — 
Comm.  in  Malt,  vii.,  i.,  p.  640. 

Cyril  of  Alexandria  also  says,  "  Although 
the  spiritual  sense  be  good  and  fruitful,  yet 
what  is  historical  should  be  taken  as  [true] 
history." — Comm.  in  Isa.,  lib.  i.,  Orat.  4,  vol. 
ii.,  pp.  113, 114. 

"Remember,"  Tertullian  remarks,  "that 
when  we  admit  of  spiritual  allegories,  the 
true  literal  sense  of  the  Scripture  is  not 
altered." 

"  "  The  Greek  word  for  Gospel  means  glad 
tidings,  good  or  joyful  news.  Our  Englisli 
word  '  Gospel,'  which  is  compounded  of  the 
Saxon  word  God — good,  and  spell — a  history, 
narrative,  or  message,  very  accurately  ex- 
presses the  sense  of  the  original  Greek." — 
(See  Junii  Etym.  Ang.  and  Parkhurst.) 


18 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


first,  from  the  circumstance  that  oaths  from  a  period  antecedent,  at 
least,  to  the  time  of  Justinian  (a.  d.  527),  have  been  administered 
in  the  four  Gospels ;  secondly,  from  the  ancient  form  universally 
prevailing  in  the  Christian  Church  so  early  as  the  third  century,  of 
ordaining  Bishops  to  their  sacred  functions  in  Avhich  the  book  of  the 
Four  Evangelists  Avas  held  open  over  the  candidate's  head ;  and,  lastly, 
from  the  practice  of  the  Church,  in  which  a  custom  has  long  existed, 
and  is  even  now  retained,  which,  if  it  has  any  meaning,  was  designed 
to  mark  a  greater  degree  of  reverence  for  the  Gospels  in  comparison 
with  the  Apostolic  Epistles ;  for,  the  congregation  is  directed,  in  the 
rubric  of  the  Church  of  England  communion  service,  to  stand  Avhile 
the  holy  Gospel  is  read,  but  to  sit  durmg  the  reading  of  the 
Epistles." 

Bishop  Tomline  thus  writes  on  the  inspiration  of  the  entire  Bible, 
in  his  Elements  of  Christian  Theology: — "When  it  is  said  that  the 
Sacred  Scriptures  are  divinely  inspired,  we  are  not  to  understand 
that  God  suggested  every  word,  or  dictated  every  expression,  nor  is 
it  to  be  sui)posed  that  they  were  inspired  in  every  fact  which  they 
related,  or  in  every  precept  which  they  delivered."  "  It  is  sufficient 
to  believe  that  by  the  general  superintendence  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
they  were  directed  in  the  choice  of  their  materials,  and  prevented 
from  recording  any  material  error."" 

In  what,  then,  does  the  difference  consist  between  the  view  now 
propounded,  and  that  which  was  held  by  this  orthodox  prelate  of  the 
Establishment,  whose  opinion  on  this  topic  has  been  echoed  on  all 
sides,  and  would,  it  is  presumed,  be  admitted  as  a  precise  exposition 
of  what  is  generally  believed  on  the  subject  of  inspiration  throughout 
the  Christian  world  ?  It  consists  in  this :  the  Bishop's  mode  of  inter- 
pretation, like  ours,  is  strictly  applicable  to  the  Epistles,  and  such 
portions  of  the  Word  as  are  not  included  by  the  Lord  in  the  text 
just  noticed ;  but  we  believe,  from  evidence  apparently  irresistible, 


12  Cyril,  in  his  apologetical  discourse  to 
Theodosius,  describing  the  Council  of  Ephe- 
sus,  says :  "  The  sacred  synod  being  assem- 
bled in  Mary's  Church,  had  Christ  himself 
for  their  head ;  for  the  Holy  Gospel  was  as  a 
solemn  throne,  preaching,  ns  it  were,  to  the 
venerable  prelates,  'Judge  ye  righteous  judg- 
ment! '"—/-ohbe,  Concil.  iii.,  p.  1044.  Cited 
III/  Dr.  Wordsworth. 

"  In  the  Eastern  churches,  lights  were  car- 
ried before  them  when  they  were  going  to 
)'C  read. 

'*  "  Mow  do  we  get  from  under  that  dilfi- 


culty  [viz.,  that  of  reconciling  purely  physi- 
cal truths  and  scientific  fact.s  with  the  Bible]? 
I  believe,  by  simply  adopting  a  doctrine 
which  is  laid  down  in  a  pa.ssage  from  Kcason 
and  Knowledge,  a  book  recently  issued  by  Dr. 
Candlish  :  'AH  that  is  in  Scripture  is  not  rev- 
elation. To  a  large  extent  the  Bible  is  a 
record  of  human  affairs— the  sayings  and 
doings  of  men ;  not  a  record  of  divine  doc- 
trine or  of  communications  from  God.'" — 
Speech  of  Duke  of  Argyle.  delivered  at  a 
meeting  of  the  National  Bilile  Society  of 
Sv-otlaiid,  held  at  (ilosgow,  1864. 


TUE  KEY  THAT  OPENS  THE  SCRIPTURES. 


19 


that  by  far  the  greater  part  is  of  an  incomparably  more  exalted 
character  than  such  a  standard  of  interpretation  is  calculated  to 
establish, — for  we  believe  that  these  latter  books  contain,  in  the  origi- 
nal at  least,  truth  without  the  admixture  of  error,  and  that  they  were 
inspired  both  as  to  materials  and  sense,  as  to  phraseology  and  words, 
as  to  precepts  and  facts, — every  particular  expression  therein  being 
holy  and  divine.  And  that,  thus,  the  oracles  of  God  (Rom.  iii.  2 ; 
Heb.  V.  12 ;  1  Pet.  iv.  11 ;  lively  oracles,  Acts  i.  35),  like  a  casket  en- 
closing brilliant  pearls  and  gems,  contain  a  lucid  heavenly  meaning, 
distinct  from,  but  within,  the  letter. 

Indeed,  to  the  pious  mind,  it  is  a  truly  lamentable  reflection  that 
the  inspiration  of  the  Word  of  God  has  been  reduced  to  so  low  a  test 
by  modern  expositors.  Nothing,  certainly,  can  tend  more  to  the  sup- 
port and  encouragement  of  the  most  rank  infidelity.  Dr.  Palfrey, 
for  instance,  late  Professor  of  Biblical  Literature  in  the  University 
of  Cambridge,  Mass.,  speaking  of  the  Pentateuch,  says  that  "  We  are 
not  debarred  fi-om  supposing  that  it  had  its  origin  in  the  imperfect 
wisdom  of  Moses." — {^Aead.  Led.  on  the  Jewish  Scrip,  and  Antiq.,  vol. 
i.,  lect.  iv.,  pp.  85,  86.) 

Professor  McLellan,  in  his  Manual  of  Sacred  Interpretation,  designed 
to  aid  theological  students  in  Biblical  exegesis,  among  others  lays  these 
maxims  down  as  a  canon  of  direction  for  the  expositor :  "  The  object 
of  Interpretation  is  to  give  the  precise  thoughts  which  the  sacred 
writer  intended  to  express.  No  other  meaning  is  to  be  sought  but 
that  which  lies  in  the  words  themselves.  Scripture  is  to  be  interpreted 
by  the  same  method  Avhich  we  employ  in  discovering  the  meaning  of 
any  other  book ;  "  and  Dr.  Davidson,  in  his  Sacred  Hermeneutics,  speak- 
ing of  the  true  principles  of  interpretation,  says  that  "  The  gram- 
matical meaning  [of  the  Scriptures]  is  the  same  with  the  historical ; 
and  both  constitute  all  the  meaning  intended  by  the  Holy  Spirit. 
AVhen  the  grammatical  or  historical  meaning  of  a  passage  is  ascer- 
tained, all  the  theology  of  the  passage  is  also  known  "  (p.  227). 


To  the  same  purport,  Dr.  Thirlwall,  the 
Bishop  of  St.  David's,  in  his  charge,  1863, 
affirms  that  "a  great  part  of  the  events  re- 
lated in  the  Old  Testament  have  no  more 
apparent  connection  with  our  religion  than 
thoseof  Greece  and  Rome.  .  .  .  The  history, 
so  far  as  it  is  a  narrative  of  civil  and  politi- 
cal transactions,  has  no  essential  connection 
with  any  religious  truth,  and,  if  it  had  been 
lost,  though  we  should  have  been  left  in  ig- 
norance of  much  which  we  should  have  de- 


sired to  know,  our  treasures  of  Christian 
doctrine  would  have  remained  whole  and 
unimpaired.  The  numbers,  migrations, 
wars,  battles,  conquests,  and  reverses  of 
Israel  have  nothing  in  common  with  the 
teachings  of  Christ,  with  the  way  of  salva- 
tion, with  the  fruits  of  the  Spirit.  They  be- 
long to  a  totally  different  order  of  subjects." 
— P.  123.  "  Our  Church  has  never  attempted 
to  determine  tlic  nature  of  the  inspiration 
of  the  Holy  Scriptures." — lb.,  p.  107.  , 


20 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPOXDENCES. 


Dr.  Orville  Dewey,  one  of  the  most  distinguished  theologians  of 
the  Unitarian  school,  writes  on  this  subject  as  follows : 

"  If  any  one  thinks  it  necessary  to  a  reception  of  the  Bible  as  a 
revelation  from  God,  that  the  inspired  penmen  should  have  written 
by  immediate  dictation ;  if  he  thinks  that  the  writers  were  mere 
amanuenses,  and  that  word  after  word  was  put  down  by  instant  sug- 
gestion from  above ;  that  the  very  style  is  divine  and  not  human ; 
that  the  style,  we  say,  and  the  matters  of  style — the  figures,  the 
metaphors,  the  illustrations,  came  from  the  Divine  mind,  and  not 
from  human  minds ;  we  say,  at  once  and  plainly,  that  we  do  not 
regard  the  Scriptures  as  setting  forth  any  claims  to  such  supernatural 
perfection,  or  accuracy  of  style.  It  is  not  a  kind  of  distinction  that 
would  add  anything  to  the  authority,  much  less  to  the  dignity,  of  a 
communication  from  heaven.  Nay,  it  would  detract  from  its  power, 
to  deprive  it,  by  any  hypothesis,  of  those  touches  of  nature,  of  that 
natural  pathos,  simplicity,  and  imagination,  and  of  that  solemn 
grandeur  of  thought,  disregarding  style,  of  which  the  Bible  is  full. 
Enough  is  it  for  us,  that  the  matter  is  divine,  the  doctrines  true,  the 
history  authentic,  the  miracles  real,  the  promises  glorious,  the  threat- 
enings  fearful.  Enough,  that  all  is  gloriously  and  fearfully  true, — 
true  to  the  Divine  will,  true  to  human  nature,  true  to  its  wants, 
anxieties,  sorro^ts,  sins,  and  solemn  destinies.  Enough,  that  the 
seal  of  a  Divine  and  miraculous  communication  is  set  upon  that 
Holy  Book."— ( Works,  English  Ed.,  p.  460.) 

And  in  a  Tract  {Belief  and  Unbelief),  published  in  1839,  with  the 
avowed  purpose  of  defending  the  Bible  from  the  objections  of  infidel- 
ity, he  says,  "  The  Scriptures  are  not  the  actual  communication  made 
to  the  minds  inspired  from  above.  They  are  not  the  actual  "Word  of 
God,  but  they  are  the  record  of  the  Word  of  God."  "  If  there  ever 
were  productions  which  show  the  free  and  fervent  workings  of  human 
thought  and  feeling,  they  are  our  sacred  records.  But  the  things  [in 
them]  which  we  have  to  deal  with  are  Avords ;  they  are  not  divine 
symbols  of  thought."  Again,  he  says,  "  If  we  open  almost  any  book, 
especially  any  book  written  in  a  fervent  and  popular  style,  we  can  per- 
ceive, on  accurate  analysis,  that  son>e  things  were  hastily  written, 
some  things  negligently,  some  things  not  in  the  exact  logical  order 
of  thought;  that  some  things  are  beautiful  in  style,  and  others  inele- 
gant ;  that  some  things  are  clear,  and  others  obscure  and  hard  to  be 
understood."  "  And  do  we  not,"  adds  the  same  writer,  "  find  all  these 
things  in  the  Scriptures  ?  " 


THE  KEr  THAT  OPENS  THE  SCRIPTURES.  21 


Speaking  of  the  twenty-fifth  and  following  chapters  of  Exodus, 
Andrews  Norton,  Professor  of  Sacred  History  in  Harvard  University, 
Mass.,  says :  "  Seven  chapters  are  filled  with  trivial  directions  [re- 
specting the  ark,  the  tabernacle,  and  its  utensils].  So  wholly  uncon- 
nected are  they  with  any  moral  or  religious  sentiment,  or  any  truth, 
important  or  unimportant,  except  the  melancholy  fact  of  their  having 
been  regarded  as  a  divine  communication, — that  it  requires  a  strong 
effort  to  read  through  with  attention  these  pretended  words  of  the 
Infinite  Being.  The  natural  tendency  of  a  belief  that  such  words 
proceeded  from  Him,  whenever  such  belief  prevailed,  must  have  been 
to  draw  away  the  regard  of  the  Jews  from  all  that  is  worthy  of  man, 
and  to  fix  it  upon  the  humblest  object  of  superstition." — Evidences  of 
the  Genuineness  of  the  Gospels,  add.  notes,  cxxvii. 

In  these  divinely  inspired  chapters,  Swedenborg  in  his  Arcana  Ce- 
lestia  shows  the  importance  and  explains  the  spiritual  meaning  of 
every  sentence  and  every  word,  as  teaching  countless  lessons  of  in- 
struction, and  as  having  in  each  particular  an  important  representa- 
tive meaning,  and  a  practical  application,  in  which  the  celestial  and 
spiritual  order  and  realities  of  heaven  and  the  divine  presence  and 
blessing  in  sacred  worship  are  presented  to  the  contemplation  and 
acceptance  of  the  prepared  mind.  They  describe  the  very  sanctuary 
in  which  the  Lord  can  dwell  with  man,  and  of  which  he  says:  "For 
the  Lord  hath  chosen  Zion ;  He  hath  desired  it  for  his  habitation. 
This  is  my  rest  forever :  here  will  I  dwell,  for  I  have  desired  it.  I 
will  abundantly  bless  her  provision;  I  will  satisfy  her  poor  with 
bread.  I  will  also  clothe  her  priests  with  salvation,  and  her  saints 
shall  sing  aloud  for  joy"  (Ps.  cxxxii.  13-16).  And  again,  "Behold 
the  tabernacle  of  God  is  with  men,  and  He  will  dwell  with  them,  and 
they  shall  be  his  people,  and  God  himself  shall  be  with  them,  and 
be  their  God  "  (Rev.  xxi.  3).  And  it  was  with  precisely  such  a  pre- 
cept on  the  interpretation  of  these  very  chapters,  that  the  Apostle 
Paul  thus  addresses  the  Christian  Church  at  Corinth :  "  Ye  are  the 
people  of  the  living  God ;  as  God  hath  said  [Ex.  xxix.  45 ;  Lev. 
xxvi.  12], I  will  dwell  in  them,  and  walk  in  them ;  and  I  will  be  their 
God,  and  they  shall  be  my  people  "  (2  Cor.  vi.  16). 

Surely,  less  reverent  ideas  of  inspiration  than  these  quoted  above 
cannot  possibly  be  held  by  such  as  profess  to  believe  in  its  existence 
at  all.  They  must  appear  to  every  devout  mind  as  little  less  than  a 
disavowal  of  inspiration  altogether,  and  instead  of  a  defence,  to  be  a 


22 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


total  abandonment  of  the  truth,  and  a  virtual  denial  of  the  sanctity 
and  authority  of  the  Word  of  God. 

If  Ave  look  into  the  Christian  world,  we  shall  find  men,  distinguished 
for  their  learning  and  piety,  as  widely  at  variance  in  their  sentiments 
and  interpretations  of  the  inspired  Volume  as  noonday  differs  from 
midnight  darkness ;  supporting  tenets  of  religion  irrational  in  them- 
selves, and  diametrically  opposed  to  each  other,  by  the  most  confident 
appeals  to  its  sacred  pages;  disputing  with  the  bitterest  acrimony 
about  doctriues  that  are  admitted  to  be  mere  implications,  and  not 
unfrequently  distorting  the  plainest  facts  of  science,  and  even  accred- 
ited events  of  history,  in  support  of  favorite  theological  opinions.  We 
find  men,  gifted  with  most  profound  2)owers  of  investigating  the 
secret  laws  of  nature,  who  can  unfold,  amid  a  blaze  of  demonstration, 
the  most  wonderful  phenomena  of  physical  existence,  and  unravel  the 
peri^Iexing  mysteries  of  creation  and  mathematical  science,  but  who 
either  profess  themselves  embarrassed  with  the  conflicting  difiiculties 
and  obscurities  of  revelation,  or  openly  avow  their  conviction  that 
the  Bible  and  nature  are  at  variance  with  each  other.  And  as  facts 
in  nature  are  constant  and  undeniable,  and  as  it  would  be  most  ab- 
surd to  suppose  that  the  Divine  Being  would  speak  and  act  inconsis- 
tently, so,  therefore,  they  at  once  conclude  that  the  Bible  cannot  be 
divine — cannot  have  God  for  its  author.'^ 


15  Newman  lays  down  the  following  axiom 
and  conclusions  with  reference  to  the  Word 
of  God  :— 

'•  1.  The  moral  and  intellectual  powers  of 
man  must  be  acknowledged  as  having  a 
right  and  duty  to  criticise  the  contents  of 
the  Scripture ; 

"2.  When  so  exerted,  they  condemn  por- 
tions of  the  Scripture  as  erroneous  and  im- 
moral ; 

"  3.  The  assumed  infallibility  of  the  entire 
Scripture  is  a  proved  falsity,  not  merely  as 
to  physiology  and  other  scientific  matters, 
but  also  as  to  morals."— PAoecs  of  Fiiilh.  p.  115. 

The  notorious  Kev.  Chas.  Voysey,  in  his 
lecture  on  the  Bible,  delivered  at  St.  George's 
Hall,  London,  1871,  is  reported  to  have  said, 
that  "though  it  contained  much  that  is 
beautiful  and  true,  yet  it  makes  no  claim 
to  a  divine  origin  and  authority.  In  it  there 
are  absolute  and  irreconcilable  contradic- 
tions and  downright  falsehoods.  Even  the 
religious  and  moral  teaching  is  not  uniform 
or  coherent,  but  in  some  places  contradic- 
tory of  it«elf  and  some  of  it  degrading  to 
God.  There  were  moral  blemishes  iu  the  life 


and  character  of  Jesus,  as  reported  in  the 
gospels  themselves,  that  He  used  uncharita- 
ble language,  gave  way  to  bad  temper,  and 
was  destitute  of  natural  affection." 

"  I  know  of  no  work  on  the  subject  [the 
plenary  inspiration  of  the  Scriptures)  that  I 
dare  place  in  the  hands  of  a  student  of  the- 
ology. I  know  of  none  which,  even  to  a 
young  man  of  ordinary  acuteness,  does  not 
suggest  greater  difiiculties  than  it  removes." 
— Su  ainson's  Lectures  on  the  Authority  of  the 
Xew  Testament,  p.  150. 

'•  The  Scriptures  are  fast  becoming,  to  a 
great  degree,  a  defid  and  obsolete  letter :  and 
I  the  editors  of  our  religious  journals  publicly 
I  acknowledge  the  mournful  fact.  On  this 
subject  the  Christian  Examiner,  one  of  the 
most  ably  conducted  and  well-known  of  re- 
ligious periodicals,  has  the  following  re- 
marks:— 'No  one  who  is  accustomed  to  re- 
gard with  much  attention  the  history  and 
tendency  of  religious  opinions  can  fail  of 
being  convinced  that  the  question  concern- 
ing the  inspiration  of  the  Scriptures  is  soon 
to  become  the  most  absorbing  question  of 
Christiau  theology.  The  miuds  of  men  are 


THE  KEY  THAT  Ol'ENS  THE  SCRIPTURES. 


23 


Bishop  Coleuso,  insisting  vehemently  on  the  Bible  possessing  a  hu- 
man element,  and  being  merely  "  a  human  book,"  containing  not  only 
a  literal  sense,  but  one  that  bears  no  other  meaning  whatever,  excejjt 
that  which  lies  upon  the  surface,  says :  "  In  this  way,  I  repeat,  the 
Bible  becomes  to  us  a  human  book,  in  which  the  thoughts  of  other 
hearts  are  opened  to  us,  of  men  who  lived  in  the  ages  long  ago,  and 
in  circumstances  so  different  from  ours."  "  We  must  not  blindly 
shut  our  eyes  to  the  real  history  of  the  composition  of  this  book,  to 
the  legendary  character  of  its  earlier  portions,  to  the  manifest  conti-a- 
dictions  and  impossibilities,  which  rise  up  at  once  in  every  part  of 
the  story  of  the  Exodus,  if  we  persist  in  maintaining  that  it  is  a  sim- 
ple record  of  historical  facts.  AVe  must  regard  it,  then,  as  the  work 
of  men,  of  fellow-men  like  ourselves." — {Pent,  and  Book  of  Joshua, 
p.  ii.,  p.  382,  §§  511,  512.) 


iu  that  position  in  reference  to  this  subject 
which  cannot  long  be  maintained.  They 
must  move  one  way  or  the  other.  They  must 
attain  to  some  sort  of  consistency,  either  by 
believing  less  or  by  believing  more.  The  au- 
thority of  the  Scriptures,  and  especially  those 
of  the  Old  Testament,  must  either  become 
higher  and  stronger,  or  be  reduced  almost  to 
nothing.  It  is  vain  to  imagine  that,  with  the 
present  secret  or  open  scepticism,  or  at  least 
vague  and  unsettled  notions.with  which  they 
are  regarded,  even  by  many  who  are  defend- 
ers of  a  special  revelation,  they  can  be  read 
and  taught  in  our  churches,  schools,  and 
families,  as  books,  sui  generis,  so  as  to  com- 
mand much  of  real  reverence  for  them- 
selves.'"—  The  Nineteenth  Century,  p.  47. 

"The  general  remarks  respecting  the  in- 
spiration of  the  Old  Testament  apply  also  to 
the  New.  .  .  .  All  the  writings  in  the  New 
Testament  as  well  as  the  Old  contain  marks 
of  human  origin,  of  human  weakness  and 
imperfection." — Tracts  for  the  Times,  pp.  4-10. 

Sentiments  so  utterly  degrading  to  Divine 
Revelation  are  endorsed  by  numbers  who 
profess  to  be  the  moral  and  religious  teach- 
ers of  the  day.  They  are  views  which  seem 
naturally  to  arise  out  of  a  denial  of  the  plen- 
ary inspiration  of  the  Word  of  God.  To  such 
conclusions  the  reasoning  of  the  late  Rev. 
Baden  Powell, in  hiswork  on  inspiration, and 
of  the  learned  clergymen  who  were  the  au- 
thors of  the  Essays  and  Reviews  most  certainly 
lead.  So  again  Miss  H.  Martineau  can  thus 
speak  of  the  Holy  Gospels :  "  In  general,  it  is 
no  light  work  for  the  sincere  and  reverent 
mind  to  read  the  Gospel  history,  so  as  to  come 
within  reach  of  the  actual  voice  of  Jesus,  and 
listen  to  it  among  the  perplexing  echoesof  his 
place  and  time ;  to  separate  it  from  the  Jew- 


I  ish  construction  of  Matthew,  the  traditional 
'  accretions  of  Mark  and  Luke,  and  the  Pla- 
tonising  medium  of  John  ;— a  care  and  labor 
which  it  is  profane  and  presumptuous  to  omit 
or  make  light  of." — Eastern  Travels,  vol.  iii., 
p.  175. 

To  the  above,  which  could  be  extended 
almost  indefinitely,  often  written  in  terms 
we  should  be  sorry  to  transfer  to  our  pages, 
we  will  add  but  the  following  conclusive 
answer  by  Swedenborg : — 

"  The  natural  man,  however,  cannot  still 
be  persuaded  to  believe  that  the  Word  is  Di- 
vine Truth  itself,  in  which  is  Divine  Wis- 
dom and  Divine  Life,  inasmuch  as  he  judges 
of  it  by  its  style,  in  which  no  such  things  ap- 
pear. Nevertheless,  the  style  in  which  the 
Word  is  written,  is  a  truly  Divine  style,  with 
which  no  other  style,  however  sublime  and 
excellent  it  may  seem,  is  at  all  comparable, 
for  it  is  as  darkness  compared  to  light.  The 
style  of  the  Word  is  of  such  a  nature  as  to 
contain  what  is  holy  in  every  verse,  in  every 
word,  and  in  some  cases  in  every  letter ;  and 
hence  the  Word  conjoins  man  with  the  Lord, 
and  opens  heaven."  "Hence  man  has  life 
by  and  through  the  Word."  '•  Lest  therefore 
mankind  should  remain  any  longer  in  doubt 
concerning  the  divinity  of  the  Word,  it  has 
pleased  the  Lord  to  reveal  to  me  its  internal 
sense,  which  in  its  essence  is  spiritual,  and 
which  is  to  the  external  sense,  which  is 
natural,  what  the  soul  is  to  the  body.  This 
internal  sense  is  the  spirit  which  gives  life 
to  the  letter:  wherefore  this  sense  will 
evince  the  divinity  and  sanctity  of  the 
Word,  and  may  convince  even  the  natural 
man,  if  he  is  of  a  disposition  to  be  con- 
vinced."—(,S.  S.,  1^.) 


CHAPTER  11. 


Difficulties  of  the  Mere  Literal  Sense  of  the  Word  Stated. — The 
Literal  Sense  Proved  to  be  Lsdefensible  and  Inexplicable  if 
AN  Internal  Sense  be  Denied. 

rilO  multitudes  of  readers  the  mere  letter  of  the  sacred  Scriptures 
J-  often  appears  vague  and  unconnected  (Isa.  Ix.  7-9  ;  Jer.  xix.  5  ; 
Matt.  xxiv.  27-29) ;  hard  and  unmeaning  (Ps.  cix.  13 ;  Jer.  xlviii. 
11-15;  Hos.  xiii.  6;  Mic.  i.  16-21;  John  xxi.  2);  to  abound  with 
gross  absurdities  and  unintelligible  mysteries  (Gen.  iv.  15 ;  Judg.  v.  20 ; 
Isa.  vii.  20  ;  Ix.  16  ;  Ez.  xxviii.  13) ;  to  contain  numerous  statements 
which  seem  irrational,  self-contradictory,  or  inconsistent  with  others 
(Ex.  XX.  5,  6 ;  xxiv.  10 ;  Ez.  xviii.  20 ;  Isa.  xliii.  3 ;  Luke  xxii. 
43  ;  John  i.  18-20) ;  to  comprise  many  which  are  antagonistic  to  the 
modern  discoveries  in  chronology,  opposed  to  the  well-known  princi- 
ples of  the  physical  sciences,  and  discordant  with  the  ascertained 
facts  of  profane  history  (Gen.  i.,  ii. ;  Joshua  x. ;  Isa.  xlv.  7 ;  Matt, 
xxvii.  9 ;  Rev.  xi.  8) ;  to  include  narratives  of  violence,  treachery, 
cruelty,  uncleanness,  and  injustice  seemingly  approved  by  God,  yet 
diametrically  opposed  to  his  infinite  and  unchangeable  attributes 
and  qualities  of  mercy,  purity,  faithfulness,  and  justice  (Gen.  xxxiv. 
15;  1  Sam.  XV.  33  ;  Gen.  xxvii.;  Judges  iv.,  v.)  ;  to  give  commands 
of  an  immoral  tendency,  irreconcilable  with  si»tless  perfection  (Ex. 
xxxii.  27 ;  Josh.  viii.  21-25 ;  Ps.  cxxxvii.  9 ;  Hos.  iii.  1-3) ;  and  to 
be  occupied  with  trivial  circumstances  and  with  affairs  which  appear 
too  insignificant,  and  even  revolting,  to  have  ever  claimed  so  much  at- 
tention from  the  Lord  of  the  universe  (Ez.  v.  12  ;  Zech.  viii.  5). 

How  many  honest  people,  "  for  lack  of  true  knowledge,"  have  in 
consequence  treated  the  holy  verities  of  divine  revelation  with  the 
utmost  derision,  either  as  myths  of  barbarous  ages,  or  fragments  of 
falsehoods  strangely  blended  wi;h  truth,  or  as  a  contemptible  tissue 
of  ignorance  and  imposture ;  and  have  not  hesitated  to  revile  all  re- 
ligions as  systems  alike  of  despotism,  superstition,  and  credulity, — the 
dchisions  of  priestcraft  and  the  oflTspriug  of  fanaticism  and  fervid  im- 

24 


THE  MERE  LITERAL  SENSE  INDEFENSIBLE. 


25 


aginations.  How  many  virtuous,  intelligent,  and  candid  minds  are 
there  who  are  perplexed,  and  distressed,  and  alarmed,  even  at  their 
own  thoughts  while  reading  their  Bibles ! 

It  is  surely  time,  then,  for  Christians  to  inquire  what  is  the  real 
nature  of  God's  Word, — to  examine  into  the  origin,  sanctity,  and 
authority  of  that  blessed  Book  on  which,  as  upon  an  adamantine 
foundation,  all  virtue  and  intelligence  infallibly  rest,  and  whence  all 
true  religion  and  spiritual  knowledge  are  derived; — to  investigate, 
earnestly  and  narrowly,  its  claims  to  universal  reverence  and  obedi- 
ence ; — and  to  vindicate  its  hallowed  doctrines  and  its  divine  precepts 
from  all  contumely  by  a  rational  demonstration  of  its  being  what  it 
professes  to  be, — the  very  Word  of  God.  And  unless  this  be  done, 
it  needs  no  prophetic  eye  to  see,  no  prophetic  tongue  to  foretell,  that 
infidelity  and  scepticism  will  soon  reign  triumphant,  that  darkness 
and  blindness  as  to  all  spiritual  knowledge,  will  soon  cover  every 
mind,  as  is  described  by  the  holy  prophet  Isaiah,  where  he  says, 
"  The  Lord  hath  poured  out  upon  you  the  spirit  of  deep  sleep,  and 
hath  closed  your  eyes ;  the  prophets  and  your  rulers,  the  seers  hath 
He  covered.  And  the  vision  of  all  is  become  unto  you  as  a  book  that 
is  sealed,  which  men  deliver  to  one  that  is  learned,  saying,  Read  this, 
I  pray  thee :  and  he  saith,  I  cannot ;  for  it  is  sealed  and  the  book 
is  delivered  to  him  that  is  not  learned,  saying.  Read  this,  I  pray  thee : 
and  he  saith,  I  am  not  learned,"  (xxix.  10-12.)  The  utter  destitu- 
tion of  all  true  doctrine,  and  a  right  interpretation  of  the  Scriptures, 
is  predicted  as  a  consequence  of  the  prevalence  of  iniquity,  in  these 
words,  "  Behold,  the  days  come,  saith  the  Lord  God,  that  I  will  send 
a  famine  in  the  land,  not  a  famine  of  bread,  nor  a  thirst  for  water, 
but  of  hearing  the  words  of  the  Lord :  and  they  shall  wander  from 
sea  to  sea,  and  from  the  north  even  to  the  east,  they  shall  run  to 
and  fro  to  seek  the  word  of  the  Lord,  and  shall  not  find  it.    In  that 


16 "  The  Hebrew  word  for  search, signifies  to 
dive  into  the  sublime,  profound,  mystical, 
allegorical,  and  prophetical  senses  of  Holy 
Scripture.  1  Cor.  i.  20 — where  is  the  profound 
searcher."— Motives  to  the  Study  of  Bib.  Lit.,  p. 
18. 

"  The  hidden  wisdom  of  the  Scripture  is  to 
be  considered  as  treasure  hid  in  the  earth, 
for  which  men  must  search  with  that  same 
zeal  and  labor  with  which  they  penetrate 
into  a  mine  of  gold ;  for  when  our  Saviour 
commands  us  to  search  the  Scriptures  for  their 
testimony  of  himself,  the  language  of  the 
precept  impUes  that  kind  of  searching  by 
8 


which  gold  and  silver  are  discovered  under 
ground.  He  who  doth  not  search  the  Word 
of  God  in  that  manner,  and  with  that  spirit, 
for  what  is  to  be  found  underneath  it,  will 
never  discover  its  true  value." — W.  Jones's 
Led.  on  the  Fig.  Lang,  of  Holy  Scrip.,  new  ed., 
pp.  20-21. 

St.  Jerome,  Ep.  13,  to  Paulinus,  says,  "All 
that  we  read  in  the  sacred  books  is  pure  and 
bright,  even  in  the  bark ;  but  it  is  sweeter  in 
the  pith.  And  he  that  would  come  at  the 
kernel,  must  first  break  the  shell.  'Open  mine 
eyes,  that  I  may  see  -wondrous  things  out  of  thy 
law.' " 


26 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


day  shall  the  fau-  virgins  and  young  men  faint  for  thii'st."  (Amos 
viu.  11-13.) 

In  order  to  understand  the  true  nature  and  character  of  divine 
revelation,  it  is  essentially  requisite  that  our  reasoning  faculties  should 
be  employed,  that  our  understanding  should  be  elevated,  that  our 
hearts  should  be  humbled  and  that  our  lives  should  be  purified,  for 
not  to  the  self-conceited,  to  the  worldly  "  wise  and  prudent,"  but  unto 
"  babes  "  only,  can  genuine  wisdom  be  "  revealed."  (Matt.  xi.  25 ;  Luke 
X.  21.)  We  should  approach  the  Word  with  reverence  and  with 
faith.  We  should  "  put  our  shoes  from  off  our  feet  [that  is,  cast 
aside  all  sensual  reasonings  and  all  carnal  suggestions],  because  the 
place  whereon  we  stand  is  holy  ground."  (Ex.  iii.  5.)"  This  surely 
expresses  the  state  of  mind  which  we  ought  to  cherisla  when  we  ap- 
proach the  Holy  Word  in  order  to  profit  by  its  sacred  contents,  and 
be  prepared  to  meet  its  Divine  Author  there  as  in  the  temple  of  his 
presence, — a  state  of  profound  humility  and  fervent  piety, — accom- 
panied with  a  desire  to  learn  his  will,  that  we  may  do  his  command- 
ments. Without  an  humble  and  willing  disposition  of  the  soul,  and  a 
removal  of  the  veil  of  unbelief  from  the  mind,  the  glories  of  the  inner 
sense  cannot  be  made  manifest  unto  us :  "  Do  not  my  words,"  saith 
the  Lord ;  "  do  good  to  him  that  walketh  uprightly  ?  "  (Mic.  ii.  7) ;  and 
the  apostle  Paul  testifies  that  "  The  natural  man  receiveth  not  the 
things  of  the  Spirit  of  God ;  for  they  are  foolishness  unto  him : 
neither  can  he  know  them,  because  they  are  spiritually  discerned  " 
(1  Cor.  ii.  14).  Thus  the  Psalmist  prays,  "  Lord,  open  thou  mine 
eyes,  that  I  may  behold  wondrous  things  out  of  thy  law  "  (Ps.  cxix. 
18).  While  the  Lord  Jesus  says,  "  Search  the  Scriptures;  for  in  them 
ye  think  ye  have  eternal  life,  and  they  are  they  which  testify  of  me  " 
(John  V.  39) ;  and  after  his  glorious  resurrection  we  read  in  Luke  xxiv. 
45,  that  "  then  opened  He  the  understandings  of  his  disciples,  that  they 
might  understand  the  Scriptures."  For,  as  the  illustrious  Swedeuborg 
observes,  "  It  is  universally  confessed  that  the  Word  is  from  God,  is 
divinely  inspired,  and  of  consequence  is  holy  ;  but  still  it  has  remained 
a  secret  to  this  day  in  what  part  of  the  Word  its  divinity  resides, 
inasmuch  as  in  the  letter  it  appears  like  a  common  writing,  composed 
in  a  strange  style,  neither  so  sublime  nor  so  eloijuent  as  that  which 
distinguishes  the  best  secular  compositions.  Hence  it  is  that  whosoever 

"To  loose  the  sandals,  slippers,  or  slioes  i  East.  This  is  done  on  entering  a  mosque, 
from  ofy  the  feet,  as  a  mark  of  deference  or  pagoda,  or  the  presence  of  any  person  of 
and  respect,  has  prevailed  from  tlie  earliest  distinction.— See  Peacock's  Summary  View,  p. 
ages,  as  a  representative  custfom,  over  the  I  81. 


TUE  MERE  LITERAL  SENSE  INDEFENSIBLE. 


27 


worships  nature  instead  of  God,  and  in  consequence  of  such  worship 
makes  himself  and  his  own  jrroprium  [or  self-hood]  the  centre  and 
fountaui  of  his  thoughts,  instead  of  deriving  them  out  of  heaven  from 
the  Lord,  may  easily  fall  into  error  concerning  the  Word,  and  into 
contempt  for  it,  and  say  within  himself  while  he  reads  it,  '  What  is 
the  meaning  of  this  passage  ?  What  is  the  meaning  of  that  ?  Is  it 
possible  this  should  be  divine?  Is  it  possible  that  God,  whose  wis- 
dom is  infinite,  should  speak  in  this  manner  ?  Where  is  its  sanctity, 
or  whence  can  it  be  derived,  but  from  superstition  and  credulity  ? ' 

"  But  he  who  reasons  thus,  does  not  reflect  that  Jehovah  the  Lord, 
who  is  God  of  heaven  and  earth,  spake  the  Word  by  Moses  and  the 
prophets,  and  that,  consequently,  it  must  be  divine  truth,  inasmuch  as 
what  Jehovah  the  Lord  himself  speaks  can  be  nothing  else ;  nor  does 
such  a  one  consider  that  the  Lord,  who  is  the  same  with  Jehovah, 
spake  the  Word  written  by  the  Evangelists,  many  parts  from  his 
own  mouth,  and  the  rest  from  the  spirit  of  his  mouth,  which  is 
the  Holy  Sjiirit.  Hence  it  is,  as  He  himself  declares,  that  in  his 
words  there  is  life,  and  that  He  is  the  light  which  enlightens,  and 
that  He  is  the  truth.   (John  vi.  63  ;  iv.  10-14 ;  Mark  xiii.  31 ;  Jer. 

ii.  13 ;  Zech.  xiii.  1 ;  Rev.  vii.  17.)  " 

The  divine  and  blessed  Word  of  the  ever-living  God  was  written 
for  the  sake  of  spiritual  usefulness — "  to  jDerfect  the  man  of  God, 
that  he  may  be  thoroughly  furnished  unto  all  good  works  "  (2  Tim.  iii. 
17) ;  that  it  may  fertilize  the  human  mind,  dropping  upon  it  like  the 
gentle  "  dew "  (Deut.  xxxii.  2) ;  and  descending  like  refreshing 
"showers"  (Isa.  iv.  11),  that  by  its  means  we  may  possess  "eternal 
life ;  "  for  "  by  every  word  proceeding  out  of  the  mouth  of  God  doth 
man  live  "  (Deut.  viii.  3  ;  Matt.  iv.  5).  It  was  given  "  for  doctrine, 
for  reproof,  for  correction,  and  instruction  in  righteousness  "  (2  Tim. 

iii.  16) ;  "  to  convert  the  soul,  to  make  wise  the  simple ;  to  rejoice  the 
heart,  to  enlighten  the  eyes"  (Ps.  xix.  7,  8).  For  a  "defence" 
against  our  spiritual  enemies  (Eph.  vi.  17)  ;  for  our  "  sanctificatiou  " 
(John  xvii.  17) ;  for  our  "  regeneration"  (1  Pet.  i.  23)  ;  and,  to  com- 
prise all  in  one  word,  for  our  "salvation"  (2  Tim.  iii.  15).  "The 
words  of  the  Lord  are  pure  words :  as  silver  tried  in  a  furnace  of 
earth,  purified  seven  times  "  (Ps.  xii.  6).^* 


1*  "  The  whole  holy  Scripture,  with  Christ 
everywliere  understood  therein,  consists  of 
two  i)arts,  letter  and  spirit ;  even  as  man,  for 
whose  instruction  the  same  was  given,  is  con- 
structed of  two  parts,  body  and  soul;  the  let- 


ter, 01  written  contents  thereof,  being  as  the 
body,  and  the  spirit,  or  Christ  himself,  witli 
the  knowledge  or  truth  of  Him  contained 
therein,  being  as  the  soul  of  these  divine 
books.  The  latter  of  which  is  likewise  to  be 


28 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


Now,  unless  there  be  a  spiritual  and  heavenly  meaning  in  the  di- 
vine Word,  distinct  from,  though  one  with,  the  letter,  how  is  this 
spiritual  usefulness,  so  essential  to  the  welfare  of  the  soul,  to  be  pro- 
moted in  an  immense  number  of  passages,  such  as  the  following : — 
where  the  prophet  is  almost  univei-sally  allowed  to  be  speaking  of  the 
Lord's  advent,  and  giving  the  indubitable  sign  of  it,  that  "  a  virgin 
should  conceive  and  bear  a  son,  and  shall  call  his  name  Immanuel 
[God  with  us,  see  Matt.  i.  23],"  it  is  added  (Isa.  vii.  18) :— "  And  it  shall 
come  to  pass  in  that  day,  that  the  Lord  shall  hiss  for  the  fly  that  is 
in  the  uttermost  part  of  the  rivers  of  Egypt,  and  for  the  bee  that  is 
in  the  land  of  Assyria."  And  in  the  20th  ver.,  "  In  the  same  day  shall 
the  Lord  shave  with  a  razor  that  is  hired,  namely,  by  them  beyond  the 
river,  by  the  king  of  Assyria,  the  head  and  the  hair  of  the  feet ;  and 
it  shall  also  consume  the  beard."  "And  it  shall  come  to  pass  in  that 
day  that  a  man  shall  nourish  a  young  cow  and  two  sheep."  Also 
in  ver.  23,  "And  it  shall  come  to  pass  in  that  day,  that  every  place 
shall  be,  where  there  were  a  thousand  vines  at  a  thousand  silverlings, 
it  shall  be  for  briers  and  thorns."  Or  this:  " In  Judah  is  God  known ; 
his  name  is  great  in  Israel.  In  Salem  also  is  his  tabernacle,  and  his 
dwelling-place  in  Zion.  There  brake  He  the  arrows  of  the  bow,  the 
shield,  and  the  sword,  and  the  battle.  Thou  art  more  glorious  and 
excellent  than  the  mountains  of  prey.  The  stout-hearted  are  spoiled, 
they  have  slept  their  sleep:  and  none  of  tlie  men  of  might  have  found 
their  hands.  At  thy  rebuke,  O  God  of  Jacob,  both  the  chariot  and 
horse  are  cast  into  a  deep  sleep"  (Ps.  Ixxvi.  1-6).  Or  this:  "God 
came  from  Teman,  and  the  Holy  One  from  Mount  Paran.  His  glory 
covered  the  heavens,  and  the  earth  was  full  of  his  praise.  And  his 
brightness  was  as  the  light ;  He  had  horns  coming  out  of  his  hand : 
and  there  was  the  hiding  of  his  power.  Before  Him  went  the  pesti- 
lence, and  burning  coals  went  forth  at  his  feet.  He  stood  and  meas- 
ured the  earth :  He  beheld,  and  drove  asunder  the  nations ;  and  the 


esteemed  so  necessary  to  be  understood  with 
the  former,  that,  as  the  human  body  without 
the  soul  is  dead,  so  the  letter  of  Scripture,  with- 
out tlie  spirit,  is  dead  also.  Nay,  it  is  a  hilling 
and  condemning  word  only  to  tliem  that  have 
it.  As  St.  Paul  expressly  says, '  The  letter  kill- 
eth.  but  the  spirit  giveth  life'  (2  Cor.  iii.  16)." 
—HoHoway's  Letter  and  Spirit,  vol.  i.,  int.  pp. 
v.,  vi. 

"  The  twofold  sense  of  the  Word  bears  a 
resemblance  to  body  and  soul,  the  literal 
sense  being  like  the  body  and  the  inter- 


nal .sense  like  the  soul;  and  as  the  body 
lives  by  the  soul,  so  the  literal  sense  lives  by 
the  internal;  the  life  of  the  Lord  flowing 
through  the  latter  into  the  former,  accord- 
ing to  the  affection  of  the  person  who  reads 
it."— (A.  C.  2311.) 

"  According  to  the  opinion  of  the  E^sscnes, 
the  sacred  Scriptures,  like  man, are  composed 
of  body  and  soul ;  of  the  outward  letter  and 
the  inward  spirit"— (Qeschicte,  Ixhrcn,  and 
Meinangcn  alter  religiosen  Secten  der  Jaden,  by 
P.  Beer  Bninn,  1822,  vol.  i.,  p.  68.^ 


THE  MERE  LITERAL  SENSE  INDEFENSIBLE. 


29 


everlasting  mountains  were  scattered,  the  perpetual  hills  did  bow :  his 
ways  are  everlasting.  I  saw  the  tents  of  Cushan  in  affliction :  and  the 
curtains  of  the  land  of  Midian  did  tremble.  Was  the  Lord  displeased 
against  the  rivers?  was  thine  anger  against  the  rivers?  was  thy  wrath 
against  the  sea,  that  thou  didst  ride  upon  thine  horses  and  thy  chari- 
ots of  salvation  ?  Thy  bow  was  quite  naked,  according  to  the  oaths 
of  the  tribes,  even  thy  word.  Thou  didst  cleave  the  earth  with  rivers. 
The  mountains  saw  thee,  and  they  trembled :  the  overflowing  of  the 
water  passed  by :  the  deep  uttered  his  voice,  and  lifted  up  his  hands 
on  high.  The  sun  and  moon  stood  still  in  their  habitation :  at  the 
light  of  thine  arrows  they  went,  and  at  the  shining  of  thy  glittering 
spear"  (Hab.  iii.  3-11).  Or  where  the  prophet  says,  "And  it  shall 
come  to  pass  in  that  day,  that  the  light  shall  not  be  clear  nor  dark : 
but  it  shall  be  one  day  which  shall  be  known  to  the  Lord,  not  day  nor 
night :  but  it  shall  come  to  pass  that  at  evening-time  it  shall  be  light. 
And  it  shall  be  in  that  day,  that  living  waters  shall  go  out  from  Jeru- 
salem ;  half  of  them  toward  the  former  sea,  and  half  of  them  toward 
the  hmder  sea :  in  summer  and  in  Avinter  shall  it  be.  And  this  shall 
be  the  plague  wherewith  the  Lord  will  smite  all  the  people  that  have 
fought  against  Jerusalem ;  theii-  flesh  shall  consume  away  while  they 
stand  upon  their  feet,  and  their  eyes  shall  consume  away  in  their  holes, 
and  their  tongue  shall  consume  away  in  their  mouth.  In  that  day 
shall  there  be  upon  the  bells  of  the  horses.  Holiness  unto  the  Lord  ; 
and  the  pots  in  the  Lord's  house  shall  be  like  the  boAvls  before  the 
altar.  Yea,  every  pot  in  Jerusalem  and  in  Judah  shall  be  holiness 
unto  the  Lord  of  Hosts"  (Zech.  xiv.  6,  7,  8,  12,  20,  21). 

"  Without  the  spiritual  (or  internal)  sense,"  says  Swedenborg,  "  it 
is  impossible  for  any  one  to  know  why  the  prophet  Jeremiah  was 
commanded  to  buy  himself  a  girdle,  and  not  to  draw  it  through  the 
waters,  but  to  go  to  Euphrates,  and  hide  it  there  in  a  hole  in  the  rock 
(Jer.  xiii.  1-7) ;  or  why  Ezekiel  the  prophet  was  commanded  to  make 
a  razor  pass  upon  his  head  and  upon  his  beard,  and  afterwards  to  di- 
vide them,  and  to  burn  a  third  part  in  the  midst  of  the  city,  and  to 
smite  a  third  part  with  the  sword,  and  to  scatter  a  third  part  in  the 
wind,  and  to  bind  a  little  of  them  in  his  skirts,  and  at  last  to  cast  them 
into  the  midst  of  the  fire  (Ezek.  v.  1-4) ;  or  Avhy  Hosea  was  twice 
commanded  to  take  to  himself  a  harlot  to  wife  (Hos.  i.  2-9  ;  iii.  2,  3)  ; 
or  what  is  signified  by  all  things  appertaining  to  the  tabernacle :  as 
by  the  ark,  the  mercy-seat,  the  cherubim,  the  candlestick,  the  altar 
of  incense,  the  shew-bread  on  the  table,  and  veils  and  curtains.  Who 
3* 


30 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


would  know,  without  the  spiritual  sense,  what  is  signified  by  Aaron's 
holy  garments ;  as  by  his  coat,  his  cloak,  the  ephod,  the  urim  and 
thummim,  the  mitre,  and  several  things  besides?  Or,  without  the 
spiritual  sense,  who  would  know  what  is  signified  by  all  those  partic- 
ulars which  were  enjoined  concerning  burnt-offerings,  sacrifices,  meat- 
offerings ;  and  also  concerning  Sabbaths  and  feasts  ?  The  truth  is, 
that  nothing  was  enjoined,  be  it  ever  so  minute,  but  what  was  signifi- 
cative of  something  appertaining  to  the  Lord,  to  heaven,  and  to  the 
Church.  From  these  few  instances,  then,  it  may  be  jilainly  seen  that 
there  is  a  spiritual  sense'*  in  all  and  every  part  of  the  Word."  (S.  S.  16.) 

If  we  turn  our  attention  to  the  precejitive  portions  of  the  Gospels, 
usually  regarded  as  so  plain  and  practical,  we  shall  be  surprised  to 
find  how  much  there  is  which  could  not  be  literally  observed  without 
breaking  up  all  kinds  of  human  association,  and  destroying  all  capacity 
for  usefulness,  affording  indisputable  evidence  that  they  were  only  de- 
signed to  be  spiritually  understood  and  obeyed,  in  which  case  each 
expression  teems  with  "  life."  To  instance  only  two  or  three  passages 
from  the  Lord's  Sermon  on  the  Mount,  as  where  he  says,  "And  if  thy 
right  eye  offend  thee,  pluck  it  out,  and  cast  it  from  thee :  for  it  is 
profitable  for  thee  that  one  of  thy  members  should  perish,  and  not 
that  thy  whole  body  should  be  cast  into  hell.  And  if  thy  right  hand 
offend  thee,  cut  it  off,  and  cast  it  from  thee :  for  it  is  profitable  for 
thee  that  one  of  thy  members  should  perish,  and  not  that  thy  whole 
body  should  be  cast  into  hell."  "  But  I  say  unto  you,  that  ye  resist 
not  evil :  but  whosoever  shall  smite  thee  on  thy  right  cheek,  turn  to 
him  the  other  also.    And  if  any  man  will  sue  thee  at  the  law,  and 


""The  Scriptures  resemble  man.  As  a 
man  consi.-ts  of  throe  parus—n  rutional  mind, 
a  sensitive  soul,  and  a  visible  body, — so  the 
Scriptures  have  a  threefold  sense,  a  literal 
sense,  corresponding  with  the  body ;  a  moral 
sense,  analogous  to  the  soul ;  and  a  mystical 
or  spiritual  sense,  analogous  to  the  rational 
mind." 

"  The  literal  sense  is  perceived  by  every 
attentive  reader.  The  moral  sense  is  some- 
wliat  more  difficult  to  be  discovered.  But 
tlie  mystic  [or  inmost]  sense  none  can  dis- 
cover with  certainty,  unless  they  are  wise 
men,  and  also  taught  of  God."— (Ori.<7n!,  Dc 
Princijuis,  lib.  iv.,  Rom.  t'.,  a  Levil  opp.tom.  ii., 
p.  209.) 

"  The  literal  meaning,"  says  Mr.  Isaac  Wil- 
liams, "  for  the  most  part,  is  as  the  body,  the 
spiritual  moaning  as  the  soul :  as  the  soul  is 
united  with  the  body,  so  must  the  literal  and 


spiritual  moaning  be  hold  together;  both 
arc  necessary  for  the  life  of  the  written 
Word.  And  though  the  latter  be  considered 
usually  as  the  latent  and  interior  sense,  yet 
it  is  often  so  obvious  and  Scriptural,  that  it 
speaks,  as  it  were,  visibly  through  the  letter, 
illtminalcs  it,  and  gives  it  its  character." — 
Williams'  Beginning  of  the  Book  of  Genesis,  pp. 
32,  75. 

It  might  be  objected  against  the  truth  of 
the  science  of  correspondences  that,  from 
the  apostolic  times  to  the  present,  those  who 
have  held  that  there  is  a  spiritual  souse  in 
the  Word  of  God  have  not  understood  it. 
But  it  may  be  answered,  that  most  of  the 
prophecies  were  hidden  from  the  prophets 
(Matt.  xiii.  16,  17,  35);  and  that  the  disciples 
did  not  understand  the  nature  of  the  Lord's 
"  Kingdom"  even  while  they  proclaimed 
that  it  was  "  nigh  al  hand."  (Luke  x.\iv.  21.) 


THE  MERE  LITERAL  SENSE  INDEFENSIBLE. 


31 


take  away  thy  coat,  let  him  liavc  thy  cloak  also.  And  whosoever 
shall  compel  thee  to  go  a  mile,  go  with  him  twain.  Give  to  him  that 
asketh  thee,  and  from  him  that  would  borrow  of  thee,  turn  not  thou 
away"  (Matt.  v.  29,  30,  39,  40,  41,  42). 

Even  the  preceptive  portions  of  the  Holy  Word,  such  as  the  Lord's 
Sermon  on  the  Mount,  cannot  be  understood  when  viewed  in  their 
merely  literal  sense.  When  viewed,  however,  as  to  their  spiritual 
import,  they  are  seen  to  overflow  in  eveiy  sentence  with  infinite  wis- 
dom, and  to  teem  with  divine  life.^" 

But  these  are  the  solemn  declarations  of  the  inspired  Word,  taken 
promiscuously  from  the  sacred  pages.  Who,  I  ask,  can  comprehend 
them?  Who  can  explain  their  import?  Who  can  see  their  reference 
to  righteousness,  conversion,  regeneration,  sanctification,  and  salva- 
tion,— to  promote  which  they  must  unquestionably  have  been  inspired 
and  written, — unless  it  be  admitted  that  they  have  an  internal  and 
spiritual  sense  ?  And  if  this  be  admitted,  it  follows  of  necessity  that 
a  rule  exists  by  which  that  sense  can  with  certainty  be  drawn  forth ; 
or  otherwise  the  Word  would  be  a  mockery  of  human  reason,  and  a 
snare  to  the  simple  heart,  unworthy  of  infinite  intelligence.  From 
the  book  of  Genesis  to  the  book  of  Revelation,  thousands  of  passages 
are  to  be  found  equally  as  mysterious  and  difficult  to  understand  in 
the  mei"e  letter ;  and  their  constant  occurrence  in  the  Word  of  God 
at  once  pi'oves  the  necessity  of  some  rational  aud  invariable  law  to 
interpret  the  whole,  and  the  probability  of  its  existence. 


20 "'The  whole  law  of  Moses  is  like  to  a 
living  creature,  whose  body  is  the  literal 
sense ;  but  the  soul,  the  more  inward  and 
hidden  meaning,  covered  under  the  sense 
of  the  letter."— Philo  Judseus.  Prefixed,  by 
Henry  More,  as  a  motto  to  his  Defence  oj 


"Conjectura  Cabbalistica,"  or  "Threefold  Cab- 
baia,  and  Triple  Interpretation  of  the  three  first 
Cliapters  of  Genesis,  ed.  16o3.  This  author's 
Treatise  on  Iconisms,  is  described  by  Clowes 
"  to  be  nothing  else  but  an  imperfect  sketch 
of  the  doctrine  of  correspondence." 


CHAPTEE  III. 


That  the  Divinity  and  Sanctity  of  the  Word  of  God  is  the  Con- 
sequence OF  ITS  Containing  an  Internal  or  Spiritual  Sense. 

IN  what,  let  us  now  ask,  does  the  peculiar  divinity  and  sanctity  of 
the  Holy  Word  consist  ?  By  what  arguments  or  reasonings  is  the 
indubitable  certainty  of  its  truth  to  be  established  ?  and  how  is  it  to 
be  distinguished  from  works  of  human  composition  ? 

These  are  most  vital  and  momentous  inquiries,  and  cannot  be  an- 
swered without  thoughtful  reflection  and  laborious  research.  In  this 
work  I  can  only  profess  to  offer  a  few  brief  and  general  remarks. 
Happy  shall  I  be,  however,  if  the  reader  should  be  sufficiently  in- 
terested to  follow  the  principles  which  are  advanced,  until  it  is  ration- 
ally perceived  and  acknowledged  that  the  Holy  Word,  throughout  all 
its  inspired  pages,  teems  with  the  divine  "  spirit,"  and  is  filled  Avith 
the  divine  "  life  "  (John  vi.  63).^' 

I  would  begin  b}'  observing,  then,  at  once,  that  the  divinity  and 
sanctity  of  the  Word  of  God  consist  in  its  being  an  inspired  revela- 
tion of  the  divine  will  and  wisdom,  from  the  mouth  of  the  Lord  him- 
self ;  and  as  these  are  not  apparent  in  the  letter,  the  Word  must  con- 
tain a  heavenly,  spiritual  sense,  which  is,  as  it  were,  its  breathing, 
living  soul. 

The  spirit  of  the  Word  is  united  with  the  letter,  and  pervades  every 
sentence  and  expression,  just  as  the  soul  is  contained  in  the  body ;  and 
as  the  life  of  the  soul,  momentarily  derived  from  God,  descends  and 
flows  into  and  animates  every  corporeal  organ,  so  the  divine  life  of 
the  Lord  flows  into  the  minds  of  humble  and  prepared  believei*s,  as 
in  faith  and  with  affection  they  read  the  inspired  pages.    That  world 


21  The  position  that  the  phrase  oAoyo?  toC 
fieoC,  is  never  used  of  the  written  Word,  or 
the  Revelation  of  tlie  will  of  God,  contained 
In  the  Scriptures,  must  appear  unwarranted 
to  those  who  impartially  and  carefully  ex- 
amine the  following  passages :  cxix.  Vs.,  xxx. 
Prov.,  5;  vil.  Mark,  13;  x.  John,  35;  iv.  Heb., 


12.— (Henderson's  Div.  Ingpir.,  2d  ed.,  n.  s.,  p. 
488.) 

"  The  phrase  Word  of  God  implies  that  the 
fplenurily  Inspired)  Scriptures  are  God'3 
both  in  matter  and  expression."— (CVirson'8 
TheoT.  oj  Inspira.,  pp.  25,  42.) 

32 


REVEALS  THE  DIVINITY  OF  THE  SCRIPTURES. 


33 


of  wonders,  the  human  frame,  consists  of  forms  in  endless  variety, 
exactly  corresponding  with  principles  and  faculties  of  the  mind  which 
inhabit  if,  and  as  all  the  parts  and  portions  of  the  nervous  tissues  and 
muscular  fibre  are  harmoniously  combined,  and  the  minutest  vessel, 
the  smallest  artery  and  vein,  the  slenderest  and  most  delicate  filament, 
are  one  and  all  required  to  make  up  the  perfection  of  the  whole ;  and 
as  each  receives  its  vitalized  influx  for  the  sake  of  some  specific  use- 
fulness, so  each  part  and  expression  of  the  Holy  Word  is  the  recej)- 
tacle  of  an  inward  spirit,  has  its  peculiar  analogy,  its  appropriate 
place,  and  its  distinct  use ;  and  contributes  to  the  harmony,  the  com- 
pleteness, the  divine  perfection  of  the  whole. 

While,  therefore,  the  letter  of  the  Word,  especially  in  the  Old  Tes- 
tament, appears  to  treat  much  of  natural  objects  and  appearances, 
the  inward  sense  treats  only  of  spiritual,  celestial,  and  divine  reali- 
ties. The  very  title,  "  The  Word  of  God,"  implies  a  revelation 
of  his  existence  and  nature,  his  boundless  love  and  wisdom,  his  in- 
finite purposes  and  thoughts,  together  with  the  existence,  the  capaci- 
ties, the  responsibility,  and  the  destiny  of  the  human  soul,  and  the 
infallible  doctrines  and  truths,  essentially  for  man  in  the  relation  in 
which  he  stands  to  his  great  Creator ;  and  the  knowledge  of  which, 
without  such  supernatural  communications,  it  were  impossible  to  at- 
tain (Job  xi.  7,  8).  And  if  this  be  the  real  character  of  the  Sacred 
Writings,  they  must,  in  consequence,  be  full  of  interior  truth  and 
goodness  as  emanations  from  the  divine  mind,  yet  adapted  to  the 
comprehension  of  men  on  earth.  The  Apostle  Paul,  therefore,  de- 
clares, "All  Scripture  is  given  by  insjjiration  of  God;""  or,  as  the 


!2"The  verb  'is'  which  constitutes  the 
whole  afiSrmation,  is  deficient  in  the  origi- 
nal Greek,  and  is  applied  by  the  English 
translators  as  an  index  to  their  interpreta- 
tion of  the  passage.  The  sentence  undoubt- 
edly requires  a  verb  somewhere,  but  the  place 
of  its  insertion  depends  upon  the  judgment 
of  the  translator.  In  the  received  version  it 
stands  in  the  first  clause :— '  All  Scripture  is 
given  by  inspiration  of  God,  etc'  Baxter, 
Grotius,  Schleusner,  and  others,  render  the 
passage  thus:  'All  Scripture  given  by  inspi- 
ration of  God,  is  also  profitable,  etc'  The 
original,  I  think,  will  admit,  without  vio- 
lence, of  either  rendering,  though  inclined 
myself  to  regard  the  common  version  as 
more  concordant  to  the  Greek  idiom  than 
the  other.  But  even  thus  translated,  the 
Iheopneusty  ascribed  to  the  'all,'  or  every 
'Scripture,'  does  not  in  itself  define  the 


precise  nature  or  degree  of  the  inspiration  af- 
firmed. That  portion  of  the  Scripture  which 
is  justly  denominated  the  Word  of  God  is  es- 
sential diviuity  itself— a.  verbal  embodiment 
of  the  eternal  truth  which  forms  a  constituent 
part  of  the  Divine  nature.  While,  therefore, 
we  recognize  a  general  theopneiisty,  or  divine 
breathing,  ascribed  by  Paul  to  all  the  books 
constituting  the  Old  Testament  Scriptures, 
we  still  regard  this  as  something  incompa- 
rably lower  than  that  plenary  divine  afflatus 
under  which  the  Word,  strictly  so  called,  was 
written."— Pro/.  Bush's  Reply  to  Dr.  Woods,  pp. 
31,  32. 

"Every  writing  divinely  inspired  [is]  also 
profitable  for  instruction,  for  conviction  [of 
error],  for  recovery  [to  that  which  is  right], 
for  training  up  in  righteousness."  "  The 
venerable  Syriac  version,  whose  antiquity 
is  almost,  if  not  quite,  Apostolic,  reads  '  For 


34 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


Greek  term  Oionvevitoi  has  been  aptly  and  emphatically  translated, 
"  God-breathed,"  or  God-inspired,  or  divinely  inspired  (2  Tim.  iii.  16, 
17),  that  is,  fiill  of  the  Divine  Spirit  and  the  Divine  life, — "  All 
Scripture  divinely  inspired  of  God  is  profitable  for  doctrine,  for  re- 
proof, for  correction,  for  instruction  in  righteousness,  that  the  man  of 
God  may  be  perfect,  thoroughly  furnished  unto  all  good  works."  And 
the  Apostle  Peter  says,  "  Knowing  this  first,  that  no  prophecy 
of  Scripture  is  [or  cometh]  of  any  private  interpretation.  For  the 
prophecy  came  not  in  old  time  by  the  will  of  man ;  but  holy  men 
of  God  spake  as  they  Avere  moved  [4)fpo|tjfot,  borne  away,  carried  out 
of  themselves]  by  the  Holy  Spirit "  (2  Pet.  i.  21) ;  or,  as  Dean  Alford 
renders  it,  "  had  utterance  from  God,  being  moved  by  the  Holy 
Spirit."  Josephus,  the  Jewish  historian,  speaking  of  the  plenarily 
inspired  books  of  the  Old  Testament,  adds,  that  they  were  written 
according  to  rtrtvjna,  or  the  inspiration  that  comes  from  God  ;  and 
Philo,  a  contemporary  Jewish  philosopher,  calls  the  Scripture  $fo<i/$f5T' 
oracles,  that  is  to  say,  oracles  given  under  the  immediate  agency  and 
dictation  of  God. 

The  ideas  of  men  and  angels  naturally  embody  themselves  in  suit- 
able sounds  and  expressions — the  tones  express  the  sensibilities  of  the 
will,  and  the  words  reveal  the  thoughts  of  the  intellect.  In  this  we 
are  images  of  God,  whose  voice  has  spoken  in  audible  terms  from 
most  ancient  times,  as  an  intelligible  dictate, — who  wrote  on  stone 
tablets  the  Decalogue,  or  "  ten  words," — and  commanded  and  inspired 
seers  and  prophets  what  to  speak  and  what  to  write.  What  are  words 
but  symbols  of  ideas,  between  which  there  is  the  closest  correspond- 
ence and  the  most  intimate  dependence ;  and  as  without  man's  words 


every  writing  which  has  been  written  by 
the  Spirit  is  valuable  for  instruction,'  etc. 
The  Vulgate  confirms  this  interpretation:— 
'Omnis,  scriptura  divinitus  inspirata,  utilis 
est  ad  docendum,'  etc."— (Z)i-.  P.  Smith's 
"  Tcsdm.  io  the  Mc-afiah,"  vol.  i.,  p.  27.) 

Dr.  A.  Clarke  translates  this  passage  as  fol- 
lows, and  is  supported  by  the  best  authori- 
ties. "The  particle  xat  (and),"  he  says,  "is 
omitted  by  almost  all  the  versions,  and  by 
many  of  the  Fathers,  and  certainly  does  not 
atrroe  well  with  the  text."  "All  Scripture 
given  by  inspiration  of  Go(l  is  profitable  for 
doctrine,"  etc.— (Comment,  in  loc.) 

Dr.  Wardlaw  has  rendered  it  thus:  "  Every 
divinely  inspired  writing  is  profitable  for 
instruction,  conviction,  reformation,  and 
education  in  righteousness."    And  adds, 


that  "  the  first  thing  affirmed  in  these  words 
is  the  plenary  Inspiration  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment Scriptures."— (/n/io(i.  to  Bisliop  Hall's 
Contempt.,  pp.  xli.,  xiii.) 

Professor  Stuart  renders  the  first  clause, 
"  Every  Scripture  inspired  of  God,"  or  "  God 
inspirited."— (CSjwoji,  p.  30t.) 

It  has  also  been  translated  by  others,  "  All 
Scripture  divinely  inspired  of  God."  And, 
"Every  God-breathed  writing."  "Theop- 
neustos"  has  been  construed  by  some  with 
an  active  signification,  of  which  it  appears 
to  be  susceptible.  It  is  then  rendered,  "di- 
vindy -breathing ;  "  and  it  is  understood  to  ex- 
press the  fact  that  the  inspired  Word  is  fUll 
of  God;  that  through  it  as  a  medium,  God 
breathes  forth,  or  communicates,  in  human 
language,  his  will  and  wisdom  to  mankind. 


REVEALS  THE  DIVINITY  OF  THE  SCRIPTURES. 


35 


we  cannot  comprehend  his  human  and  finite  ideas,  so  without  God's 
words  we  cannot  understand  his  infinite  and  divine  ideas.  The  very 
language,  then,  of  the  Word  of  God,  if  indeed  He  be  the  Author, 
must  be  inspired  as  well  as  the  ideas. 

The  woi-ds  of  a  man  contain  only  his  finite  thought  and  intelli- 
gence ;  and  by  hearing  or  reading  them,  and  attending  to  the  sense 
they  are  designed  to  convey,  we  become  more  or  less  acquainted  with 
the  prevailing  sentiments  of  a  finite  mind  ;  but  the  Word  of  God  has 
an  Infinite  Being  for  its  author,  and  eternal  purposes  to  serve ;  for 
thus  saith  the  Lord,  "  My  thoughts  are  not  your  thoughts,  neither  are 
your  ways  my  ways.  For  as  the  heavens  are  higher  than  the  earth, 
so  are  my  ways  higher  than  your  ways,  and  my  thoughts  than  your 
thoughts  "  (Isa.  Iv.  8,  9).  Yea,  He  has  moreover  solemnly  declared, 
that  "  His  Name  is  called  The  Word  of  God"  (Rev.  xix.  13).'^ 

Whatever,  then,  may  be  the  appearance  of  the  letter,  or  the  sur- 
face of  the  outward  covering,  the  Holy  Word  must  be  designed  to 
accommodate  and  convey  to  man,  as  far  as  possible,  in  a  way  pre- 
cisely adapted  to  the  condition  and  circumstances  of  his  mind,  in  all 
ages,  the  infinite  truth,  the  perfect  intelligence,  the  unbounded  love, 
and  the  unchangeable  goodness, — or,  in  other  words,  the  divine  will 
and  wisdom — of  the  Supreme  Being,  of  which  it  must  be  the  rich  de- 
pository. Thus,  Divine  Revelation  could  never  be  designed  to  instruct 
us  in  mere  human  history  or  physical  science,  in  the  laws  of  astron- 
omy or  the  facts  of  geology,  in  the  elementary  constitution  of  the 
earth  or  tlie  political  events  of  empires, — for  we  acquire  all  this  kind 
of  knowledge  in  an  external  way,  by  the  exercise  of  the  outward 
senses,  and  without  the  aid  of  special  inspiration :  but  must  have  been 
designed  to  instruct  man  in  the  subjects  and  objects  of  genuine  re- 
ligion,— in  spiritual  and  celestial,  yea,  divine,  wisdom, — in  the  holy 
operations  of  repentance  and  conversion,  of  charity  and  faith,  of 
righteousness  and  truth ;  thus,  in  our  duty  towards  God  and  our  duty 
towards  our  neighbor,  our  regeneration  and  final  salvation.  These 
must  have  been  the  objects  of  Divine  Revelation, — the  only  objects 
worthy  of  an  all-wise  and  benevolent  Deity.  Without  such  an  in- 
spired revelation,  thus  mercifully  adapted  to  his  states  and  necessi- 
ties, man  could  never  have  known  anything  concerning  his  soul,  or 


2»"  Among  the  numeroiis  passages  of  the  |  word  could  be  substituted  for  It  without 
New  Testament  in  which  the  phrase,  the  a  manifest  absurdity." — ThirlwalVs  Charge, 
Word  of  God  occurs,  there  is  not  one  in   1863,  p.  lOo. 
which  it  signifies  the  Bible,  or  in  which  that  i 


36 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPOXDENCES. 


his  eternal  life,  or  even  of  the  existence  of  God,  still  less  could  he 
have  known  anything  of  religion,  which  is  the  love  of  God  above  all 
things  and  his  neighbor  as  himself,  and  on  which  revealed  commands 
it  is  declared  by  the  Lord  himself,  "  hang  all  the  law  and  the  proph- 
ets" (Matt.  xxii.  37-40);  or  on  which  dej^end  all  the  unspeakable 
blessings  of  salvation. 

That  the  AVord  of  God,  however,  contains  faithful  historical  rela- 
tions, records  which  are  literally  true,  prophecies  which  have  been 
permitted  to  have  a  general  accomplishment  even  in  the  world,  and 
relates  true  miracles,  that  an  external  reverence  for  its  contents,  apart 
from  superstition,  might  be  thereby  possessed  among  the  most  sensual 
of  the  human  race,  is  freelj-  and  fully  accorded.  But  this,  gi-eat  as 
are  the  objects  attained,  is  wholly  insufficient  to  prove  that  it  is  a 
series  of  books  dictated  by  the  immediate  inspiration  of  God. 

"  Who  does  not  see,"  says  the  Rev.  S.  Noble,  in  an  admu'ably  sus- 
tained argument  on  this  subject,  "  that  the  difference  between  com- 
positions that  are  really  the  Word  of  God  and  the  compositions  of 
men  must  be  as  great  as  between  the  works  of  God  and  the  works 
of  men  ?  And  wherein  does  the  latter  difference  most  remarkably 
consist  ?  Is  it  not  in  tlie  interior  organization  which  the  works  of  God 
possess,  beyond  what  appears  in  their  outward  form  ?  When  we  look 
at  a  picture  or  a  statue,  which  are  among  the  most  exquisite  produc- 
tions of  human  ingenuity,  after  we  have  seen  the  surface,  we  have  seen 
the  whole:  and  although  there  are  pieces  of  curious  mechanism,  which 
contain  a  compHcation  of  parts  within  their  outside  case,  this  only 
carries  us  one  stej)  farther :  when  we  look  at  any  of  the  parts,  we  see 
the  whole : — the  interior  texture  of  the  material  of  which  they  are 
composed  not  being  the  work  of  the  human  artist,  but  of  the  Divine  * 
Creator.  Whereas,  wlien  we  look  at  any  of  the  works  of  his  omnip- 
otent hand,  beautiful  and  exact  as  they  are  in  their  outward  form, 
still,  the  most  beautiful  and  wonderful  parts  of  them  are  within. 
Some  of  these  hidden  wonders  are  discoverable  to  the  diligent  in- 
quirer by  means  of  dissections  and  by  the  aid  of  glasses :  but  when 
the  most  iugenious  investiirator  has  extended  his  researches  into  the 
interior  construction  of  any  natural  pi'oduction  to  the  utmost  limits 
that  human  means  can  conduct  him,  he  must,  if  he  is  a  wise  man,  be 
convinced,  that  what  he  has  thus  discovered,  is,  after  all,  but  general 
and  superficial,  conijjared  with  the  greater  wonders  which  still  lie  con- 
cealed within.  The  most  expert  anatomist  never,  for  instance,  reached 
the  seat  of  the  soul, — still  less  the  principle  of  consciousness  and  life 


REVEALS  THE  DIVINITY  OF  THE  SCRIPTURES. 


37 


of  which  the  soul  itself  is  merely  the  organ ;  all  which,  and  even  the 
material  forms  which  are  their  first  envelopes,  still  lie  beyond  the  most 
subtile  forms  that  the  gross  observation  of  the  senses  can  discover. 
The  farther,  however,  the  observation  of  the  senses  can  extend,  the 
greater  are  the  wonders  which  appear.  Just  so  it  is  with  the  Word 
of  God ;  and  so  it  must  be,  if  it  has  in  reality  God  for  its  Author. 
To  suppose  the  literal  sense  of  the  Word  of  God  to  be  all  that  it  con- 
tains, because  nothing  more  is  obvious  to  a  superficial  inspection,  is 
just  as  reasonable  as  to  affirm  that  the  human  body  consists  of  noth- 
ing but  skin,  because  this  is  all  that  meets  the  unassisted  eye :  but  as 
the  researches  of  anatomists  have  assured  us  that  within  the  skin 
■which  covers  our  frame  there  are  innumerable  forms  of  use  and 
beauty,  each  of  which  consists  again  of  innumerable  vessels  and 
fibres ;  whilst,  after  science  has  carried  her  discoveries  to  the  utmost, 
the  principle  that  imparts  life  to  the  whole  still  eludes  the  search :  so 
the  letter  of  the  Holy  Word,  which  may  be  regarded  as  its  skin,  in- 
cludes within  it  innumerable  spiritual  truths,  adapted  in  some  meas- 
ure to  the  apprehension  of  spiritually-minded  men,  but  more  com- 
pletely to  the  intellects  of  purely  spiritual  beings;  whilst  the  Essential 
Divine  Wisdom,  which  gives  life  to  the  whole,  is  beyond  the  compre- 
hension of  the  highest  finite  intelligence,  and  can  only  be  known  to 
its  Infinite  Original.  And  such  must  be  the  character  of  the  whole 
of  the  Word  of  God,  as  well  of  those  passages  which  afford  a  clear 
instructive  sense  in  the  letter  as  of  those  which  do  not :  for  the  Word 
of  God,  to  be  truly  so,  must  be  like  itself  throughout,  and  must  every- 
where be  composed  upon  one  uniform  principle.  Every  mind  that 
reflects  deeply  upon  the  subject,  will,  I  am  persuaded,  see,  that  to 
deny  the  Holy  Word  to  possess  such  contents  as  we  have  described, 
is  equivalent  to  denying  it  to  have  God  for  its  Author." — Plenary  In- 
spiration of  the  Scriptures  Asserted,  &c.,  pp.  63-8.  I  take  the  present 
opportunity  of  strongly  recommending  this  able  work  to  the  reader.^* 


2« "  The  spiritual  sense  of  the  Psalms,"  says 
Bishop  Home,  "  is  and  must  be  peculiar  to 
the  Scriptures ;  because  of  those  persons  and 
transactions  only,  which  are  there  men- 
tioned and  recorded,  can  it  be  affirmed  for 
certain  tliat  they  were  designed  to  be  figura- 
tive. And  should  any  one  attempt  to  apply 
the  narrative  qf  Alexander's  expedition,  by 
Quintus  Curtius,  or  the  commentaries  of 
Ca-sar,  as  the  New  Testament  writers  have 
done,  and  taught  us  to  do  to  the  histories  of 
the  Old,  he  would  find  himself  unable  to 
proceed  three  steps  with  consistency  and 
4 


propriety.  The  argument,  therefore,  which 
would  infer  the  absurdity  of  supposing  the 
Scriptures  to  have  a  spiritual  sense,  from 
the  absurdity  of  supposing  history  or  poems 
merely  human  to  have  it,  is  inconclusive; 
the  sacred  writings  differing,  in  this  respect, 
from  all  other  writings  in  the  world,  as 
much  as  the  nature  of  the  transactions  which 
they  relate,  differs  from  that  of  all  other 
transactions ;  and  the  Author  who  relates 
them  differs  from  all  other  authors." — Comm. 
on  the  Psalms,  pref ,  p.  xvi. 


CHAPTER  IV. 


The  Laws  of  the  Science  of  CoREEsroNDENCES  Stated  and  Confirmed. 

— The  Doctrine  of  Correspondences  well  known  to  the  Ancients, 
'  and  its  Corruption  the  Origin  of  all  Idolatry  and  Superstition. 


T  is  universally  confessed,"  says  Swedenborg,  "  that  the  Word  is 


-L  from  God,  is  divinely  inspired,  and  of  consequence  holy ;  but 
still  it  has  remained  a  secret  to  this  day  in  what  part  of  the  Word  its 
divinity  resides,  inasmuch  as  in  the  letter  it  appears  like  a  common 
Avriting,  composed  in  a  strange  style,  neither  so  sublime,  nor  so  ele- 
gant, nor  so  lucid  as  that  which  distinguishes  the  best  secular  compo- 
sitions. Hence  it  is,  that  whosoever  worships  nature  instead  of  God, 
or  in  preference  to  God,  and  in  consequence  of  such  woi-ship  makes 
himself  and  his  own  proprium  [or  selfliood]  the  centre  and  fountain 
of  his  thoughts,  instead  of  deriving  them  out  of  heaven  from  the 
Lord,  may  easily  fall  into  error  concerning  the  Word,  or  into  con- 
tempt for  it,  and  say  within  himself,  as  he  reads  it,  What  is  the  mean- 
ing of  this  passage  ?  What  is  the  meaning  of  that  ?  Is  it  possible 
this  should  be  divine  ?  Is  it  possible  that  God,  whose  wisdom  is  in- 
finite, should  speak  in  this  manner?  Where  is  its  sanctity,  or  whence 
can  it  be  derived,  but  from  superstition  and  credulity?  with  other 
suggestions  of  a  similar  nature. 

"  But  he  who  reasons  thus  does  not  reflect  that  Jehovah  the  Lord, 
who  is  God  of  heaven  and  earth,  spake  the  Word  by  INIoses  and  the 
prophets,  and  that  consequently  it  must  be  divine  truth,  inasmuch  as 
what  Jehovah  himself  speaks  can  be  nothing  else ;  nor  does  such  an 
one  consider  that  the  Lord,  who  is  the  same  with  Jehovah,  spake  the 
word  written  by  the  Evangelists, — many  parts  from  his  own  moutli, 
and  the  rest  from  the  Spirit  of  his  mouth,  which  is  the  Holy  Spirit. 
Hence  it  is  He  himself  declares,  that  in  his  words  there  is  life,  and 
that  He  is  that  light  which  enlightens,  and  that  He  is  the  truth.  The 
natural  man,  however,  cannot  still  be  persuaded  to  believe  that  the 
Word  is  divine  truth  itself,  in  which  is  divine  wisdom  and  divine  life, 


38 


irS  LAWS  STATED  ASD  CONFIRMED. 


39 


inasmuch  as  he  judges  of  it  by  its  style,  in  which  no  such  things 
appear. 

"  Nevertheless,  the  style  in  which  the  "Word  is  written  is  a  divine 
style,  with  which  no  other  style,  however  sublime  and  excellent  it 
may  seem,  is  at  all  comparable ;  for  it  is  as  darkness  compared  to 
light.  The  style  of  the  Word  is  of  such  a  nature  as  to  contain  what 
is  holy  in  every  vei-se,  in  every  word,  and  in  some  cases  in  every  let- 
ter; and  hence  the  Word  conjoins  man  with  the  Lord,  and  opens 
heaven.  There  are  two  things  which  proceed  fi*om  the  Lord, — divine 
love  and  divine  wisdom,  or,  what  is  the  same  thing,  divine  good  and 
divine  truth :  for  divine  good  is  of  divine  love  itself,  and  divine  truth 
is  of  the  divine  wisdom :  and  the  AVord  in  its  essence  is  both  of  these ; 
and  inasmuch  as  it  conjoins  man  with  the  Lord,  and  opens  heaven,  as 
just  observed,  therefore  the  Word  fills  the  man  who  reads  it,  under 
the  Lord's  influence  and  not  under  the  influence  of  proprium  or  self, 
with  the  good  of  love  and  the  truth  of  wisdom, — his  will  with  the 
good  of  love,  and  his  understanding  with  the  truth  of  wisdom. 

"Hence  man  has  life  by  and  through  the  Word.  Lest,  therefore, 
mankind  should  remain  any  longer  in  doubt  concerning  the  Divinity 
of  the  Word,  the  internal  sense  thereof  is  revealed,  which  in  its  essence 
is  spiritual,  and  which  is  to  the  external  sense,  which  is  natural,  what 
the  soul  is  to  the  body.  This  internal  sense  is  the  Spirit  which  gives 
life  to  the  letter ;  wherefore  this  sense  will  evince  the  divinity  and 
sanctity  of  the  Word,  and  may  convince  even  the  natural  man,  if  he 
is  willing  to  be  convinced." — S.  S.  1-4 ;  A.  E.  lOGo. 

In  the  New  Church,  then,  and  for  the  benefit  of  all  who  are  willing 
to  receive  the  truth,  it  has  been  disclosed, — and  the  discovery  is  the 
most  important  that  has  taken  place  since  the  comi^letion  of  the  New 
Testament,  that  the  Holy  Word  is  so  written,  that  each  expression 
corresponds  to  some  distinct  spiritual  idea,  that  is,  an  idea  which  re- 
lates to  the  Lord,  the  spiritual  world,  and  the  human  mind  ;  to  good- 
ness, truth,  and  their  activities,  or  to  love,  wisdom,  and  life.  Now 
these  spiritual  ideas,  together  with  those  of  the  letter,  are  shown  to 
be  so  wonderfully  connected  as  to  form  one  perfect  unbroken  chain 
of  eternal  truth  from  first  to  last, — one  grand  series  of  heavenly  par- 
ticulars, which  constitutes  the  internal  and  external,  or  the  spiritual 
and  literal  senses  of  the  Word  of  God.  The  laws  which  thus  unfold 
the  true  character  of  the  Sacred  Oracles  are  denominated  laws  of 
correspondence.  This  term  is  derived  from  con,  re,  and  spondeo,  mean- 
ing radically  to  answer  with,  or  to  agree,  denoting,  in  the  sense  in  which 


40 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESrONDEXCES. 


it  is  used  in  the  New  Church,  the  i-eciprocal  rehation  of  objects  in 
higher  and  lower  degrees, — a  mutual  union  of  the  internal  with  the 
external, — the  harmony  of  substance  and  form, — the  concord  of  cause 
and  effect.  From  this  definition  it  may  be  perceived  that  the  science 
of  correspondences  is  not,  as  some  have  rashly  asserted,  a  mere  clever 
invention,  an  arbitrary  device,  an  imaginary  theory,  a  fanciful  con- 
ceit,— but  that  it  is  a  systematic,  uniform,  and  certain  rule  of  inter- 
pretation, founded  upon  the  nature,  qualities,  and  uses  of  all  terres- 
trial objects,  and  all  the  phenomena  of  life.^*  These  have  one  and  all 
the  most  exact  correspondence  with  eternal  realities  and  mental  oper- 
ations, for  natural  objects  and  truths  are  the  mirrors  in  which  spiritual 
subjects  and  infinite  wisdom  are  reflected.^    Hence,  man  has  been 


25  The  want  of  a  strict  rule  of  interpreta- 
tion, for  which  the  world  was  at  that  time 
so  totally  unprepared,  is  thus  acknowledged 
by  Augustine,  "where  he  lays  down  the 
principle  which  guided  him  in  the  investi- 
gation of  historical  types"  [Trad  /or  the 
Times,  Ixxxix.,  p.  38.]  "  These  secrets  of  Di- 
vine Scripture  we  trace  out  as  we  may,  one 
more  or  less  aptly  than  another,  but  as  becomes 
faithful  men,  holding  thus  much  for  certain  ; 
that  not  without  some  kind  of  foreshadow- 
ing of  future  events,  were  these  things  done 
and  recorded  [in  the  Word];  and  that  to 
Christ  only,  and  his  Church,  the  City  of 
God,  are  they  to  be  referred  in  every  in- 
stance."—De  Civ.  Dei,  xvi.  2.  By  the  Science 
of  Correspondences,  however,  all  distrust 
and  uncertainty  arc  removed. 

"  The  severe  schoolcs  shall  never  laugh  me 
out  of  the  philosophy  of  Hermes,  that  this 
visible  world  is  but  a  picture  of  the  invisi- 
ble, wherein,  as  in  a  pourtrait,  things  are 
not  truly,  but  in  equivocal  shapes,  and  as 
they  counterfeit  some  more  real  substance 
in  that  invisible  Fahrick."  — Sir  Tuomas 
Browne.  Ob.  a.  d.  1682. 

Milton  says,  "What  if  earth 

Be  but  the  shadow  of  heav'ii ;  and  things 
therein 

Each  to  other  like,  more  than  on  earth  is 
thought." 

I'aradiifC  Lost,  book  v.,  lines  574-6. 

A  similar  idea  is  thus  expressed  by  Bar- 
row :  "  What  we  see  in  a  lower  deprce  some- 
where to  exist,  doth  probably  otherwise  exist  in 
a  higlier  degree." — Worts,  vol.  iv.,  p.  170. 

"The  riatonists,"  says  Archbishop  Leigh- 
ton,  "  divide  the  world  into  two,  the  sensible 
and  intellectual  world,  they  imagine  Uie 
one  to  be  the  type  of  the  other,  and  that 
sensible  and  spiritual  things  are  stamped,  ns 
it  were,  with  the  same  stamp.  These  senti- 


ments are  not  unlike  the  notions  which  the 
masters  of  the  Cabalistical  doctrine  among 
the  Jews  held  concerning  God's  sf.phiroth 
and  SEAL,  wherewith,  according  to  them,  all 
the  worlds,  and  everything  in  them,  are 
stamped  or  sealed ;  and  these  are  probably 
near  akin  to  what  Lord  Bacon  calls  his  'par- 
ralella  signicula;'  and  symbolizantes  schema- 
</:n!!.  According  to  this  hypothesis,  these 
parables,  which  are  often  taken  from  natural 
things  to  illustrate  such  as  are  diiine.  will  not 
be  stnulitiides  taken  entirely  al  pleasure,  butare 
often  in  a  great  measure  founded  in  nature, 
and  the  things  themselves."  —  Leighton's 
Works,  vol.  iv.,  p.  15C. 

28"  Figures  taken  from  natural  things  and 
actions  are  introduced  into  the  Word  of 
God  to  express  divine  things  and  actions, 
in  such  a  manner,  that,  by  looking  upon 
one,  we  may,  as  it  were  in  a  picture,  behold 
the  other." — JJoncrt's  InstUui.  Tlieolog.,  etc., 
part  2. 

"  It  is  not  a  litUe  remarkable  that,  accord- 
ing to  I'rescott.  the  Peruvian  Mythology,  be- 
fore the  conquest,  was  '  not  unlike  that  of 
Ilindostan.'  'They  adopted  also  a  notion,' 
says  he, '  not  unlike  that  professed  by  some  of 
the  schoolsof  ancient  philosophy,  that  every- 
thing on  earth  had  its  archetype  or  idea,  Us 
mother,  as  they  emphatically  styled  it,  which 
they  held  sacred,  as  in  some  sort  its  .>ipiritual 
essence.' " — Cong,  of  Peru,  vol.  i.,  p.  37. 

'•  Bacon  hath  wisely  observed,  that  the 
works  of  God  minister  a  singular  help  and 
preservative  against  unbelief  and  error: 
our  Saviour,  as  he  saith,  having  laid  before 
us  two  books  or  volumes  to  study ;  first,  the 
Scriptures,  revealing  the  will  of  God,  and 
then  the  creatures,  expressing  his  power; 
whereof  the  latter  is  a  key  unto  the  former." — 
Bacon's  Adv.  of  Learning,  b.  1.  Such  was 
tiie  piety  and  penetration  of  this  great  man. 


ITS  LAWS  STATED  AND  CONFIRMED. 


41 


emphatically  called  by  the  ancients  a  microcosm,  or  little  Avorld,  and 
considered  as  an  epitome  of  the  macrocosm,  or  great  universe  and  as 
the  lower  or  natural  region  of  the  mind  is  thus  the  world  in  its  least 
effigy,  so  the  superior  or  spiritual  region  of  the  mind  is  a  heaven  in 
its  least  effigy,  on  which  account  man  may  also  be  called  a  microuranos, 
or  little  heaven  (T.  C.  R.  604).  And  a  fragment  of  the  very  earliest 
philosophy  which  has  been  handed  down  to  us,  attributed  to  Hermes 
Trismegistus  (the  Greek  name  for  Thoth,  the  personification  of  Egyp- 
tian wisdom),  affirms,  that  "  there  is  nothing  in  the  heavens  which  is 
not  in  the  earth  in  an  earthly  form ;  and  there  is  nothing  on  the 
earth  which  is  not  in  the  heavens  in  a  heavenly  form."^" 

For  as  the  indefinite  particulars  of  which  the  universe  is  composed 


"  For  it  will  be  found  true,  that  the  invisi- 
ble things  of  God,  that  is,  the  things  con- 
cerning his  Being  and  his  Power,  and  the 
economy  of  his  spiritual  kingdom,  which 
are  the  objects  of  our  faith,  are  clearly  seen 
from  (he  creation  of  the  world,  and  understood 
by  the  things  that  are  made." — Jones's  Sermon 
on  the  Nat.  Evid.  of  Christianity,  preached  1787. 

"There  was  an  opinion  [I  should  rather 
call  it  a  tradition]  among  some  heathen 
philosophers  that  the  world  is  a  parable, 
the  literal  or  bodily  part  of  which  is  mani- 
fest to  all  men,  while  the  inward  mean- 
ing is  hidden,  as  the  soul  in  the  body, 
the  moral  in  the  fable,  or  the  interpretation 
in  the  parable."  "  We  may  call  the  world  a 
fable,  or  parable ;  in  whicli  there  is  an  out- 
ward appearance  of  visible  things,  with  an 
Inward  sense,  which  is  hidden  as  the  soul 
under  the  body."— So^^u^i  Peri  Theown.,  cap. 
3.  Jones's  Lec.  on  the  Fig.  Lang,  of  Scrip.,  p. 
70. 

Thilo  says  that  "man  is  a  little  world, 
and  that  the  world  is  one  great  man ; "  and 
Origen  calls  man  "  ilinorem  Mundum,  a  >Ii- 
crocosme."— if.  llore's  Conj.  Cab.,  Defence  of, 
p.  205. 

"  Out  of  all  beings  known  to  us,  man  is  the 
most  elevated ;  as  in  his  form,  at  the  same 
time  one  and  complex,  he  contains  all  in- 
ferior existences." — AbbeDe  Lamennais,  Equ- 
use  D'une  Philosophic,  vol.  i.,  p.  409.  See  Mor- 
elTs  Hist,  of  Mod.  Philos.,  2d  ed. ,  vol.,  ii.  p.  297. 

"  Properly  understood,  earthly  substances 
are  the  types,  representatives,  and  shadows 
of  heavenly  things." — Dr.  A.Clarke's  Commen- 
tary, vol.  v.,  p.  562. 

"Davis,  in  his  History  of  the  Chinese,  tells 
us  that  the  Chinese  physiologists  expressly 
call  man  a  little  universe,  or  microcosm;  to 
which  they  extend  the  dual  principle,  as 
4* 


originating  the  existence,  as  well  as  main- 
taining the  order  and  harmony,  of  the  natu- 
ral universe." 

'•  The  universe  is  but  a  great  mirror  of  the 
mind  of  man." — Gi'fillan's  Lit.  Port.,  p.  8. 

'•  Now  this  earthly  world  which  we  do  see 
is  an  exact  picture  and  pattern  of  the  spir- 
itual, heavenly  world  which  we  do  not  see. 
As  .Solomon  says  in  the  Proverbs,  '  The 
things  which  are  seen  are  the  doubles  of 
the  things  which  are  not  seen.'  " — Kingsley's 
Village  Sermons,  p.  li>7. 

28 "Things  invisible  to  the  carnal  eye  are 
clearly  seen  by  the  enlightened  eye  of  the 
mind — being  understood  by  the  lively  and 
sensible  description  of  them  in  the  things 
that  are  made.  The  material  world  and  its 
objects  are  pictures  or  similitude.*,  in  some 
view  or  other,  of  the  actings  of  God  in  the 
spiritual  world.  Upon  this  plan  the  lively 
oracles  of  truth  appear  to  have  been  writ- 
ten."—Serfe's  Hor.  Solil.,  p.  137. 

"  The  whole  of  the  visible  creation  is  but 
the  outside  of  a  vast  magnificent  house  or 
temple,  whose  inside  is  heaven,  or  the  an- 
gelic kingdom ;  and  this  again  is  but  the 
outside  of  a  temple  or  house  still  more  vast 
and  magnificent,  whose  inside  is  Jesus 
Christ,  the  only  living  and  eternal  Lord  our 
God." — Clowes'  Miscell.  Thoughts,  p.  53. 

"  That  the  teaching  of  Nature  is  symboli- 
cal, none,  we  think,  can  deny." — Neale  and 
Webb's  Inlrod.  Ess.  to  Durandus  on  Symb.,  p. 
xlv. 

"  Philosophy,  fable,  poetry,  and  the  most 
refined  metaphysics,  have  not  been  able  to 
form  an  idea  of  the  universe  which  stu- 
rounds  us,  without  at  the  same  time  imag- 
ining another  universe  of  which  this  is  the 
image." — Sicher's  La  Nouv.  Jerus.  on  Corre- 
spon.,  vol.  i.,  2d  part,  p.  355. 


42 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


must  have  had  a  divine  origin,  so  they  must  all  bear  analogies  to  each 
other,  and  reflect  infinite  intelligence  and  goodness :  they  must,  there- 
fore, of  necessity  be  invested  with  a  moral,  a  spiritual,  yea,  a  divine 
significance,  the  visible  objects  of  the  outward  world  exactly  corre- 
sponding. Avith  invisible  realities  in  the  world  within,  and  these  again 
to  the  infinite  principles  in  the  divine  mind,  as  their  secondary  and 
primary  cause  of  existence  and  subsistence.-'    All  this  is  in  exact 


29  Between  the  work  of  creation  and  pres- 
ervation on  the  one  hand,  and  that  of  re- 
demption [and  the  author  might  have  added 
also,  most  truly,  that  of  regeneration]  on  the 
other,  there  seems  to  be  a  great  analogy ;  as 
the  sacred  writers  frequently  borrow  images 
from  one  to  explain  tiie  other.  '  The  invisi- 
ble things  of  God  from  tlie  creation  of  the 
world  are  clearly  seen.'  Things  visible  do 
not  only  prove  the  divine  power  and  God- 
head,— the  existence  and  glorious  perfections 
of  God,— but  they  also  serve  as  a  mirror  to 
represent  the  invisible  things  of  God.  And 
between  these  two  representatives  there  is 
Buch  a  correspondence,  that  an  attentive 
view  of  things  natural  and  temporal  may 
help  us  to  form  better  conceptions  of  things 
spiritual  and  eternal.  .  .  .  Without  this  ef- 
fect, philosophy  is  but  a  vain  amusement. 
But  when  things  visible  correspond  to  what 
is  revealed  in  the  Scriptures  concerning  the 
invisible  things  of  God,  and  these  corre- 
spondences are  traced  under  the  guidance 
of  the  written  Word,  these  two  great  books 
[creation  and  Revelation]  help  to  explain 
each  other." — Cosmoloi/y :  Pub.  al  Balk,  1791. 
Tom.  iv.,  p.  180. 

"  The  world  is  certainly  a  great  and  stately 
volume  of  natural  things,  and  may  not  im- 
properly be  styled  the  hieroglyphics  of  a 
better." — Fruits  of  Solitude,  p.  3. 

"  Nature  is  a  book  written  on  both  sides, 
within  and  without,  in  which  the  linger  of 
God  is  distinctly  visil)le;  a  species  of  Holy 
Writ  in  a  bodily  form ;  a  glorious  panegyric 
on  God's  omnipotence  expressed  in  the  most 
visible  symbols." — Schleuel. 

In  the  book  of  Sohar,  a  similar  sentence 
occurs :  '■  Quodcunque  in  ierrd  est,  id  etiam  in 
Cselo  est,  ct  nulla  res  lam  cxigua  est  in  Muiido, 
quse  non  alii  simiii,  qua:  in  CaUo  est,  correspon- 
deal." 

"All  things  in  nature  are  prophetic  out- 
lines of  divine  operations,  God  not  merely 
speaking  parables,  but  doing  them." — Tek- 
TUi.i.iAN  :  Dc  Resur.,  c.  12. 

"Julian,  in  an  oration,  expresses  him.self 
thus: '  Not  view  and  contemplate  the  heaven 
and  world  with  the  same  eyes  that  oxen  and 
horses  du,  but  so  as  from  that  which  is  visi- 


ble to  their  outward  senses,  to  discern  and 
discover  another  invisible  nature  under  it." 
— Jul.  Oral.,  iv.,  p.  148.  Cited  by  Cudworlh,  In- 
tel. SysL,  vol.  ii.,  p.  260. 

"  Plato,  in  his  Timajus,  calls  the  world  '  a 
made  or  created  image  of  the  eternal  gods.' 
By  which  eternal  gods  he  there  doubtless 
meant  that  'first,'  and  'second,'  and  'third,' 
which,  in  his  second  epistle  to  Dionysius,  he 
makes  to  be  uncreated  principles  of  all 
things;  that  is,  his  trinity,  by  whose  con- 
current efficiency  and  Providence,  and  ac- 
cording to  whose  image  and  likeness,  the 
whole  was  made,  as  a  grand  chain  of  result- 
ing effects." — See  Cudworih's  Intel.  Syst.,  vol. 
ii.,  p.  3G7. 

"The  world  may  well  be  called  an  image; 
it  depending  upon  that  above  [as  an  image 
in  a  glass],  which  is  threefold." — Plotinus, 
cited  by  Cudworlh,  vol.  ii.,  p.  315. 

"  Empcdoclesheld,  according  to  the  Pytha- 
gorean doctrine,  that  there  are  two  worlds, 
the  one  intellectual,  the  other  sensible;  the 
former  being  the  model  or  archetype  of  the 
latter."  [25  Exod.,  40.]  — See  Simplici  in 
Physic.  Arist.,  also  Plut.  de  Placitis  Phil.,  b.  1, 
c.  20. 

"The  symbolic  language  of  the  prophets 
is  almost  a  science  of  itself.  None  can  fully 
comprehend  the  depth,  sublimity,  and  force 
of  their  writings  who  are  not  thoroughly  ac- 
quainted with  the  peculiar  and  appropriate 
imagery  they  were  accvistomed  to  use." — 
Bishop  Van  Miluert. 

"  The  visible  world  throughout  is  a  pattern 
of  the  invisible." — Jones's  Led.  on  the  Fig. 
Lang,  of  Scrip.,  p.  34. 

"  When  the  maker  of  the  world  becomes 
an  Author,  his  word  must  be  as  perfect  as 
his  work." — Jones's  Lectures  on  the  Figurative 
Lang,  of  the  Holy  Scrip.,  p.  1. 

"If  God  made  this  world  the  particular 
kind  of  world  which  he  is  found  to  have 
made  it.  in  order  that  it  might  in  due  time 
preach  to  mankind  about  himself,  and  about 
ills  providence :— if  He  contrived  beforehand 
the  germination  of  seeds,  tlie  growth  of 
plants,  the  analogies  of  animal  life,— all, 
eviilently.  in  order  that  they  might  furnish 
illustrations  of  .his  teaching;  and  that  so 


ITS  LAWS  STATED  AND  CONFIRMED. 


43 


agreement  with  the  teaching  of  the  apostle  Paul,  when  he  says,  "For 
the  invisible  things  of  Him  [God]  from  the  creation  of  the  world  are 
clearly  seen  ["  being  considered  in  his  works  are  distinctly  seen." — Hor. 
Rom.,  p.  6],  being  understood  by  the  things  that  are  made,  even  his 
eternal  power  and  godhead  "  (Rom.  i.  20). 

These  analogies  or  correspondences  many  theologians  and  philoso- 
phers have  admitted,  from  the  fact  that  they  can  scarcely  escajie  the 
recognition  of  the  devout  and  reflective  mind.  Thus  the  author  of 
Tracts  for  the  Times  (Ixxxix.),  speaking  of  the  mode  of  interpreting 
the  Sacred  Word  adopted  by  the  early  Fathers  of  the  Christian 
Church,  and  the  ground  and  reason  of  it,  makes  these  important  and 
suggestive  remarks :  "  What  if  the  whole  scheme  of  sensible  things 
be  figurative  ? "  "  What  if  these  [correspondences  in  the  Jewish  taber- 
nacle and  ark]  are  but  a  slight  specimen  of  one  great  use  Avhich 
Almighty  God  would  have  us  to  make  of  the  external  world,  and 
of  its  relation  to  the  world  spiritual  ?  Certainly  the  form  itself  of 
speaking,  with  which  these  symbols  are  introduced  [as  made  accord- 
ing to  heavenly  patterns],  would  seem  to  imply  some  such  general 
rule."  And  again,  "  '  That  was  the  true  light.'  '  I  am  the  true  vine.' 
'  Who  will  give  you  the  true  riches  ? '  taking  for  granted,  in  a  manner, 


great  Nature's  self  might  prove  one  vast 
parable  in  his  hands  ; — why  may  not  the 
same  God,  by  his  Eternal  Spirit,  have  so 
overruled  the  utterance  of  the  lauman  agents 
whom  He  employed  to  write  the  Bible,  that 
their  historical  narratives,  however  little 
their  authors  meant  or  suspected  it,  should 
embody  the  outline  of  things  heavenly ;  and 
while  they  convey  a  true  picture  of  actual 
events,  should  also,  after  a  most  mysterious 
fashion,  yield  in  the  hands  of  his  own  in- 
forming Spirit,  celestial  doctrine  also?" 
"  Our  purpose  has  only  been  to  vindicate  the 
profundity,  or  rather  the  fulness  of  Holy 
Writ,  and  to  show  that  under  the  obvious 
and  literal  meaning  of  the  words  there  lies 
concealed  a  more  recondite  and  a  profounder 
sense — call  that  sense  mystical,  or  spiritual, 
or  Christian,  or  what  you  will.  Unerringly 
to  elicit  that  hidden  sense  is  the  sublime 
privilege  of  inspired  writers,  and  they  do  it 
by  allusion,  by  quotation,  by  the  importa- 
tion of  a  short  phrase,  by  the  adoption  of  a 
single  word, — to  an  extent  which  no  one 
would  suspect  who  had  not  carefully  studied 
the  subject." — Burqon's  Inspiration  and  Inter- 
pretation, pp.  168, 174. 

"  The  pliilosophical  ground  on  which  they 
[the  ancient  nations]  proceeded  is  this, — 
that  all  maUer  or  universal  nature  must  of  ne- 


cessity he  the  form  and  visible  idea  of  the  essence 
or  spirit  within.  Each  object  in  religion  has 
thus  its  corresponding  sign  and  character  in 
one  of  nature ;  and  those  of  nature  in  return 
are  held  in  esteem  and  reverence  from  their 
consecration  to  the  uses  of  religion.  The 
extent,  indeed,  to  which  this  system  was  car- 
ried in  Egypt  has  at  all  times  been  proverbial. 
It  formed  the  subject  of  expressed  astonish- 
ment and  secret  admiration  to  the  ancient 
historiansof  the  world.  The  mythology  of  the 
West  was,in  fact,almost  founded  on  [or  rather 
identical  with]  Egyptian  worship.  We  trace 
up  to  an  Eastern  origin  the  system  of  Pyth- 
agoras; the  ethics  of  Aristotle ;  and  even  the 
philosophy  of  Plato,  so  far  more'spiritual  and 
sublime  than  either :  and  have  no  question, 
from  a  comparatively  abundant  evidence, 
that  the  principles  which  appeared  so  great 
and  glorious  to  the  Greeks,  existed  on  the  In- 
dus and  the  Nile  ages  before  the  first  dawn 
of  civilization  in  the  West.  The  Jews,  too, 
through  every  period  of  their  varied  his- 
tory, were  no  less  addicted  to  this  fascinating 
study  than  the  Eastern  nations.  The  fact  is 
of  an  extreme  importance ;  since,  in  their 
possession  of  the  Bible,  we  behold  the  origin 
of  that  philosophy  which  led  them  to  the 
adoption  of  this  system  of  correspondence." 
—  Tucker's  Scrip.  Stud.,  Inner  Sense,  pp.  268, 269. 


44 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


the  fact  that  there  was  somewhere  in  the  nature  of  things  a  true 
counterpart  of  these  ordinary  objects,  a  substance  of  which  they  Avere 
but  unreal  shadows ;  and  only  informing  us  in  each  case,  with  au- 
thority, what  that  counterisart  and  substance  was."  "  This  doctrine 
of  correspondence  between  things  seen  and  unseen,  was  familiar  and 
very  acceptable"  [to  the  Fathers]  (p.  165). 

To  the  same  purpose,  Heylin,  in  his  Select  Discourses,  observes, 
"  There  is  an  analogy  betwixt  the  visible  and  invisible  world,  which 
the  Scriptures  declare  to  be  the  foundation  of  tlie  ]\Iosaic  rites,  and 
from  which  other  religious  ceremonies  receive  their  fitness  and  utility. 
The  terms  unclean,  defiled,  polluted,  are  applicable  to  minds  as  well 
as  bodies,  and  that  with  a  jiropriety  which  is  easier  felt  than  exi)lained. 
The  correspondent  terms  of  cleansing,  baptizing,  purifying  with  water, 
or  with  fire,  as  the  case  may  require,  or  the  subject  can  bear, — these, 
too,  have  a  just  and  obvious  signification  in  morals  as  well  as  naturals: 
for  the  systems  of  both  worlds  run  parallel,  so  that  realities  in  the 
superior  have  their  respective  shadows  in  the  inferior,  and  are  fitly 
represented  by  them"  (i.  36  and  38,  London,  1749). 

That  the  natural  world  is  full  of  analogies  is  universally  acknowl- 
edged. Thus,  Swainson  writes : — "  It  is  unnecessary  to  enforce  the 
axiom  long  established  by  sound  philosophy,  that  natural  and  moral 
truths  are  but  parts  of  the  great  system  of  nature.  Nor  need  we  go 
over  those  arguments  that  have  been  already  so  ably  and  so  power- 
fully urged  by  others,  to  show  that  every  thing  in  this  world  is  evi- 
dently intended  to  be  the  means  of  moral  and  intellectual  imjjrove- 
raent,  to  a  creature  made  capable  of  perceiving  in  it  this  use.  This 
perfect  analogy  between  the  moral  and  the  natural  world,  no  Chris- 
tian in  these  days  will  even  think  of  questioning,  much  less  of  dis- 
puting" (192).  "Between  material  and  immaterial,  there  is  no  other 
relation  than  that  Avhich  is  afforded  by  analogy ;  without  this  they 
would  be  widely  and  totally  distinct ;  with  this,  they  are  united,  and 
one  reciprocally  illustrates  the  other.  Analogy,  or  symbolical  repre- 
sentation, is,  therefore,  the  most  universal  law  of  nature,  because  it 
embraces  and  extends  its  influence  over  the  natural,  the  moral,  and 
the  spiritual  world :  a  property  which  no  other  law  yet  discovered  is 
known  to  possess"  (193).  "Things  which  in  their  essential  nature 
are  totally  opposite,  are  found,  on  closer  investigation,  to  possess  mu- 
tual relations,  and  to  be  governed  by  the  same  law.  Hence  we  dis- 
cover three  sorts  of  analogies  pervading  the  system  of  nature,  in  the 
widest  and  most  exalted  application  of  the  terra :  the  first  regards  the 


ITS  LAW'S  STATED  AND  CONFIRMED. 


45 


spiritual  truths  of  revelation ;  the  second,  those  which  belong  only  to 
the  moral  system  ;  while  the  third  are  drawn  from  the  phenomena  of 
the  material  world"  (201). — Preliminary  Discourse  on  the  Study  of 
Natural  History,  Cab.  Cyclo.,  pp.  283,  290. 

Another  profound  writer  thus  ably  illustrates  the  subject  of  anal- 
ogy in  connection  with  religion.  "  While  analogy,"  says  he,  "  is  the 
happy  instrument  of  conveying  light  into  subjects  in  general,  it  is 
peculiarly  so  when  employed  in  elucidating  the  truths  of  religion. 
Here  the  force  of  contrast  with  which  it  acts  is  at  the  maximum. 
We  bring  together  the  things  of  heaven  and  the  things  of  earth ;  and 
bestow  on  the  most  remote  and  inaccessible  objects  some  portion  of 
that  circumstantial  particularity  which  belongs  to  those  present  and 
visible.  To  behold  truths,  in  themselves  so  high  above  our  compre- 
hension, in  connection  with  those  which  are  familiarly  inculcated  on 
us  by  experience,  must  call  forth  our  strongest  admiration,  and  pow- 
erfully interest  us  on  both  sides,  but  particularly  on  that  of  our  re- 
ligion. Divine  wisdom  then  descends  from  its  ethereal  seat,  as  the 
accessor  of  the  throne  of  the  Eternal,  and  communes  with  us  face  to 
face,  and  hand  to  hand.  We  find  that  the  subjects  on  which  the 
Scripture  treats  are  not  chimeras,  not  creations  of  the  fancy,  which 
have  no  substantial  existence ;  but  things  which  are  :  things  in  Avhich 
we  live,  and  move,  and  have  our  being.  It  no  longer  appears  to  us 
in  the  light  of  a  scheme,  contrived  in  the  bowers  of  philosophic  se- 
clusion, and  addressing  itself  only  to  the  contemplative  and  impas- 
sioned devotee,  like  the  day  dreams  of  the  Koran,  emerging  from  the 
gloom  and  solitude  of  the  cave  of  Hara ;  but  it  shines  forth  conspicu- 
ously, as  an  energizing  principle,  as  a  knowledge  which  is  power,  as  a 
work  of  the  Lord,  carried  on  in  the  passing  scene,  with  which  we  can- 
not help  sympathizing  without  doing  violence  to  all  the  principles  of 
our  nature." — Hamjiden's  Essay  on  the  Philosophical  Evidences  of 
Christianity. 

The  Rev.  W.  Kirby,  M.A.,  in  his  interesting  Bridr/exvater  Treatise, 
thus  expresses  himself  on  the  same  subject : — "  Whoever  surveys  the 
three  kingdoms  of  nature  with  any  attention,  will  discover  in  every 
department  objects  that,  without  any  affinity,  appear  to  represent 
each  other.  Nor  is  this  resemblance  confined  to  forms ;  it  extends 
also  to  character.  If  we  begin  at  the  bottom  of  the  scale  and  ascend 
up  to  man,  we  shall  find  two  descriptions  in  almost  every  class,  and 
even  tribe,  of  animals :  one,  ferocious  in  their  aspects,  often  rapid  in 
their  motions,  predaceous  in  their  habits,  preying  upon  their  fellows, 


46 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


and  living  by  rapine  and  bloodshed;  while  the  other  is  quiet  and 
harmless,  making  no  attacks,  shedding  no  blood,  and  subsisting  mostly 
on  a  vegetable  diet.  Since  God  created  nothing  in  vain,  we  may  rest 
assured  that  this  system  of  representation  was  established  with  a  par- 
ticular view.  The  most  common  mode  of  instruction  is,  placing  cer- 
tain signs  or  symbols  before  the  eye  of  the  learner,  which  represent 
sounds  or  ideas ;  and  so  the  Great  Instructor  of  man  placed  this  world 
before  him  as  an  open,  though  mystical  book,  in  which  the  different 
objects  and  words  of  a  language,  from  the  study  of  which  he  might 
gain  wisdom  of  various  kinds,  and  be  instructed  in  such  truths  relating 
to  that  spiritual  world  to  which  his  soul  belonged,  as  God  saw  fit  thus 
to  reveal  to  him.  In  the  first  place,  by  observing  that  one  object  in 
nature  represented  another,  he  would  be  taught  that  all  things  are 
significant,  as  well  as  intended  to  act  a  certain  part  in  the  general 
drama ;  and  further,  as  he  proceeded  to  trace  the  analogies  of  charac- 
ter in  its  two  great  branches  just  alluded  to,  he  would  be  led  to  the 
knowledge  of  the  doctrine,  thus  SATnbolically  revealed,  that  in  the 
invisible  world  there  are  two  classes  of  spirits, — one  benevolent  and 
beneficent,  and  the  other  malevolent  and  mischievous:  characters 
which,  afler  his  fall,  he  would  find  even  exemplified  in  individuals 
of  his  OAvn  species.  [This  doctrine  of  analogy]  is  a  very  useful  and 
interesting  study,  and  belongs  to  man  as  the  principal  inhabitant  of  a 
world  stored  with  symbols,  to  ascertain  what  God  intended  to  signify 
by  the  objects  that  He  has  created  and  placed  before  Him,  as  well  as 
to  know  their  natures  and  uses.  When  we  recollect  what  the  Apostle 
tells  us  (Rom.  i.  20),  that  the  '  invisible  things  of  God  from  the  crea- 
tion of  the  world  are  clearly  seen ; '  and  that  spiritual  truths  are  re- 
flected as  by  a  mirror  (1  Cor.  xiii.  12),  and  shown  as  it  were  enigmat- 
ically, we  shall  be  convinced  that,  in  this  view,  the  study  of  nature, 
if  properly  conducted,  may  be  made  of  the  first  importance"  (vol.  ii., 
pp.  523-525). 

Even  Emerson  admits  that  "  words  are  signs  of  natural  facts.  The 
use  of  natural  history,"  says  he,  "  is  to  give  us  aid  in  supernatural 
history.  Tlie  use  of  the  outer  creation  is  to  give  us  language  for  the 
being  and  changes  of  the  inward  creation.  Every  word  which  is  used 
to  express  a  moral  or  intellectual  fact,  if  traced  to  its  root,  is  found 
to  be  borrowed  from  some  material  a])pearance. 

"  i?/_7/ii  originally  means  straifflit ;  uronj  means  tivUted;  spirit  pri- 
marily means  iviiid;  transgression,  the  crossing  of  a  line;  snpereiliout, 
the  raising  of  the  eye-hroiv.    We  say  the  heart  to  express  emotion ; 


ITS  LAWS  STATED  AND  CONFIRMED. 


47 


the  head,  to  denote  thought ;  and  thought  and  emotion  are,  in  their 
turn,  words  borrowed  from  sensible  things,  and  now  appropriated  to 
spiritual  nature.  Most  of  the  process  by  which  tliis  transformation 
is  made,  is  hidden  from  us  in  the  remote  time  when  language  was 
framed,  but  the  same  tendency  may  be  daily  observed  in  children.  .  .  . 
But  this  origin  of  all  words  that  convey  a  spiritual  import, — so  con- 
spicuous a  fact  in  the  history  of  language, — is  our  least  debt  to  nature. 
It  is  not  words  onlj'  that  are  emblematic ;  it  is  things  which  are  em- 
blematic. Every  natural  fact  is  a  symbol  of  some  spiritual  fact. 
Every  aj^pearance  in  nature  corresponds  to  some  state  of  the  mind, 
and  that  state  of  the  mind  can  only  be  described  by  presenting  that 
natural  appearance  as  its  picture.  An  enraged  man  is  a  lion,  a  cun- 
ning man  is  a  fox,  a  firm  man  is  a  rock,  a  learned  man  is  a  torch.  A 
lamb  is  innocence,  a  snake  is  subtle  spite.  .  .  .  Light  and  darkness 
are  our  familiar  expressions  for  knowledge  and  ignorance ;  and  heat 
for  love.  ...  It  is  easily  seen  that  there  is  nothing  lucky  or  capri- 
cious in  these  analogies,  but  that  they  are  constant  and  pervade  nature. 
These  are  not  the  dreams  of  a  few  poets,  here  and  there,  but  man  is 
an  analogist,  and  studies  relations  in  all  objects.  .  .  .  Because  of  this 
radical  correspondence  between  visible  things  and  human  thoughts, 
savages,  who  have  only  what  is  necessary,  converse  in  figures.  As  we 
go  back  in  history,  language  becomes  more  picturesque,  until  its 
infancy,  when  it  is  all  poetry ;  or  all  spiritual  facts  are  represented 
by  natural  symbols.  The  same  symbols  are  found  to  make  the  ele- 
ments of  all  languages.  It  has,  moreover,  been  observed,  that  the 
idioms  of  all  languages  approach  each  other  in  passages  of  the  greatest 
eloquence  and  power,  and  as  this  is  the  first  language,  so  it  is  the  last. 
This  immediate  dependence  of  language  upon  nature, — this  conversion 
of  an  outward  phenomena  into  a  type  of  somewhat  in  human  life, — 
never  loses  its  power  to  affect  us." — Essay  on  Nature,  p.  5. 

The  author  of  Essays  and  Analogies  perceived,  with  most  reflecting 
minds,  that  "  Analogy  is  as  universal  as  the  universe  itself,  and  every 
analogy,  like  every  man,  is,  or  includes,  the  natural,  moral,  and  spir- 
itual kingdoms  "  (note,  p.  133). 

"  There  is  an  analogy,"  writes  an  elegant  author,  "  between  external 
appearances  of  nature,  as  intelligible  hieroglyphs,  and  particular  aflfec- 
tious  [of  the  soul],  strikingly  exemplificative  of  that  general  harmony 
which  subsists  in  all  the  universe.  '  Material  objects,'  as  Mr.  Gilpin 
has  justly  remarked,  '  being  fixed  in  their  appearances,  strike  every 
one  in  the  same  manner ;  whereas  ideas,  being  different  in  most  per- 


48 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


sons  upon  the  same  subjects,  will  seldom  serve  by  way  of  illustration.' " 
— Buck's  Harmonies  of  Nature,  vol.  ii.,  pp.  130,  131. 

For,  as  Dr.  Young  has  jiertinently  observed  in  his  Night  Thoughts, 
"the  analogy  of  Nature  is  Christianity  itself  in  a  veil  or  parable." 

Bishop  Horne  also  recognized  the  same  analogies  in  creation.  He 
says :  "  The  visible  works  of  God  are  formed  to  lead  us,  under  the 
direction  of  his  Word,  to  a  knowledge  of  those  which  are  invis-ible ; 
they  give  us  ideas  by  analogy  of  '  a  new  creation,'  and  are  ready  to 
instruct  us  in  the  mysteries  of  faith  and  the  duties  of  morality." 
— Pref.  to  Comm.  on  Psalms,  pp.  xxiv.,  xxv. 

In  Swedenborg's  Diary,  a  posthumous  work  printed  by  Dr.  Tafel, 
of  Tubingen,  is  the  following  interesting  statement : 

"  No  one  [scarcely]  reflects  upon  those  things  which  exist  in  visible 
nature  as  being  the  images  of  celestial  and  spiritual  things ;  as  that  a 
plant  or  a  tree  arises  from  its  seed,  and  grows,  and  by  its  root  and 
bark  extracts  a  sap,  which  is  the  life  of  the  plant  or  tree,  and  which 
is  hence  distributed  into  all  its  interior  or  central  parts  in  like  manner 
as  spiritual  things  should  relate  to  celestial  things.  Moreover,  all 
things,  even  the  minutest  in  the  plant  and  tree,  respect  the  fruit  as 
their  end,  that  is,  the  renovation,  and  hence  the  perpetuity,  of  the  life 
of  the  tree.  The  same  is  the  case  with  all  fruits,  even  with  those 
which  are  enclosed  in  hard  shells,  within  which  are  the  nuclei  or 
fruits.  The  shells  and  the  various  surfaces,  one  within  another,  by 
which  the  juice  [or  sap]  is  conveyed  to  the  interior  and  inmost  prin- 
ciples until  the  fruit  is  ripened,  represent  correspondent  things  in  man 
when  being  regenerated,  namely,  the  natural,  scientific,  rational,  and 
intellectual  things ;  which  [latter]  are  spiritual,  and  which  in  this 
manner,  as  from  a  common  plane,  divided  into  infinitely  various  ways, 
can  he  conveyed  and  distributed  into  all  things,  even  to  the  most  par- 
ticular, and  into  the  inmost  recesses.  Hence  arises  in  such  things 
[viz.,  plants,  trees,  fruit,  etc.]  their  perpetuities,  which  in  the  life  of 
man  corresponds  to  eternity.  In  like  manner  all  things  of  tlie  animal 
kingdom,  even  the  most  ])articular,  are  constituted ;  and  consequently 
all  parts  of  the  human  body,  even  to  the  minutest. 

"  It  is  also  surprising  that  all  things  made  by  man,  such  as  works 
of  art,  statues,  pictures,  and  innumerable  other  things,  which  on  the 
outside  appear  beautiful,  and  are  esteemed  of  great  value,  are  never- 
theless interiorly  nothing  but  clay  and  mud,  and  devoid  of  beauty  ;  it 
is  only  the  external  surface  which  the  eye  admires.  Whereas  those 
things  which  grow  from  seeds,  begin  from  an  interior  principle,  and 


ITS  LAWS  STATED  AND  CONFIRMED. 


49 


increase  and  assume  an  external.  Such  things  are  not  only  beautiful 
to  the  sight,  but  the  more  interiorly  they  are  examined,  the  more 
beautiful  they  appear.  It  is  the  same  with  the  life  of  man ;  those 
things  which  begin  from  what  is  external,  thus  which  proceed  from 
the  man  himself,  may  be  compared  to  artificial  Avorks,  whose  external 
form  is  esteemed  and  admired,  but  whose  internals  are  of  no  value. 
Whereas  those  things  which  proceed  from  God  INIessiah  are  formed 
from  inmost  principles,  and  may  be  compared  to  those  things  in 
nature  which  are  beautiful  from  within.  This  is  what  is  meant  by 
what  God  IMessiah  says  in  Matthew  concerning  the  lilies  of  the  field, 
that  '  Solomon,  in  all  his  glory,  was  not  arrayed  like  one  of  these,' 
while  lilies,  however,  are  disregarded"  (n.  251). 

These  eternal  laws  of  correspondence,  overlaid,  indeed,  in  successive 
ages,  and  among  widely  different  nations,  by  endless  varieties  of 
metaphor,  fable,  analogy,  mythic  episodes,  legends,  and  observances, 
may  be  said  to  constitute  an  "intelligible  and  truly  human,"  if  not 
divine,  "  element "  of  relationship  among  all  jaeoples  and  tribes  of  the 
globe,  and  the  existence  of  Avhich  is  proved  by  manners,  customs,  and 
languages,  that  nothing  else  can  possibly  explain.  It  appears,  from 
the  oldest  records,  that  this  science  was  well  known  to,  and  highly 
appreciated  by,  the  ancients.  It  was  especially  cultivated  among  the 
Eastern  nations  of  Egyjit,  Assyria,  Chaldea,  Syria,  Canaan,  and 
Arabia,  as  the  "  chief  of  all  the  sciences,"  as  the  "  living  science,"  in 
comparison  with  which  all  other  sciences  were  regarded  as  dead.  The 
book  of  Job,  one  of  the  most  ancient  we  possess,  abounds  with  corre- 
spondences, but  they  have  not  that  serial  connection  which  distinguishes 
the  fully  inspii'cd  Word  of  God.  Indeed,  all  ancient  oriental  literature 
affords  indisputable  evidence  to  the  truth  of  tliis  science.  From  it 
originates  the  sacred  and  profane  symbols  of  antiquity.  It  pervaded 
every  system  of  theology  and  morality.  As  mankind,  however,  de- 
generated from  purity  and  intelligence,  it  was  desecrated  to  vile  and 
superstitious  purposes.  It  finally  sank  into  Grecian  fable, — was  asso- 
ciated with  all  that  was  monstrous,  impious,  and  absurd,  and  was  then 
for  ages  lost.  From  the  successive  profanation  of  this  sacred  science 
arose  the  later  Egyptian  hieroglyphics,  the  Hindoo,  Celtic,  Persian, 
Grecian,  Roman,  and  Scandinavian  mysteries  and  initiatory  rites, 
their  oracles  and  mythologies ;  Orpheus  and  the  Indian  Apollo ;  the 
Wadilions  of  Titan,  and  the  giants  invading  heaven ;  the  fables  of 
the  golden  age  and  the  garden  of  Hesperides ;  the  story  of  Pandora 
and  her  box  of  evil ;  the  translation  of  Astrea  by  the  Romans,  of 
5  D 


50 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


Dlirura  among  the  Hindus,  of  Buddha  among  the  Ceylonese,  and  of 
Xaca  among  the  Calmucks  of  Siberia ;  the  incarnations  of  Vishnu  in 
India,  and  the  fables  and  allegories  of  so  many  nations  resj^ecting  a 
universal  flood.  All  these  are  traceable  to  the  prolific  source  of  cor- 
ruption and  confusion.    Hence  sprang  up  all  idolatry,'"  in  which  the 


3""  There  is  great  reason  to  believe,"  says 
the  author  of  Tracts  for  the  Times,  Ixxxviii., 
"that  the  Pagan  mysteries  took  their  rise 
from  something  more  holy  than  them- 
selves."— P.  9. 

"  The  ancients,  it  must  be  confessed,  al- 
most always  spoke  in  allegories." — Voltaire's 
Phil.  Diet.,  art.  Allegory. 

Bishop  Warburton  affirms  that  "  it  was  an 
universal  opinion  that  the  heathen  myste- 
ries were  instituted  pure." — Div.  Leg. ,\ol.  i., 
p.  172. 

"  Druidism  is  thought  by  many  to  be  de- 
rived, though  not  without  perversions  and 
corruptions,  from  the  Patriarchal  religion." 
— Archieologia,  vol.  viii.,  p.  16. 

"It  is  singular,"  says  Hutchinson,  "that 
the  Magi  of  Matt.  ii.  1,  is  rendered  by  an 
Irish  version,  Draoithe,  the  Druids,  or  the 
true  wise  men.  Magi  in  the  east,  Druid  in 
the  west."— if/s<.  Cumb.,  vol.  ii.,  p.  193. 

Clement  of  Alexandria,  who  was  himself 
supposed  to  have  been  initiated  into  the 
Heathen  mysteries,  asserts,  that  "the  truths 
taught  in  them  had  been  stolen  by  philoso- 
phers from  Moses  and  the  Prophets."— SiroHi., 
v.,  p.  650. 

Coronation  symbols  and  ceremonies  have 
the  same  origin. 

On  this  subject  Kirby  and  Spence  make 
the  following  admirable  observations: — "  In 
no  country  was  [the  origination  of  idolatry] 
more  lamentably  striking  than  in  Egypt, 
whose  gods  were  all  selected  from  the  ani- 
mal and  vegetable  kingdoms.  This  .species 
of  idolatry  doubtless  resulted  from  their 
having  been  taught  that  things  in  nature 
were  symbols  of  things  above  nature  and 
of  the  attributes  and  glory  of  the  Godhead. 
In  process  of  time,  while  the  corruption  re- 
mained, the  knowledge  which  had  been 
thus  abused,  was  lost  or  dimly  seen.  The 
Egyptian  priesthood  perhaps  retained  some 
remains  of  it;  but  by  them  it  was  made  an 
esoteric  doctrine,  not  to  be  communicated 
to  the  profane  vulgar,  who  were  sufl'ered  to 
regard  the  various  object-s  of  their  supersti- 
tious veneration,  not  as  .symbols,  but  as  pos- 
scs.sed  of  an  inherent  divinity ;  and  proba- 
bly the  mysteries  of  Isis  in  Egypt,  and  of 
Ceres  at  Eleusis,  were  instituted  tliat  this 
esoteric  doctrine,  which  was  to  be  kept  se- 
cret and  sacred  from  the  common  people. 


might  not  be  lost." — Introduction  to  Entomol- 
ogy, vol.  iv.,  p.  403. 

Swedenborg,  writing  on  the  same  subject 
in  the  Truue  Christian  Religion,  truly  says, 
"  The  idolatries  of  the  gentiles  of  old  took 
their  rise  from  the  science  of  correspond- 
ences, because  all  things  that  appear  on  the 
face  of  the  earth  have  correspondence,  con- 
sequently, not  only  trees  and  vegetables, but 
also  beasts  and  birds  of  every  kind,  with 
fishes  and  all  other  things.  The  ancients, 
who  were  versed  in  the  science  of  corre- 
spondences, made  themselves  images  which 
corresponded  with  heavenly  things;  and 
were  greatly  delighted  with  them  by  reason 
of  their  signification,  and  because  they  could 
discern  in  them  what  related  to  heaven  and 
the  church ;  they  therefore  placed  those  im- 
ages not  only  in  their  temples,  but  also  in 
their  houses,  not  with  any  intention  to  wor- 
ship them,  but  to  serve  as  means  of  recollect- 
ing the  heavenly  things  signified  by  them. 
Succeeding  ages,  when  tlie  science  of  corre- 
spondences was  obliterated,  began  to  adore 
as  holy,  and  at  length  to  worship  as  deities, 
the  images  and  resemblances  set  up  by  their 
forefathers,  because  they  found  them  in  and 
about  their  temples." — n.  205. 

"  Not  only  the  most  intelligent  among  the 
Egyptians,  but  all  those  who  were  devoted 
to  philosophy  among  the  other  barbarous 
nations,  admired  the  symbolical  mode  of 
inspiration."  "  To  the  .same  purport  Origen 
and  the  other  ancient  Christian  Fathers." — 
Clemens  Alexandrinu^,  Strom.,  lib.  v.,  cap.  8, 
p.  671.  Cit^d  by  Mosheim  in  a  Note;  see  Cud- 
worth's  Intel.  Syst.,  vol.  ii..  p.  303. 

"Amongst  the  ancient  Etruscans,  everj'- 
Ihing  in  religion  and  politics  was  emblemat- 
ical. Tliey  thought  the  earth  only  the  rep- 
resentative or  mirror  of  heaven.  The  year, 
the  gods,  everything,  in  fact,  had  a  triple 
name:  the  civil  or  common,  the  sacerdotal 
and  the  mysterious  or  occult— a  secret  which 
none  dare  pronounce  or  utter.  This  custom 
is  found  in  the  triple  name  of  Rome,  of 
which  Pliny  speaks;  the  mysterious  name 
of  this  mi.stress  of  the  world  was  Amor 
[Ix)ve];  Its  sacerdotal  name.  Flora  or  An- 
thusa ;  and  its  civil  name,  Koma."— ATecne'* 
ISath  Journal. 

"  The  term  which  answers  to  the  word 
idolatry  is  not  found  in  any  ancient  Ian- 


ITS  LAWS  STATED  AND  CONFIRMED. 


51 


corresponding  forms  in  nature  and  representations  in  art  were  deified 
and  worshipped  instead  of  the  attributes  and  perfections  of  God  which 


giiage.  It  is  an  expression  of  the  Greeks,  of 
the  later  ages,  and  was  not  brought  into  gen- 
eral use  until  the  second  century  of  our  era. 
It  verifies  'The  adoration  or  worship  of 
Images.'  It  is  a  term  of  reproach ;— an  ex- 
pression of  abuse  or  insult.  No  people  have 
ever  taken  upon  them  the  title  of  '  Idola- 
ters.' "—L'Abbe  Jiazin's  Philos.  of  Hist.,  trans, 
by  Qandellj  8vo,  p.  165. 

"The  word  idol,  idolater,  idolatry,  is  found 
neither  in  Homer,  Hesiod,  Herodotus,  nor 
any  author  of  the  religion  of  the  gentiles." 
—  Voltaire's  Phil.  Diet,  art.  Idol.,\ol.  ii.,p.  32. 

"  As  man  was  made  an  Image  of  the  Deity^ 
so  were  the  material  world  and  its  parts  made 
copies  or  rudiments  of  the  immaterial  or  heav- 
enly (Col.  ii.  8).  Whence  also  the  tabernacle 
afterwards,  which  was  made,  as  we  are  told, 
after  the  pattern  of  heavenly  things  (Heb.  viii. 
5),  was  called  a  worldly  sanctuary  (Heb. 
ix.  1),  as  were  the  services  of  it  worldly  rudi- 
ments (Col.  ii.  20),  because  it  was  made  after 
the  heavenly  pattern  by  the  medium  of  the 
world,  which  had  been  originally  made  after 
the  same.  For  as  the  Apostle,  speaking  of 
created  things  in  general,  plainly  tells  us 
(Rom.  i.  20), '  The  invisible  things  of  God,  from 
the  creation  of  the  world,  are  clearly  seen 
[or  are  suitably  perceived  or  discerned], 
being  understood  by  the  things  that  are 
made.'  As  the  Psalmist  also,  speaking  of 
particulars,  says,  '  The  heavens  declare  the 
glory  of  God.  and  tlie  firmament  showeth  his 
haudy-work.'  (Ps.  xix.  1.)  That  is,  they 
show-,  or  figure  out,  things  that  are  not  in 
themselves,  but  far  above  and  beyond  them- 
selves, even  in  God,  and  in  the  heaven  of 
holiness,  and  in  his  divine  operations  and 
works  on  his  intellectual  creatures,  angels,  and 
men.  Accordingly,  the  rvorld  has  been  termed 
by  some  God  explained.  They  should  have 
said  God  adumbrated  and  typically  repre- 
sented ;  for  such  it  is ;  and  so  to  contemplate 
this  glass  of  his  creatures  and  works  in  this 
system,  is  to  learn  to  know  Him^lf,  and  his 
higher  and  more  glorious  operations.  The 
light,  spirit,  vapors,  rain,  fruits,  waters,  bread, 
wine,  etc.,  being  not  only  for  our  bodily  uses 
here,  but  also  to  raise  our  thoughts  to  an- 
other more  excellent  glory,  spirit,  water,  meat, 
drink,  etc.,  in  heaven." — Holloway's  Letter 
and  f'pirU,  pp.  1,  2. 

"  The  first  corruptions  of  mythology  origin- 
ated in  the  superaddition  and  admixture  of 
sensual,  physical,  political,  and  imaginative 
allegories  and  fables."— See  Grate's  Hist,  of 
Greece,  vol.  i.,  pp.  11, 12. 

"  Bishop  Warburton  is  compelled  by  truth 


to  acknowledge,  in  book  ii.,  p.  172, '  that  the 
wise.«tand  best  men  in  the  Pagan  world  arc 
unanimous  in  this,  that  the  mysteries  were 
instituted  pure,  and  proposed  the  noblest 
end  by  the  worthiest  means.'  "—Taylor's  lam- 
blichus,  note,  p.  149. 

"St.  Austin  himself  cannot  but  own  that 
the  [Pagan]  mysteries  were  principally  insti- 
tuted by  the  Ancients  for  the  promotion  of 
virtue  and  a  good  life,  even  where  he  is  ac- 
cusing paganism  in  general  for  its  neglect 
of  moral  virtue." — De  Civ.  Dei,  lib.  ii.,  cap.  6 
and  26. 

"  The  mysteries  had  their  common  origi- 
nal from  those  of  Isis  and  Osiris  in  Egypt." 
"Everything  therein  was  instituted  by  the 
Ancients  for  instruction  and  amendment  of 
life.  (The  most  celebrated  were  the  Orphic, 
the  Bacchic,  the  Eleusinian,  the  Samothra- 
c!an,theCabiri,and  the  Mithraic.)" — Arrian 
Diss.,  lib.  iii.,  cap.  21.  Bishop  Warburton's 
Div.  Leg.,  vol.  i.,  book  1,  pp.  172,  173, 196, 197. 

"  Servius,  in  commenting  on  the  '  Mystica 
vannus  Incchi'  of  Virgil,  observes  that  the 
sacred  rites  of  Bacchus  pertained  to  the 
purification  of  souls."— Tai/tor's  lamblichus, 
note,  p.  136. 

"  Eupolemus,  Artaplanus,  Melo,  and  Philo, 
all  agree  that  the  Babylonish  traditions  of 
the  Egyptian  priestsof  Heliopoliswere,  as  to 
[many  things],  derived  from  Abraham." — 
Eusebius,  i.  9,  c.  17. 

"  We  say,  therefore,  that  the  Pagans  in 
this,  their  theologizing  of  physiology,  and 
deifying  the  things  of  nature  and  parts  of 
the  world,  did  accordingly  call  everything 
by  the  name  of  God,  or  God  by  the  name  of 
everything."— Ciidtiiortt's  Intellect.  Syst.,  vol. 
ii.,  p.  259. 

"  Even  Serranus  can  allow  that  Plato  spake 
many  things  which  he  understood  not, 
drawn  out  of  the  Phoenician  or  Syrian  the- 
ology. These  Plato  frequently  mentions, 
and  calls  them  ineffable  and  xinintelligible. 
For  as  the  traditions  were  of  Hebrew  ex- 
traction, and  such  as  referred  to  the  Jewish 
mysteries  and  divine  worship,  it  is  no  won- 
der they  were  unintelligible  to  the  wisest 
heathen.  Therefore  Plato  calls  them  myths, 
—fables  which  in  their  philosophical  notion 
signify  some  mysteries  handed  down  from 
the  ancients,  the  reasons  whereof  were  hid- 
den and  unknown,  notwithstanding  the  as- 
sistance of  allegory  or  mythology.  The 
learned  Julius  Scaliger  affirms  the  same." — 
Ellis's  Knowledge  of  Div.  Things  from  Revela- 
tion, not  from  Reason  or  Nature,  pp.  98,  99. 

"Idolatry  in  all  its  ramifications  is  but  the 


52 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


they  signified."  The  doctrine  of  a  primeval  chaos,  the  metempsy- 
chosis, or  the  transmigration  of  souls,  together  with  the  poetic  legends 
and  fables  of  antiquity,  all  had  a  like  origin. 

But  though  the  mythological  fables  of  ancient  times  present  a  con- 
fiised  admixture  of  allegorical  symbols  and  arbitrary  figures,  intro- 
duced by  the  license  of  poetic  imagination,  mysteriously  and  ingen- 
iously combining  a  crude  system  of  natural  and  moral  philosophy ; 
yet,  heterogeneous,  uncertain,  extravagant,  and  obscure  as  they  ap- 
pear, from  the  vestiges  and  traces  of  correspondence  which  they  still 
retain,  the  meaning  of  many  of  the  less  corrupted  becomes  obvious 
and  interesting  to  those  acquainted  with  this  science.  [The  same 
deplorable  corruptions  and  perversions  of  spiritual  ideas  originated 
magic,  divination,  demonology,  necromancy,  witchcraft,  alchemy, 


corrupt  transmission  of  original  pure  relig-  I 
ion." — O'Brien's  Bound  Towers  oj  Ireland,  2d  1 
ed..  p.  192. 

All  fabulous  animals  have  a  like  origin.  I 

"  We  Christians  deride  the  Egyptians  with-  , 
out  cause,  they  having  many  mysteries  in 
their  religion,  for  as  much  as  they  profess,  | 
that  i)erishing  brute  animals  are  not  wor- 
shippe<l  by  them,  but  the  eternal  ideas." — 
Orig.  Cont.  Ceh.,  lib.  iii..  p.  120.  Cited  by  Cud- 1 
worth.  Intel.  Syat..  vol.  ii.,  p.  277.  | 

"  It  is  more  than  probable."  as  the  learned 
Mr.  I'emble  observed,  ••  th.it  Zoroaster,  Her- 
mes. Orpheus,  Plato,  and  others,  drew  their 
knowledge,  which  they  had  in  part  ofmanij 
high  mysteries,  out  of  a  deeper  and  clearer 
fountain  than  the  muddy,  shallow  springs 
of  their  own  natural  reason,  though  in  the 
passage  this  water  was  much  soiled  by  them 
with  the  filth  of  many  idle  fables  and  silly 
conceits." — Vi/idiria:  Gratia:  p.  48. 

"The  arcane  and  recondite  theology  of 
the  Eg>-ptians  was  concealed  from  tlie  vul- 
gar, two  manner  of  ways,  by  fables  of  alle- 
gories, and  by  symbols  or  hieroglyphics. 
Eusebius  informs  us  that  Porphyrins  wrote 
a  book  'concerning  the  allegorical  theology 
both  of  the  Greeks  and  Egyptians."  Neither 
can  we  doubt  but  that  all  the  devout  Pagans 
acknowledged  some  living  ami  understand- 
ing deities  or  other :  nor  easily  believe  that 
they  ever  worshipped  any  inanimate  or 
senseless  bodies,  otherwise  than  as  some 
way  referring  to  the  same,  or  as  images  and 
symbols  of  them." — Cudivorlh  s  Intel.  Syst., 
vol.  i.,  pp.  536,  539. 

"  Knowing,  as  we  presume,  nothing  of 
the  science  of  correspondence,  we  yet  find  a 
multitude  of  writers  more  or  less  inipre.s.sed 
with  views  closely  approximating  to  the 


truth,  as  to  the  source  of  all  idolatry.  Take 
the  following : 

"  There  never  was,  there  never  could  be, 
any  religion  invented  by  man.  Religion 
must  be  a  subject  purely  of  revelation  from 
God,  and  as  in  the  first  ages  [afler  the  fall] 
we  find  it  spiritual,  and  conveyed  to  the 
mind  through  Uie  medium  of  natural  things, 
which  were  necessarily  employed  as  the  in- 
struments and  media  by  which  alone  a 
knowledge  of  spiritual  things  could  by  pos- 
sibility be  communicated  to  the  understand- 
ings of  men.  The  first  corruption  that  was 
introduced  into  religion  was  a  stopping 
short,  a  not  looking  through  the  thing  to 
that  which  was  signified  by  it,  and  pjiying 
divine  honors  to  springs  and  rivers,  and  trees 
and  rocks  [the  elements  and  animals,  men 
and  demons],  and  all  the  host  of  heaven, 
which  the  .\postle  calls  the  worshipping  of 
the  creature  rather  than  the  Creator.  This 
may  be  called  philosophical  religion,  against 
which  the  Apostle  warns  us.  'Beware  lest 
any  man  spoil  you  through  philosophy  and 
vain  deceit.'  (Col.  ii.  8.)  To  that  succeeded 
the  gross  and  carnal  state,  when,  because 
they  did  not  like  to  retain  tJod  in  their 
thoughts, '  He  gave  them  up  [by  his  permis- 
sive Providence]  to  a  reprobate  mind,  to 
work  all  manner  of  uncleanness  with  greedi- 
ness.' (Rom.  i.  'J8.1  But  yet  in  reality  there 
are  not  so  many  different  religions,  but  only 
a  corruption  of  the  one  religion,  and  he  who 
carefully  and  impartially  investigates  the 
heathen  mythology,  will  discover  in  its  doc- 
trines a  mystery  and  a  sublimity  of  theolog- 
ieal  sentiment  which  can  only  be  explained 
by  a  comparison  of  the  same  truths.  l)ut  unso- 
pliisticated,  as  they  are  found  in  the  Bible." 
— Orange's  Hiftonj  and  Antiquities  oJ  SuUing- 
ham.   col.  i.,  p.  42. 


ITS  LAWS  STATED  AND  CONFIRMED. 


53 


astrology,  and  charms,  with  numberless  other  superstitions  which  for 
ages  bound,  as  in  adamantine  fetters,  the  free-born  mind.] 

"  The  translation  of  the  Word,"  says  a  sensible  and  pious  writer, 
"  into  a  language  of  such  extensive  use  as  the  Greek,  was  fraught 
with  important  results.  And  from  this  source  at  least,  if  not  from 
an  earlier  acquaintance  with  the  Hebrew  original,  many  of  the  sages, 
poets,  and  philosophers  of  the  heathen  world  drew  some  sparks  of  the 
light  of  the  heavenly  fire  which  glowed  within  it.  '  Which  of  your 
sophists,'  says  Tertullian,  addressing  his  Pagan  contemporaries, '  have 
not  drunk  from  the  fountain  of  the  prophets?  It  is  from  these  sacred 
springs  that  your  philosophers  have  refreshed  their  thirsty  spirits;  and 
if  they  have  found  anything  in  the  Holy  Scrii^tures  which  hit  their 
fancy,  or  which  served  their  hypothesis,  they  took  and  turned  it  to  a 
compliance  with  their  curiosity,  not  considering  those  writings  to  be 
sacred  and  unalterable,  nor  understanding  their  true  sense.'  "— D.  H. 
H.  in  Ainer.  N.  J.  Mag.,  vol.  xxii.,  p.  431. 

To  this  same  effect  wrote  the  apostle  Paul  to  the  Romans :  "  Be- 
cause that,  when  they  knew  God,  they  glorified  Him  not  a.s  God, 
neither  were  thankful,  but  became  vain  in  their  imaginations,  and 
their  foolish  heart  was  darkened.  Professing  themselves  to  be  wise, 
they  became  fools,  and  changed  the  glory  of  the  incorruptible  God 
into  an  image  made  like  to  corruptible  man,  and  to  birds,  and  four- 
footed  beasts,  and  creeping  things.  Wherefore  God  also  gave  them 
up  to  uncleanness,  through  the  lusts  of  their  own  hearts,  to  dishonor 
their  own  bodies  between  themselves :  who  changed  the  truth  of  God 
into  a  lie,  and  served  the  creature  more  than  the  Creator,  Avho  is 
blessed  for  ever,  Amen"  (i.  21-25).  But  in  the  Lord's  good  time,  and 
in  the  multitude  of  his  mercies,  the  period  has  happily  arrived  when 
this  long-lost  science,  purged  and  defecated  from  the  corrupting  dregs 
of  profanation,  and  M  ithout  danger  to  human  welfare,  can  be  restored 
as  a  blessing  to  his  Church,  a  holy  medium  of  communion  between 
himself  and  angels  and  men, — a  ground  and  pillar  of  the  truth  ;  nor 
will  it  ever  again  be  withdrawn.  Thus  He  has  fulfilled  his  gracious 
promise :  "  He  hath  turned  to  the  people  a  pure  language,  that  they 
may  all  call  upon  the  name  of  the  Lord,  to  serve  Him  with  one  con- 
sent "  (Zeph.  ix.  9) ;  so  that  men  need  no  longer  "  walk  in  darkness," 
but  may  "  have  the  light  of  life." 
5* 


CHAPTER  Y. 


That  the  Sacked  Writers  bear  the  most  Ample  and  Cogent  Testi- 
mony TO  THE  Existence  of  a  Spieituali  Sense  in  the  Word  of  God. 

WE  are  now  permitted  to  know  and  make  trial  of  this  great  exegeti- 
cal  law.  Since  the  first  systematic  promulgation  of  the  heavenly 
doctrines  of  the  Ncav  Church,  in  the  middle  of  the  last  century,  which 
include  this  rule  of  interpretation,  and  as  if  to  confirm  their  truth  and 
importance,  science,  in  every  branch  of  knowledge,  has  been  permit- 
ted to  be  investigated  with  an  ardor  and  success  heretofore  unknown. 
Ancient  treasures  of  learning  and  remains  of  antiquity  have  by  un- 
wearied researches  been  brought  to  light,  and  labors,  both  mental  and 
physical,  have  been  expended  upon  them,  unexampled  in  any  former 
age.  To  open  the  prison-house  of  ignorance  and  superstition,  the 
world  has  been  explored,  as  it  never  was  before,  in  search  of  all  kinds 
of  knowledge.  A  wide  field  of  delightful  investigation,  perpetually 
expanding  itself,  is  rendered  accessible  on  every  side,  in  which  the 
prepared  mind  may  disport  and  expatiate,  and,  by  the  sacred  and 
sublime  science  of  correspondence,  every  ascertained  truth,  every  sci- 
entific fact,  and  every  degree  of  intelligence,  may  be  made  subservient 
to  revealed  wisdom  and  goodness,  and  to  the  indefinite  advancement 
of  mankind  in  virtue  and  in  truth. 

Natural  and  external  objects  can  only  exist  as  effects  from  prior 
causes,  which  are  internal  and  spiritual,  belonging  to  the  spiritual 
world,  though  latent  or  concealed  here.  These  objects  receive  their 
appropriate  forms  from  the  interior  principles  of  angels,  demons,  and 
spirits,  and  of  which  they  are  the  constant  exponents ;  and  nothing 
exists  within  their  minds  but  what,  by  an  eternal  and  unchangeable 
law  of  the  spiritual  world,  finds  its  constant  and  appropriate  corre- 
sponding form  ivithout.  This  nature  and  constitution  of  the  spirit- 
world  is  one  source  of  the  felicity  of  heaven,  where  all  is  beautiful 
and  delightful  because  Avhat  is  without  exactly  corresponds  to  what 
is  within,  and  undergoes  changes  analogous  to  the  changes  of  state ; 
and  the  same  law  also  determines  the  phenomena  of  hell,  where  all 
without,  like  all  within,  is  doleful  and  monstrous. 

64 


TESTIMONY  OF  THE  SACRED  WRITERS. 


55 


These  principles  and  ide<as  in  regard  to  the  spirit-world  lie  at  the 
very  root  of  the  sciences  of  correspondences.  They  illustrate  and  ex- 
plain it.  For  the  fixed  objects  of  the  natural  world  receive  all  their 
indefinite  forms  by  a  like  correspondence  with  the  spiritual  Avorld ; 
and  according  to  the  respective  uses  to  which  they  are  designed  re- 
spectively to  contribute. 

Even  the  representations  of  the  Jewish  dispensation  were  all,  origi- 
nally, "  types  and  patterns  "  of  heavenly  realities.  When  the  sjiiritual 
sight  of  Moses  was  opened,  he  received  direct  instruction  from  the 
Lord  out  of  heaven  concerning  the  tabernacle,  the  ark  of  the  testi- 
mony, and  all  their  contents  and  furniture ;  and  the  Lord  said  unto 
him,  "  According  to  all  that  I  show  thee,  after  the  pattern  of  the 
tabernacle,  and  the  pattern  of  all  the  instruments  thereof,  even  so 
shall  ye  make  it "  (Ex.  xxv.  9).  Then  follows  a  particular  description, 
and  it  is  added,  "  And  look  that  thou  make  them  after  the  pattern 
which  was  shown  thee  in  the  mount "  (ver.  40).  The  word  translated 
pattern  means  also  likeness  or  similitude  (Deut.  iv.  16-18). 

"  Not  only  all  beasts,  but  also  all  things  which  are  in  the  world, 
correspond,  and  according  to  correspondences  re-present  and  signify 
spiritual  and  celestial  things,  and  in  the  supreme  sense  the  divine 
things  which  are  of  the  Lord.  And  hence  it  may  be  seen  of  what 
quality  the  ancient  churches  were,  which  were  called  representative 
churches,  namely,  that  in  singular  their  sacred  rites  were  represented 
the  things  which  are  of  the  Lord  and  of  his  kingdom,  thus  which  are 
of  love  and  faith  in  Him.  And  that  on  such  occasions  heaven  was 
conjoined  with  the  man  of  the  Church  by  such  things ;  for  internal 
things  were  presented  to  view  in  heaven.  The  Word  of  the  Lord 
was  also  given  for  that  end,  for  in  it  all  and  singular  things,  even  to 
the  smallest  iota,  correspond  and  signify  ;  hence  by  the  Word  alone 
there  is  connection  of  heaven  with  man.  That  this  is  the  case,  is 
known  to  no  one  at  this  day ;  wherefore  the  natural  man,  Avhen  he 
reads  the  Word,  and  inquires  where  the  divine  [essence  or  principle] 
lies  concealed  therein,  and  when  he  does  not  find  it  in  the  letter,  by 
reason  of  the  vulgar  style,  begins  first  to  hold  it  in  low  estimation, 
and  next  to  deny  that  it  was  dictated  by  the  Divine  [Being]  Himself, 
and  let  down  through  heaven  to  man ;  for  he  is  ignorant  that  the 
Word  is  divine  from  the  spiritual  sense,  which  does  not  appear  in  the 
letter,  but  still  is  in  the  letter;  and  that  that  sense  is  presented  to  view 
in  heaven,  when  man  reads  it  reverently,  and  that  the  subject  treated 
of  in  that  sense  is  concerning  the  Lord  and  concerning  his  kingdom. 


56 


TEE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


These  divine  things  are  what  render  tlie  Word  divine,  and  by  [or 
through]  which  sanctity  flows  in  through  heaven  from  the  Lord,  even 
into  the  literal  sense,  and  into  the  very  letter  itself.  But  so  long  as 
man  does  not  know  what  a  spiritual  principle  is,  neither  can  he  know 
what  the  spiritual  sense  is,  thus  neither  what  correspondence  is.  And 
so  long  as  man  loves  the  world  in  preference  to  heaven,  and  himself 
in  preference  to  the  Lord,  he  is  not  willing  to  know  those  things,  nor 
to  apprehend  them  ;  when  yet  all  ancient  intelligence  was  hence  de- 
rived, and  hence  also  is  angelic  wisdom.  The  mystic  arcana  in  the 
Word,  which  several  di\Tnes  have  vainly  busied  themselves  in  explor- 
ing, only  lie  concealed  therein." — A.  C.  9280. 

"  Correspondence  is  the  appearance  of  the  internal  in  the  external, 
and  its  representative  therein." — A.  C.  5423. 

"  The  spiritual  [thus]  acts  in  the  natural,  and  forms  it  to  a  likeness 
of  itself,  that  it  may  appear  before  the  eyes,  or  before  the  world ;  that 
[according  to  true  order]  the  end  may  become  the  cause,  and  the  cause 
become  the  effect,  and  thus  that  the  end,  by  the  cause,  in  the  effect 
may  exhibit  itself  visible  and  sensible ;  this  trine  is  given  from  crea- 
tion ;  the  ultimate  products  which  are  in  our  world  are  various, — as 
many  as  are  the  subjects  in  the  three  kingdoms  of  nature, — the  ani- 
mal, the  vegetable,  and  the  mineral ;  therefore,  all  products  [both  in 
heaven  and  upon  earth]  are  correspondences.  [Thus]  correspondence 
is  the  manifestation  of  causes  in  their  effects"  (A.  E.  1081  et  seq.).  It 
connects  the  infinitely  varied  and  perfect  works  of  creative  skill  and 
energy  in  the  spiritual  Avorld  with  those  of  the  natural  world ;  the 
inward  mind  with  outward  nature ;  the  innumerable  faculties  of  the 
soul  with  the  complicated  yet  harmonious  forms  of  the  body ;  spiritual 
ideas  with  natural ;  revelation  with  reason  ;  religion  with  philosophy ; 
God  with  man  ;  and  links  the  life  which  now  is  to  the  ages  of  eternity. 
It  is  to  the  Word  of  God  what  the  laws  of  physical  science  are  to 
the  phenomena  of  the  universe.  Without  any  acquaintance  whatever 
with  scientific  researches  and  deductions,  a  man  may  indeed  live,  and 
enjoy  a  considerable  share  of  worldly  pleasure ;  but,  destitute  of  a 
knowledge  of  these  laws,  what  can  he  learn  ?  Will  the  pebble  or  the 
fossil  disclose  to  him  its  origin?  Will  light  by  its  coruscations  explain 
to  him  the  mj'steries  of  optical  phenomena?  Will  the  planets  with- 
out the  demonstrations  of  astronomy  reveal  to  him  how  they  obey  the 
electro-magnectic  forces,  and  how  their  constant  equilibrium  is  pre- 
served? Or  will  the  thunder-cloud  and  lightning-flash  familiarize 
him  with  the  nature  of  the  imponderable  agents — light,  heat,  and 


TESTIMONY  OF  THE  SACRED  WRITERS. 


57 


electricity  ?  No.  So,  neither  will  the  Word  of  God  reveal  to  man 
the  arcana  of  spiritual  existence  and  mental  activity,  the  knowledge 
of  which  is  so  essential  to  his  eternal  well-being  and  so  earnestly  to 
be  desired,  without  some  acquaintance  with  the  divine  style  in  Avhich 
it  is  written,  and  the  law  by  which  it  may  be  consistently  and  with 
certainty  interpreted. 

The  science  of  correspondences  also  includes  within  it  representa- 
tives, which  have  a  chief  relation  to  the  existence  and  form  of  objects 
in  a  low'er  state,  which  correspond ;  and  significatives,  which  have 
more  immediate  relation  to  language  and  words.  Thus  the  various 
organs  of  the  body  are  representatives  of  the  diversified  faculties  of 
the  soul,  through  which  they  derive  from  God  their  innumerable 
forms  and  relations,  their  harmony,  unity,  and  use,  but  when  they 
act  together  they  correspond ;  or  as  all  created  objects  are  represent- 
atives of  the  living  heavenly  realities  of  which  they  are  the  material 
forms,  so  they  all  correspond  in  their  active  uses.  And  all  expres- 
sions by  which  such  things  are  described  or  spoken  of  in  the  Word, 
all  the  rituals  of  worship,  and  all  discourse  and  actions  described 
there,  are  significative,  as  Swedenborg  most  clearly  shows,  when  he 
asserts  that  "  between  the  things  which  are  of  the  light  of  heaven, 
and  those  which  are  of  the  light  of  the  world,  there  exist  correspond- 
ences, and  the  correspondences  which  exist  in  those  things  which  are 
of  the  light  of  the  world,  are  representatives"  (A.  C.  3337).  For 
between  the  light  of  heaven  and  the  light  of  the  world,  "  or  between 
those  things  which  are  in  the  light  of  heaven  and  in  the  light  of  the 
world,  there  is  given  a  correspondence,  when  the  external  or  natural 
man  makes  one  with  the  internal  or  spiritual  man,  that  is,  when  the 
former  is  subservient  to  the  latter ;  and  in  this  case,  the  things  which 
exist  in  the  light  of  the  world  are  representative  of  such  things  as  ex- 
ist in  the  light  of  heaven  "  (A.  C.  3223).  "  For  the  things  which  exist 
by  derivation  from  things  spiritual  in  things  natural,  are  representa- 
tives."—A.  C.  2987. 

Thus,  also,  we  learn  that  the  numberless  representatives  which  the 
patriarchs,  prophets,  and  apostles  saw,  and  the  significatives  which 
they  heard  in  the  spiritual  world  in  visions  or  dreams,  or  when  their 
spiritual  senses  of  sight  and  hearing  were  miraculously  opened,  and 
which  they  were  inspired  to  write  and  describe  in  the  Word  of  God, 
were,  in  their  highest  significance,  the  living  images  and  representa- 
tive spiritual  forms  of  the  wisdom  and  goodness  of  the  divine  mind 
which  gave  them  birth ;  and,  in  a  lower  sense,  of  the  inward  thoughts, 


58 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


aflPections,  perceptions,  ideas,  aud  discourse  of  the  spiritual  inhabitants 
Avith  which  they  correspond.  "  Hence  then  it  may  appear  what  cor- 
respondence is  and  whence  it  is,  Avhat  representation  is,  aud  whence ; 
viz.,  that  correspondence  is  between  those  things  which  appertain  to 
the  light  of  heaven,  and  those  which  appertain  to  the  light  of  the 
world — that  is,  between  those  things  which  appertain  to  the  internal 
or  spiritual  man,  and  those  which  appertain  to  the  external  or  natu- 
ral man ;  and  that  representation  is  whatever  exists  in  the  things  ap- 
pertaining [to  an  external  state  and]  to  the  light  of  the  world — that 
is,  whatever  exists  in  the  external  or  natural  man,  considered  in  re- 
spect to  the  things  appertaining  to  the  light  of  heaven,  that  is,  ap- 
pertaining to  the  internal  or  spiritual  man." — A.  C.  3235. 

It  must,  however,  be  always  borne  in  mind,  as  Swedenborg  asserts 
from  his  own  conscious  experience,  that  "  the  representatives  and  sig- 
nificatives  contained  in  the  Word  of  God  [were  not  originally  derived 
from  human  intelligence,  skill,  and  observation,  however  acute  and 
l^enetrating,  for  these  at  most  can  only  confirm  their  existence  and 
application,  but]  from  the  representatives  Avhich  exist  in  another  life; 
it  was  from  another  life  that  such  representatives  came  to  the  men  of 
the  Most  Ancient  Church,  who  were  celestial,  and  were  together  with 
spirits  and  angels  while  they  lived  in  the  Avorld ;  these  representa- 
tives were  derived  from  them  to  their  posterity,  and  at  length  to  those 
who  knew  only  that  such  things  were  significative,  without  knowing 
Avhat  they  particularly  signified ;  but  inasmuch  as  they  had  existed 
from  the  most  ancient  times,  and  wci'e  applied  in  divine  worship,  they 
were  therefore  accounted  venerable  and  holy.  Besides  representa- 
tives there  are  also  correspondences  which  both  in  sound  and  signifi- 
cation differ  in  the  natural  world  from  what  they  are  in  the  spiritual 
world ;  thus,  heart  denotes  the  aflTcction  of  good,  eyes  understanding, 
eai-s  obedience,  hands  power,  besides  numberless  others;  these  are  not 
so  represented  in  the  spiritual  world,  but  they  correspond,  as  natural 
to  spiritual ;  hence  it  is,  that  each  particular  expression,  as  to  the 
smallest  dot  or  tittle  in  the  Word,  involves  things  spiritual  and  celes- 
tial ;  and  that  the  Word  is  so  inspired,  that,  when  it  is  read  by  man, 
[the]  spirits  and  angels  [attending  upon  him]  instantly  perceive  it 
spiritually,  according  to  representatives  and  correspondences.  But 
this  science,  which  was  so  cultivated  and  esteemed  by  the  ancients 
afler  the  flood,  and  by  which  they  were  enabled  to  think  with  spirits 
aud  angels,  is  at  this  day  totally  obliterated,  insomuch  that  scarce  any 
one  is  willing  to  believe  that  such  a  science  exists ;  aud  they  who  be- 


TESTIMONY  OF  THE  SACRED  WRITERS. 


59 


lieve,  consider  it  merely  as  somewhat  mystical  and  of  no  use,  and  this 
by  reason  that  man  is  become  altogether  worldly  and  coi'poreal,  so 
that  when  mention  is  made  of  what  is  spiritual  and  celestial,  he  im- 
mediately feels  a  repugnance,  and  sometimes  disdain,  yea,  even  to 
loathing ;  what,  then,  will  he  do  in  another  life,  which  abideth  for- 
ever, where  there  is  nothing  worldly  or  corporeal,  but  only  what  is 
spiritual  and  celestial,  which  constitutes  life  in  heaven." — A.  C.  2763. 

And  again,  in  another  important  passage,  "  The  Word  was  sent 
down  from  the  Lord  to  man,  and  consequently  is  different  in  its  origin 
from  what  it  is  in  its  external  form.  The  Word  as  being  divine  is  not 
only  written  for  man,  but  also  for  the  angels  attendant  on  man,  so  as 
to  serve  not  only  for  use  to  the  human  race,  but  also  for  heaven  ;  and 
that  thus  the  AVord  is  a  medium  effecting  the  union  of  heaven  and 
earth ;  this  union  is  by  the  Church,  and  indeed  by  the  Word  in  the 
Church,  which  Word,  thei-efore,  is  of  such  a  nature,  and  is  distin- 
guished from  all  other  writings.  Inasmuch  as  the  learned  part  of 
the  world  are  ignorant  that  things  divine  and  celestial  lie  inwardly 
concealed,  even  in  the  historical  parts  of  the  Word,  if  they  were  not 
impressed  with  a  holy  veneration  for  the  books  of  the  Word  received 
from  their  earliest  years,  they  would  easily  be  induced  to  say  in  their 
hearts  that  the  Word  is  not  holy,  and  that  its  holiness  is  only  thus 
derived  from  the  holy  impressions  received  in  early  life ;  Avhen  yet 
this  is  not  its  true  source,  but  the  Word  is  holy  because  of  its  internal 
sense,  which  is  celestial  and  divine,  and  which  is  effective  of  the  union 
of  heaven  with  earth — that  is,  of  angelic  minds  with  those  of  men, 
and  thus  of  the  latter  with  the  Lord." — Swedenborg. 

It  has  been  said  that  it  is  ridiculous  to  call  correspondences  a  sci- 
ence ;  but  the  late  Bishop  of  Durham  has  said  that  "  the  symbolical 
language  of  the  prophets  is  almost  a  science  in  itself"  {Boyle  Lec- 
tures) ;  and  Bishop  Home  calls  it  quite  a  science  when  he  says,  "  If 
men,  in  these  days,  have  not  been  accustomed  to  such  contemplation, 
is  it  not  high  time  they  should  become  so  ?  Can  they  begin  too  soon 
to  study  and  make  themselves  master  of  a  science  which  jiromises  to 
its  votaries  so  much  entei-tainment,  as  well  as  improvement ;  which 
recommends  the  Scriptures,  to  persons  of  true  taste  and  genius,  as 
books  intended  equally  for  our  delight  and  instruction :  which  demon- 
strates the  ways  of  celestial  wisdom  to  be  ways  of  pleasantness,  and 
all  her  paths  to  be  peace." — Introd.  to  the  Psalms. 

"  It  is  so  common,"  says  Professor  Bush,  "  to  represent  this  doctrine  of 
the  science  of  correspondences,  and  the  spiritual  sense  of  the  Word,  as 


60 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


the  ne  plus  ultra  of  extravagance  and  absurdity,  that  the  utmost  solici- 
tude is  warranted  as  to  the  full  and  fair  exhibition  of  the  theory  in 
reference  to  the  fundamental  priiiciples  on  which  it  rests.  Yet  we  see 
the  whole  matter  resolving  itself  into  a  law  as  fixed  and  invariable  as 
the  law  of  creation  itself,  with  which,  in  fact,  it  becomes  almost  iden- 
tical. The  Word  of  God  rises  under  the  process  into  a  new  revela- 
tion, clothed  Avith  a  sublimity,  sanctity,  and  divinity  of  which  we  had 
not  previously  the  remotest  conception.  It  stands  before  us  the  living 
Oracles  of  Truth,  Avhich  are  no  longer  separate  from  the  very  being 
of  its  Author.  He  is  himself  in  his  own  truth.  New  treasures  of 
wisdom  gleam  forth  from  its  pages,  and  the  most  barren  details  of 
history,  the  recorded  rounds  of  obsolete  rituals,  the  dryest  catah)gues 
of  names,  the  most  trivial  specifications  of  dates,  places,  and  enact- 
ments, once  touched  Avith  the  mystic  wand  of  the  spiritual  sense,  teem 
■with  the  riches  of  angelic  conception.  The  cosmogony  of  Genesis 
becomes  the  birth-register  of  the  new-boi-n  soul.  The  gai'den  of  Eden 
smiles  in  every  renovated  mind  in  the  intelligence  and  affection  em- 
blemed in  its  trees,  and  fruits,  and  flowers.  The  watering  streams 
are  the  fructifying  knowledges  and  truths  of  wisdom,  Avhich  make  in- 
crease of  the  spiritual  man.  The  Tree  of  Knowledge,  the  Tree  of 
Life,  the  wily  serpent,  are  all  within  us,  and  within  us  all.  The 
scenes  transacted  in  the  Paradisiac  purlieus  are  more  or  less  the  scenes 
of  our  own  individual  experience,  and  the  narrative  ceases  to  be 
looked  upon  merely  as  the  chronicle  of  events  that  transpired  thou- 
sands of  years  before  Ave  A\'ere  born." — Rephj  to  Dr.  Woods,  p.  66. 

That  the  sacred  Scriptures  have  such  a  spiritual  sense  Avithin  them, 
distinct  from  the  letter,  Avhich  is  the  shell  or  resting-place  thereof, 
they  themselves  plainly  teach  and  positively  assert.  The  Lord  Jesus 
himself  says,  "  It  is  the  spirit  Avhich  quickeneth ;  the  flesh  profiteth 
nothing :  the  Avords  that  I  speak  unto  you,  they  are  spirit,  and  they 
are  life"  (John  vi.  63).  The  enlightened  mind  Avill  see  that  the  "spirit 
and  life"  constitute  the  inward  spiritual  sense ;  and  that  for  this  reason 
the  Word  is  called  in  the  Revelation  "  The  Lamb's  Book  of  Life" 
(xx.  12;  xxi.  27).  In  Hosea  it  is  Avritten,  "I  have  spoken  by  the 
prophets,  and  I  have  multiplied  visions,  and  I  have  used  similitudes," 
saith  JehoA'ah,  "by  the  ministry  of  the  prophets"  (xii.  10).  What  are 
similitudes?  Avhat  are  the  prophetical  Avords,  and  the  actions  of  the 
prophets,  I  ask,  apart  from  their  hidden  signification?  and,  Avithout 
it,  how  are  they  to  be  understood  ?  David  thus  prays :  "  Open  thou 
mine  eyes,  that  I  may  behold  Avondrous  things  out  of  thy  law"  (Ps. 


TESTIMONY  OF  THE  SACRED  WRITERS. 


61 


cxix.  18).  This  is  surely  a  prayer  to  the  Lord  that  He  will  enlighten 
the  sight  of  the  understanding,  and  make  manifest  to  human  discern- 
ment the  invisible  things  of  his  AVord  and  kingdom.  And,  again,  he 
affirms:  "My  tongue  is  the  pen  of  a  ready  writer"  (Ps.  xlv.  1).  Who 
is  the  ready  writer  but  the  Lord  himself?  The  Psalmist  Avas  but  an 
instrument  in  his  hand,  to  record  his  inspired  wisdom  and  his  revealed 
will.  Precisely  the  same  testimony  is  borne,  in  a  historical  form,  in 
some  of  the  last  inspired  words  of  David,  where  it  is  written  :  "  The 
Spirit  of  the  Lord  spake  by  me,  and  his  word  was  in  my  tongue  "  (2 
Sam.  xxiii.  1,  2).  And  in  reference  to  what  he  wrote,  he  further  says : 
"I  will  open  my  mouth  in  a  parable;  I  will  utter  dark  sayings  of  old" 
(Ps.  Ixxviii.  2).  And  yet,  as  these  dark  sayings  Avere  only  a  plain  and 
simple  narration  of  the  history  of  the  children  of  Israel,  Avhat  do  we 
justly  conclude,  but  that  the  whole  is  a  divine  allegory  as  well  as  a 
true  history,  recorded  for  our  spiritual  edification,  and  to  promote  our 
eternal  welfare.  So  also  of  Cyrus,  in  his  representative  character  as 
a  type  of  the  Lord  in  his  glorified  humanity,  and  also  of  each  of  his 
faithful  followers,  it  is  written :  "  I  will  give  them  the  treasures  of 
darkness,  and  hidden  riches  of  secret  places ; "  and  that  these  expres- 
sions have  respect  to  the  communications  of  wisdom  and  intelligence, 
in  all  abundance  through  the  Word,  is  evident  from  what  follows  as 
the  divine  end  of  these  marvellous  gifls,  namely,  "  That  thou  mayest 
know  that  I,  the  Lord,  who  call  thee  by  thy  name,  am  the  God  of 
Israel"  (Isa.  xlv.  3).'' 


^^''Arewe  concerned  with  the  affairs  of 
David  and  Israel?  Have  we  anything  to  do 
with  the  ark  and  the  temple?  They  are  no 
more.  Are  we  to  go  up  to  Jerusalem,  and  to 
worship  in  Sion?  They  are  desolated  and 
trodden  under  foot  by  the  Turks.  Are  we 
to  sacrifice  young  bullocks  according  to  the 
law?  The  law  is  abolished,  never  to  be  ob- 
served again.  Do  we  pray  for  victory  over 
Moab,  Edom,  and  Philistia ;  or  for  deliver- 
ance from  Babylon  ?  There  are  no  such  na- 
tions, no  such  places  in  the  world.  What, 
then,  do  we  mean,  when,  taking  such  ex- 
pressions into  our  mouths,  we  utter  them  in 
our  ow  n  persons,  as  parts  of  our  devotions 
before  God?  Assuredly  we  must  mean  a 
spiritual  Jerusalem  and  Sion;  a  spiritual  I 
ark  and  temple;  a  spiritual  law;  spiritual 
sacrifices;  and  spiritual  victories  over  spir- 
itual enemies ;  all  described  under  the  old 
names,  which  are  still  retained,  though  'old 
things  are  passed  away,  and  all  things  have  | 

6 


become  new.'  (2  Cor.  v.  17.)" — Home's  Com- 
mmtary  on  the  Psalms,  p.  xiii. 

"  As  to  symbolism,  it  is  the  normal  expres- 
sion of  being.  There  is  meaning  fulness  of 
grave  moment  in  every  organic  and  inor- 
ganic form ;  yea,  our  very  speech  is  but  a 
string  of  metaphors,  as  if  we  cotild  not  utter 
thought  without  the  poetry  deep  in  nature 
oozed  out  and  become  evident.  Idea  itself 
is  carved  in  pictures— the  word  meanetli  a?i 
imaye.  And  for  authority  of  this,  the  old 
law  teems  with  it;  it  is,  in  fact,  one  bold, 
God-written  figure:  and  the  commentator 
of  the  new  law  did  no  act,  or  spake  no  word, 
without  a  further  intelligence  and  meaning 
I  beyond  the  mere  ordinary  reading.  If  He 
healed.  He  spat  upon  clay  ;  if  he  preached, 
He  spake  from  a  ship:  if  He  prayed,  He 
went  up  into  a  mountain  ;  even  out  of  his 
garments  breathed  a  virtue,  and  his  words 
were  potent  to  raise  the  dead.  These  ma- 
terial forms,  this  sound,  sight,  smell,  and 
1  taste — these  common,  unphilosophical,  dull, 


62 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


Now  turn  to  the  Gospels.  It  is  there  written  that  "  Jesus  spake 
unto  the  multitude  in  parables ;  and  without  a  parable  spake  He  not' 
unto  them:  That  it  might  be  fulfilled  which  was  spoken  by  the 
prophet,  saying,  I  will  open  my  mouth  in  parables ;  I  will  utter  things 
which  have  been  kept  secret  from  the  foundation  of  the  world  "  (Matt, 
xiii.  34,  35).  Again,  the  same  things  are  declared  in  another  place : 
"  And  with  many  parables  spake  He  the  Word  unto  them,  as  they 
were  able  to  hear  it.  But  without  a  parable  spake  He  not  unto  them ; 
and  when  they  were  alone.  He  expounded  all  things  to  his  disciples  " 
(Mark  iv.  33,  34).  Now  what  were  these  parables  and  dark  sayings, 
without  the  spiritual  things  secretly  signified — that  is,  without  their 
internal  and  heavenly  meaning,  pre-eminently  called  by  the  Psalmist 
(Ps.  cvii.  43)  and  by  John  the  Evangelist  (Rev.  xvii.  9)  wisdom  '? 
We  are  clearly  taught  that,  "  from  the  creation  of  the  world,"  this 
divine  style  of  instruction  has  been  adopted  in  accommodation  to  the 
nature  and  condition  of  the  human  race,  and  as  men  were  able  to 
bear,  and  prepared  to  understand,  these  parabolic  mysteries  have  been 
expounded.  This,  again,  the  Lord  intimates,  at  the  end  of  the  Jew- 
ish and  the  establishment  of  the  Christian  dispensation,  where  He  says 
to  his  disciples :  "  Blessed  are  your  eyes,  for  they  see ;  and  your  ears, 
for  they  hear.  For  verily  I  say  unto  you,  that  many  prophets  and 
righteous  men  have  desired  to  see  those  things  which  ye  see,  and  have 
not  seen  them ;  and  to  hear  those  things  which  ye  hear,  and  have  not 
heard  them  "  (Matt.  xiii.  16,  17).  And  the  apostle  Paul  asserts  the 
same  doctrine  where  he  writes :  "  For  we  know  in  part,  and  we 
prophesy  in  part ;  but  when  that  which  is  perfect  is  come,  then  that 
which  was  in  part  shall  be  done  away  "  (1  Cor.  xiii.  9,  10). 

This  method  of  imparting  spiritual  instruction  to  mankind,  under 
the  natural  imagery  of  correspondence,  served  also  to  prevent  the 
wicked  and  unprepared  from  injuring  themselves  by  perverting  the 
truth,  and  turning  it  to  vile  purposes;  therefore,  when  the  disciples 
inquired  of  the  Lord  the  reason  why  He  spake  to  the  multitude  in 
parables.  He  said :  "  I  speak  to  them  in  parables,  because  they,  seeing, 
see  not ;  and  hearing,  they  hear  not,  neither  do  they  understand ;  for 
this  people's  heart  is  waxed  gross,  and  their  ears  arc  dull  of  hearing, 
and  their  eyes  they  have  closed;  lest  at  any  time  they  should  see  with 
their  eyes,  and  hear  Avith  their  ears,  and  should  understand  with  their 


sensible  things— in  tlie  shallow  thinker's  es- 1  symbol,  a  prophetic  riddle  of  the  Unfathom- 
tiniation,  are  pregnant  with  the  Eternal's  able  I'rofound.  is  the  whole  of  Creation."— 
power  and  will.    A  great  type,  a  myslic'  Chippatdalc  a  ThougItU  for  the  Thouglt{ful. 


TESTIMONY  OF  THE  SACRED  WRITERS. 


63 


hearts,  and  should  be  converted,  and  I  should  heal  them"'^  (Matt.  xiii. 
13-15) ;  that  is,  lest  they  should  believe  and  acknowledge  the  Lord, 
and  outwardly  receive  his  truth  and  goodness,  while  their  hearts 
were  full  of  hypocrisy  and  evil ;  in  which  case  it  was  foreseen  that 
they  would  afterwards  have  awfully  profaned  his  divine  gifts,  and 
denied  Him,  and,  returning  to  their  evil  ways,  their  salvation  would 
thus  have  been  rendered  impossible. 

This  parabolic  mode  of  address  was  thus  mercifully  overruled,  it 
appears,  to  protect  the  mysteries  of  sacred  truth  and  goodness  from 
profanation  and  abuse,  and  to  restrain  presumptuous  men  from  plung- 
ing headlong  into  the  most  fatal  and  irretrievable  states  of  hypocrisy. 

It  was  to  represent  this  accommodation  of  divine  truth  to  human 
perception,  and  to  check  such  deplorable  arrogance  and  wickedness, 
that  "  Moses  put  a  vail  upon  his  face  "  when  he  descended  from  the 
Lord's  presence  on  Mount  Sinai  (Ex.  xxxiv.  33),  denoting  the  ob- 
scurity of  the  letter  of  the  Word,  which  vails  the  glory  of  its  hidden 
wisdom  from  the  unprepared,  and  attempers  it  to  the  prepared,  be- 
holder. How  beautifully  does  the  apostle  Paul  elucidate  this  signifi- 
cant act,  and  point  to  a  period  when  the  inward  glory  should  be  re- 
vealed. "  Moses,"  says  he,  "put  a  vail  over  his  face,  that  the  children 
of  Israel  could  not  steadfastly  "look  to  the  end  of  that  which  is  abol- 
ished ;  but  their  minds  were  blinded :  for  until  this  day  remaineth 
the  same  vail  untaken  away  in  the  reading  of  the  Old  Testament ; 
which  vail  is  done  away  in  Christ.  But  even  unto  this  day,  when 
INIoses  is  read,  the  vail  is  upon  their  heart.  Nevertheless  when  it 
shall  turn  to  the  Lord,  the  vail  shall  be  taken  aAvay  "  (2  Cor.  iii.  12- 
16).^* 

Again,  we  read,  "  Upon  all  the  glory  shall  be  a  defence  "  (Isa.  iv. 
5).    While  "  the  glory  "  is  truly  descriptive  of  the  inward  spirit  of 


85  "  So  that  they  see  not  with  their  eyes,  nor 
hear  with  their  ears,  nor  understand  with 
their  hearts,  nor  are  converted,  that  I  should 
heal  them."— Newcome. 

See  Mark  iv.  11,  12.  "Since  seeing  they 
see,  and  do  not  perceive ;  and  hearing  they 
hear,  and  do  not  understand ;  so  that  they 
are  not  converted  and  their  sins  forgiven." 

— KUINOEL. 

Luke  viii.  10.  "  Since  seeing  they  do  not 
see ;  and  hearing  they  do  not  understand." 
— Dr.  L.  Carpenter. 

X  Augustin,  in  reference  to  this  very  pas- 
sage, obsers-es,  that "  They  who  take  the  writ- 
ings of  Moses  according  to  the  literal  sense.do 
not  desire  to  be  learned  in  the  kingdom  of 


heaven,  neither  do  they  pass  over  to  Christ, 
that  He  might  remove  the  vail  [which  is 
upon  their  hearts] ; "  and  comparing  believ- 
ers in  the  merely  verbal  sense  of  the  Penta- 
teuch to  the  unbelieving  Jews,  says,  that 
when  "they  read  the  book  of  Moses,  they 
have  the  vail  upon  their  hearts,  and  as  this 
is  not  removed,  they  do  not  understand  the 
Law." — Conl.  Faust.,  lib.  xii.,  cap.  4. 

Boyle  also,  on  the  same  subject,  makes  the 
following  interesting  remark  :  "  The  human 
understanding,  like  Moses  in  the  mount,does 
by  an  assiduous  converse  with  God  acquire 
a  lasting  lurainousness." — On  the  high  vetiera- 
tion  Man's  Intellect  moes  to  Qod,  p.  92. 


64 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


the  Word,  its  literal  sense  must  assuredly  constitute  its  protection  and 
"  defence." 

In  the  Psalms  we  read,  "  Bless  the  Lord,  ye  his  angels  that  excel 
in  strength,  that  do  his  commandments,  hearkening  unto  the  voice  of 
his  Word"  (ciii.  20).  The  angels,  then,  have  the  Word  of  God  for 
their  instruction  and  delight ;  and  all  we  know  of  angels  is  most  inti- 
mately connected  with  the  Word  of  God ;  without  it,  indeed,  heaven 
would  no  longer  be  heaven.  What  follows,  but  that  as  there  is  a  lit- 
eral sense,  adapting  the  divine  wisdom  to  men  on  earth,  so  there  must 
be  within  it  a  heavenly  internal  sense,  adapting  its  interior  life  to  the 
angels  in  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  to  regenerating  men  on  earth. 
Thus  the  Word  of  God  is  a  medium  connecting  earth  with  heaven, 
angels  with  men,  and  both  with  the  Lord. 

In  the  Acts  the  divine  law  is  called  the  "lively"  or  "living  oracles" 
(viii.  8),^^  in  exact  agreement  with  the  Lord's  own  declaration,  that 
his  words  are  "  spirit  and  life,"  and  also  with  the  inspired  affirmation 
made  to  Moses,  and  cited  by  our  blessed  Lord  himself :  "  Man  doth 
not  live  by  bread  only,  but  by  every  word  that  proceedeth  out  of  the 
mouth  of  God  doth  man  live  "  (Deut.  viii.  3 ;  Matt.  iv.  4 ;  Luke  iv. 

4)36 


LiviNO  Oracles.  The  word  translated 
oracles  signifies  a  divine  rcvelatimi,  a  communi- 
cation from  Ood  himsc{f,  as  is  here  api)liecl  to 
the  Mosaic  Law;  to  the  Old  Testament  in  gen- 
eral (Rom.  iii.  2;  Heb.  v.  12);  and  to  Divine 
revelation  in  general  (1  Pet.  iv.  11)." — Dr.  A. 
Clarke's  Comm.  on  Acts  viii. 

"In  the  Phoenician  tongue  the  Oracle  is 
called  the  Mouth  of  God ;  and  to  sny  u'c  con- 
sult the  mouth  of  God,  is  the  same  as  to  say 
we  consult  the  oracle."— Lc  Clerc.  See  Cooke's 
Hesiod,  the  Thcogony,  1.  625. 

so  "Locke,  on  this  text  (2  Cor.  iii.  6),  says, 
'  In  fact,  we  find  Panl  truly  a  minister  of  the 
spirit  of  the  law,  especially  in  his  Epistle  to 
the  Hebrews,  where  he  shows  that  a  .spiritual 
sense  ran  through  the  Mosaical  institutions 
and  writings."  Now  from  hence  it  appears 
that  Locke  was  of  opinion  that  the  law  of 
Moses,  besides  the  literal  sense,  had  a  spirit- 
ual meaning,  which  could  not  be  discovered 
without  insjiiriition." — Benson  on  the  Epistles, 
introd.,  p.  xvii. 

"Jerome  obsers'cs  that  'whatsoever  is 
promised  to  the  Israelites  carnally,  will  at 
one  time  or  other  be  fulfilled  in  us  spirit- 
ually." "—In  I'raf.,  lib.  iv.,  in  Jere. 

"  By  the  divine  pronii-^c  of  the  Lord,  made 
to  the  prophet  Jcrcniiiih  (eh.  xxxi.  31,  32), 
was  meant  that  God,  under  the  Dispenstition 


of  Christiaiiity.  would  give  his  people  the 
spiritual  interpretation,  understanding,  and 
use  of  the  Law,  or  Old  Testament,  with  the 
Types,  and  Symbols,  and  Sacraments,  by 
writing,  stamping,  or  impressing  them,  as 
it  were,  upon  their  spirits;  even  to  serve 
tliem  as  a  divine  ladder  whereon  to  mount 
up,  by  contemplation  (through  faith  and 
the  operation  of  the  Holy  Spirit),  from  earth 
to  heaven,  and  from  the  mt/Ktcries  in  the 
Tt'ord  to  their  everlasting  verities  in  God 
Himself" — Uolloway's  Letter  and  Spirit,  vol. 
i.,  p.  ix. 

"Surely,  the  deliverance  of  Israel,  and 
their  reception  of  the  Divine  law  at  the  foot 
of  the  mount,  were  typical  of  God's  mode 
of  dealing  with  his  people  under  the  dis- 
pcn.sation  of  the  '  better  covenant.'  He  finds 
them  in  a  state  of  carnal  bondage  under  sin 
and  Satan.  They  groan  for  deliverance,  but 
have  not  strength  to  effect  it  for  themselves. 
God  undertakes  for  them,  not  l)y  ordinary 
means,  but  extraordinary;  not  by  natural, 
l)Ut  by  miraculous,  which  result  in  the  abol- 
ishing of  death,  and  brin.ging  life  and  im- 
mortality to  light.  He  api>oints  them  a 
leader;  He  gives  them,  in  the  page  of  rev- 
elation, the  pillar  of  the  cloud  by  day  and  the 
pillar  of  fire  by  night.  As  they  follow  their 
leader  iu  the  exercise  of  a  simple  faith,  they 


TESTIMONY  OF  THE  SACRED  WRITERS. 


65 


That  the  apostle  Paul  most  distinctly  recognized  the  same  doctrine 
of  an  internal  sense  in  the  divine  Word,  is  evident  from  all  his  writings, 
as  Avhere  he  asserts  that  "  The  letter  killeth,  but  the  spirit  giveth  life" 
(2  Cor.  iii.  6);  and  this  is  true  not  only  of  the  mere  observance  of  the 
letter  of  the  law  of  Moses,  to  the  neglect  of  that  spiritual  interpreta- 
tion which  Christianity,  or  the  Gospel  dispensation,  reveals  as  con- 
tained within  it,  but  it  also  implies,  more  remotely,  that  the  letter  of 
the  Word  of  God,  when  separated  from  the  inward  spirit  which  giveth 
life,  by  a  denial  of  its  existence,  is  constantly  perverted  by  sensual  in- 
terpretations and  reasonings,  which  deaden  and  destroy  within  us  all 
reverence  for  its  authority  and  character.    So  in  his  Epistle  to  the 


experience  deliverance;  as  they  look  to  the 
pillar  of  the  cloud  and  the  pillar  of  tire,  they 
are  directed.  He  feeds  them  with  '  bread 
from  heaven,'  and  makes  waters  to  gush  out 
for  them  in  the  de.sert;  He  smites  the  spir- 
itual rock  which  follows  them ;  He  reveals 
his  will  to  them ;  He  writes  it  as  a  law  in 
their  hearts;  He  makes  them  'a  temple,'  'a 
tiibernacle,'  in  which  He  dwells  by  his  Spirit; 
He 'places  his  name 'among  them;  He  is 
their  God— they  are  his  people."— J^isi's  Pas- 
tor's Memorial  of  Egypt,  the  Jied  Sea,  the  Wil- 
deriiess,  and  the  Holy  Land. 

"  As  the  people  of  Israel  were  types,  and 
are  generally  allowed  to  be  so,  of  the  elect 
of  God  in  all  ages ;  so  the  enemies  which  they 
were  enjoined  to  root  out,  seem  to  symbolize 
those  spiritual  foes  which  the  Christian  is  en- 
joined to  avoid  during  his  warfare  upon 
earth.  This  idea  appears  the  more  probable 
from  the  radical  import  of  their  names.which 
correspond  verycloselywith  those  mentioned 
by  the  apostle  in  2  Tim.  iii.  2,  etc.  Thus  the 
Amorites  mean  the  proud,  boasting  rebels 
(Amos  ii.  9).  The  Canaanites,  the  covetous, 
or  worldly  trafficking,  such  as  those  men- 
tioned in  Rom.  xviii.  4,  11,  etc.  The  Hittites, 
fierce,  terrifying,  truce-breakers,  etc.  The 
Perizzilcs,  persecutors,  scatterers.  blasphem- 
ers, etc.  The  Hiviles,  mere  worldly  livers, 
wild  and  disorderly  persons,  pleasure-lovers, 
etc.  The  Girgashites.  filthy  wanderers,  in- 
continent, etc.  All  these  seven  nations  are 
frequently  called  by  a  general  name,  Canaan- 
lies;  and  literally  and  spiritually  the  word 
is  true  concerning  them,  that  they  are  greater 
and  mightier  than  the  people  of  God,  impos- 
sible to  be  vanquished  by  human  strength, 
and  reducible  only  by  the  Lord  God  of  S.\b- 
AOTH.  And,  alas  (the  ChrLstian  while  on 
earth  may  say),  they  are  yet  in  the  land  !  "— 
Serle's  Hnr.  Sotit,  p.  24. 

"  It  is  abundantly  evident  that  besides  the 
6*  E 


literal  sense  of  Scripture,  there  was  a  higher 
sense  adopted  ;  for,  as  to  this  fact,  Eucherius 
(Bishop  at  Lugduni.  .\.  D.  434)  speaks  most  de- 
cidedly in  his  preface  to  this  book,  which 
sprang  out  of  the  mode  of  interpretation 
which  then  prevailed.  We  should  so  regard 
the  Scriptures  according  to  the  idea  which  the 
Scripture  itself  gives  us."  "  As  in  man  there 
is  a  body  and  a  soul,  so  in  Scripture  it  was 
believed  that  there  is  a  literal  and  an  histor- 
ical sense:  but  that  under  this  there  is  a 
spiritual  sense,  relating  to  higher  or  to  spir- 
itual things."  "  The  Scriptures  appeared  as 
a  veritable  oracle,  every  word  being/wH  of  a 
deep  signification."  "At  the  time  of  Christ 
and  his  Apostles,  this  mode  of  interpreting 
the  Old  Testament  prevailed  not  only  among 
the  Jews  at  Alexandria,  but  also  in  the 
schools  of  Palestine:  and  it  was  adopted  in 
reference  to  the  New  Testament.  This  mode  of 
interpreting  the  Old  Testament  for  the  uses 
of  Christianity  was  prevalent  throughout  the 
entire  apostolic  age  and  afterwards."— Dr.  Lutz's 
Bib.  Hennen.,  1849.  pp.  18. 107.  Extracted  from 
Dr.  Tafel's  reply  to  Dr.  Msshler. 

Dr.  Conyers  Middleton,  in  his  Defence,  as- 
sures usthat  "Theallegoricalwayof  expound- 
ing, for  which  we  have  the  authority  of  most 
of  the  primitive  fathers  and  the  best  Jewish 
writer-s,  was  so  far  from  giving  scandal  in 
former  ages  of  the  Church,  that,  on  the  con- 
trary, to  slight  it  was  looked  upon  as  hereti- 
cal, and  full  of  dangerous  consequences." 
"  Tha-e  are  none  of  the  heretics  who  maintain 
that  the  Scriptures  of  the  Old  Testament  ought 
not  to  be  held  mystically,  or  otherwise  than  of  the 
identical  things  mentioned." — Biblioth.  Pntrum. 
per  Marg.  Paris,  1589.  torn  i.,  c.  3,  pp.  270, 409. 

Clement  of  Alexandria  also  tells  us  that 
"  the  whole  Scripture  is  written  in  the  para- 
bolical style  "  [Strom.,  Iv.,  torn.  ii..  p.  568.  Ed. 
by  Potter),  for  which  he  gives  several  rea- 
sons. 


66 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


Romans  he  thus  writes,  "  For  he  is  not  a  Jew  who  is  one  outwardly ; 
neither  is  that  circumcision,  which  is  outward  in  the  flesh :  but  he  is 
a  J ew  who  is  one  inwardly  ;  and  circumcision  is  that  of  the  heart,  in 
the  spirit,  and  not  in  the  letter ;  whose  praise  is  not  of  men,  but  of 
God"  (ii.  28,  29).  And  this  explanation  is  in  perfect  accordance 
with  the  teaching  of  the  Old  Testament,  where  we  read  of  "  the  cu-- 
cumcision  of  the  heart"  (Deut.  xxx.  6;  Jer.  iv.  4)." 

In  the  Epistle  to  the  Ephesians,  also,  the  apostle,  when  he  is  speak- 
ing and  exhorting  on  the  important  subject  of  marriage,  declares  that 
what  Adam  says  in  the  second  chapter  of  Genesis  respecting  the  union 
of  man  and  wife,  is  "  a  great  mystery ;  concerning  Christ  and  the 
Church  "  (v.  30-32). 

The  apostle  Peter,  also,  alludes  to  Noah's  ark,  and  says  that  it  is 
"The  like  figure  whereunto  even  baptism  doth  also  now  save  us"  (1 
Pet.  iii.  20,  21).  Thus  what  is  written  respecting  the  ark  and  the 
flood,  is  evidently  to  be  interpreted,  and,  indeed,  can  only  be  intelligi- 
bly understood,  as  a  series  of  divinely-inspired  figures  and  types  re- 
specting human  redemption  and  salvation.  Not  only  do  the  apostles 
spiritually  explain  some  of  the  divine  allegories  of  the  Old  Testament, 
and  the  ceremonies  of  the  Jewish  dispensation,  but  in  like  manner, 
also,  certain  narratives  Avhich  are  there  recorded,  and  were  histori- 
cally true. 

In  his  Epistle  to  the  Galatians,  the  apostle  Paul,  referring  to  the 
Patriarchal  history,  says:  "It  is  written  that  Abrahard  had  two  sons, 
the  one  by  a  bond-maid,  the  other  by  a  free-woman.  But  he  who  was 
of  the  bond-woman  was  born  after  the  flesh ;  but  he  of  the  free-woman 
was  by  promise :  Which  things  are  an  allegory :  for  these  are  the  two 
covenants ;  [and]  as  he  that  was  born  after  the  flesh  persecuted  him 
that  was  born  after  the  Spirit,  so  it  is  now"(iv.  22-24:).'*    In  speak- 


" "  External  circumcision  was  a  symbol 
of  mental  and  moral  purity,  and  extirpa- 
tion of  evil  affections  and  desires.  Hence, 
in  the  Old  and  New  Testament,  circumcision 
is  applied  to  the  mind." — Bloomfield's  Synop- 
sis, vol.  iv.,  p.  262. 

"  Macknight  well  obser\-es  that  the  Apos- 
tle, by  distinguishing  between  'the  spirit 
and  the  letter'  of  the  law  of  Moses  (Rom.  ii. 
29),  intimates  that  the  rites  enjoined  in  that 
law  were  typical,  and  had  a  spiritual  or 
moral  meaning;  as  Moses  also  expressly 
declared  to  the  Jews."— vol.  v.,  p.  404. 

s^In  the  original,  "which  things  are  alle- 
gorized," that  is,  "ftllegorically  applied," 
"without  destroying  their  historical  verity." 


—See  Bishop  }farsh's  Led.,  p.  32.  KiUo's  Cyc. 
Bib.  Lit.,  p.  115. 

"  In  allegories  framed  by  man,  the  ground- 
work is  generally  fiction,  because  of  the  dif- 
ficulty of  finding  one  true  series  of  facts 
which  shall  exactly  represent  another.  But 
the  great  Disposer  of  events,  '  Known  unto 
whom  are  all  his  works,'  from  the  beginning 
to  the  end  of  time,\vas  able  to  effect  this ;  and 
the  Scripture  allegories  are  therefore  equally 
true  in  the  letter  and  in  the  spirit  of  them. 
The  events  signifying,  no  le.ss  than  those  sig- 
nified, really  happened,  as  they  are  said  to 
have  done.  Why  the  allegories  of  this  most 
perfect  form,  with  which  the  book  of  God 
abounds,  and  which  are  all  pregnant  with 


TESTIMONY  OF  THE  SACRED  WRITERS. 


67 


ing  of  the  children  of  Israel,  their  representative  journey,  and  what 
befell  them  in  the  \va)%  as  signifying  things  spiritual,  he  thus  writes  to 
the  Corintliians  :  "  Moreover,  brethren,  I  would  not  that  ye  should  be 
ignorant,  how  that  all  our  fathers  were  under  the  cloud,  and  all  passed 
through  the  sea ;  and  were  all  baptized  unto  Moses  in  the  cloud  and 
in  the  sea ;  and  did  all  eat  the  same  spiritual  meat ;  and  did  all  drink 
the  same  spiritual  drink ;  for  they  drank  of  that  spiritual  Rock  which 
followed  them :  and  that  rock  was  Christ.  Now  all  these  things  hap- 
pened unto  them  for  ensaraples  {yvnoi.  types] :  and  they  are  written 
for  our  admonition,  upon  whom  the  ends  of  the  world  are  come"  (1 
Cor.  X.  1-4). 

In  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews  we  meet  with  little  else  than  a  spir- 
itual interpretation  and  application  of  Jewish  history.  Their  burnt- 
offerings  and  sacrifices,  their  meat-offerings  and  drink-offerings,  their 
priesthood  and  rituals  of  worship,  the  golden  censer  and  the  ark  of 
the  covenant,  the  golden  pot  that  had  contained  the  manna,  Aaron's 
rod  which  had  budded,  the  table  of  the  covenant,  and  over  it  the 
cherubim  of  glory  overshadowing  the  mercy-seat,  their  fasts  and  fes- 
tivals, their  civil  and  ecclesiastical  government,  their  battles  and  jour- 
neys, their  captivities  and  deliverances, — in  a  word,  the  Avhole  history 
of  the  Jews,  as  recorded  in  the  Word  of  God,  was,  as  to  every  par- 
ticular, representative  of  spiritual  and  divine  things  (Heb.  ix.,  etc).^' 


truth  of  the  highest  import,  should  be  treated 
with  neglect  and  contempt,  while  the  imper- 
fect allegories  of  man's  devising  are  univer- 
sally sought  after  and  admired,  as  the  most 
pleasing  and  efficacious  method  of  convey- 
ing instruction,  it  is  not  easy  to  say." — Home's 
Comment,  on  the  Psalms,  pre/,  to  new  ed.,  p. 
xvii. 

"  St.  Cyril  of  Alexandria,  in  his  Commen- 
taries on  Isaiah,  says. '  The  words  of  the  holy 
prophets  always  carry  a  mighty  depth,  and 
creep  along  by  abstruse  and  hidden  courses. 
Therefore,  we  are  not  to  suppose  that  the 
outward  surface  of  the  letter  always  presents 
the  truth  intended ;  but  that  the  internal  and 
gl)iritual  meaning  of  the  letter,  joined  with  and 
conceived  under  the  letter,  is  rather  to  be 
considered.  For  the  style  of  the  holy  pro- 
phets is  everywhere  obscure,  and  full  of  dart 
sentences,  as  containing  the  unfolding  of  the 
divine  mysteries.'  "  —  Holloway's  Letter  and 
Spirit,  etc.,  vol.  1.,  int.  liii. 

^"  There  is  one  way,  and  a  very  obvious 
one,  in  which  the  consideration  of  the  rit- 
ual and  history  might  confirm  the  early 
Christians  in  their  mystical  explanations 
of  the  whole  external  world.  They  found 


some  particulars,  both  ritual  and  historical, 
mystically  expounded  in  tlie  New  Testa- 
ment, and  plain  implication.s,  almost  asser- 
tions, that  the  whole  was  capable  of  similar 
exposition :  e.  g.,  that'  Moses  made  all  things 
according  to  the  pattern  shewed  him  in  the 
mount,'  and  that '  all  that  befell  God's  people 
in  the  wilderness  happened  unto  them  as 
types  of  us.'  When,  therefore,  in  the  natu- 
ral world  they  had  ascertained  a  few  chief 
sjTnbols,  it  was  reasonable  for  them  to  infer 
that  these,  too,  were  but  specimens,  single 
chords  of  a  harmony  to  be  fully  made  out 
hereafter;  they  would  feel  like  learners  of  a 
language,  who  have  picked  up  the  meaning 
as  yet  but  of  a  few  words  here  and  there,  but 
have  no  doubt  whatever  that  the  whole  has 
its  meaning:  and  perhaps  they  would  think 
that  they  found  warrant  for  this  in  such  texts 
as  that  of  St.  Paul  to  the  Romans,  '  The  in- 
visible things  of  Him  from  the  creation  of 
the  world  are  clearly  .seen,  being  understood 
by  the  things  that  are  made.'  This  would 
seem  to  lay  down  the  principle  or  canon  of 
mystical  interpretation  for  the  works  of  Na- 
ture, as  the  other  texts  just  now  specified, 
for  the  Mosaic  ceremonies  and  the  history 


68 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


And  this  spiritual  interpretation  of  the  Old  Testament,  the  sacred 
writer  distinguishes  from  the  mere  letter,  by  calling  it  "  solid  food  " 
(Heb.  V.  12-14).  And  thus  warranted  by  apostolic  example,  it  has 
been  common  phraseology,  from  the  earliest  period  of  Christianity,  to 
speak  of  the  sacrifices  of  the  heart,  or  the  hallowing  of  all  the  affec- 
tions (Heb.  xiii.  15,  16 ;  Rom.  xii.  1) ;  of  the  altar  and  the  temple 
of  the  soul  (1  Cor.  iii.  16,  17  ;  vi.  19)  ;  of  "  a  better  country,  that  is 
a  heavenly,"  as  promised  under  the  type  of  Canaan  (Heb.  xL  16)  ;  of 
a  spiritual  "bondage"  from  which  the  soul  must  be  delivered  (Rom. 
viii.  31)     of  spiritual  enemies  from  whom  we  must  be  protected,  and 


of  the  Jews."— JVacte  for  Vie  Times,  Ixxxix., 
p.  18.3. 

"  The  mention  of  the  sanctuary  and  tab- 
ernacle, the  ark,  and  certain  other  particu- 
lars, must  of  course  lead  reflecting  minds, 
even  without  further  information,  to  the 
surmise,  that  in  regard  likewise  of  other 
points  not  specified,  and  in  short  in  itswliole 
range  and  detail,  the  Jewish  economy  was 
typical  of  the  Christian." — lb.,  p.  16.3. 

In  a  noble  pa.ssage  of  Cft-igen  in  the  fifth 
Homily  of  Leviticus,  cited  by  tlie  writer  of 
TracU  for  the  Ti'me^i.lxxxix.,  on  account  of  the 
light  which  it  seems  to  throw  on  analogy,  he 
says,  "  The  details  of  the  law  concerning  sac- 
ritices  are  to  be  received  in  a  diflerent  sense 
from  that  which  the'litenil  text  points  out. 
Else,  when  they  are  publicly  read  in  the 
church,  they  tend  ratlier  to  the  hindrance 
and  subversion  of  the  Cliristian  faith  than 
to  the  admonition  and  edification  of  men. 
But  if  we  search  and  find  in  what  sense  these 
things  are  said,  and  mark  them,  as  they 
ought  who  think  of  God,  wlio  is  the  de- 
clared Author  of  these  laws,  then  the  hearer 
will  become  a  Jew  indeed,  but,  'a  Jew  in- 
wardly,' according  to  the  distinction  of  St. 
Paul  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans.  Things 
visible  retain  witli  invi.sible  no  small  alEn- 
ity ;  so  that  the  Apostle  affirms,  '  the  invisi- 
ble tilings  of  God,  from  the  foundation  of 
the  world ; '  to  be  seen, '  being  understood  by 
the  things  which  arc  made.'  As  therefore  a 
mutual  aflinity  exists  between  things  vi.sible 
and  invisible,  earth  and  heaven,  soul  and 
flesh,  body  and  spirit,  and  of  combinations 
of  these  is  made  up  this  present  world;  so 
also  Holy  Scripture,  we  may  believe,  is  made 
up  of  visible  and  invisible  parts;  first,  as  it 
were,  of  a  kind  of  body,  i.e.  of  the  letter 
which  we  see  with  our  eyes ;  next  of  a  soul,  I 
i.  e.,  of  the  sense  which  is  discovered  within 
that  letter:  thirdly,  of  a  spirit,  so  far  as  it 
contains  also  in  itself  certain  heavenly 
things;  as  says  the  Apostle,  'they  serve  to 


the  example  and  shadow  of  things  celes- 
tial.' "—Sect,  i.,  t.  ii..  p.  205.   T.  T.,  p.  55. 

Scott,  in  his  comment  on  Exodus  xxvi., 
wherein  are  described  the  ark,  its  shape,  ma- 
terials, and  decorations,  admits  that  the 
whole  is  representative  of  spiritual  things. 
He  says.  "  The  whole  represents  the  person 
and  doctrine  of  Christ,  his  true  church,  and 
all  heavenly  things."  And  again,  in  his  intro- 
ductory remarks  on  Leviticus,  the  same  emi- 
nent writer  says,  '■  It  principally  consists  of 
ritual  laws,  delivered  to  Moses  fl-om  above 
the  mercy-seat  during  the  first  month  after 
the  Tabernacle  was  erected ;  though  moral 
precepts  are  frequenUy  interspersed.  In 
these  ceremonies  the  Gospel  was  preached 
to  Israel;  and  the  solemn  and  exact  man- 
ner, and  the  many  repetitions  with  which 
they  are  enforced,  are  suited  to  impress  the 
serious  mind  with  a  conviction  that  some- 
thing immensely  more  important  and  spir- 
itual than  the  external  observances  is 
couched  under  each  of  them." 

'■  Jerusalem  was  but  a  type  of  the  Christian 
Cliurch,  as  the  carnal  Israel,  or  the  airnal 
seed  and  po.sterity  of  Abraham,  wore  of  true 
and  sincere  Christians.  And  therefore  Paul 
expres.sly  distinguishes  between  the  earthly 
Jerusalem  and  the  Jerusalem  which  is 
above  (or  from  above,  i.  e.,  the  Christian 
Cliurch),  [which  he  says  is  the  mother  of  us 
all]."— Dean  Sherlock's  Sermons,  1.,  ]>.  6. 

♦"The  seven  impious  nations,  or  classes  of 
inhabitants,  who  posses.sod  the  land  of  Ca- 
naan, and  who  were  overthrown,  or  made 
subservient,  or  were  extirpated  by  the  de- 
scendants of  Israel,  represented  different 
kinds  of  idolatry,  and  various  hereditary 
evil  lusts  and  false  persuasions  of  the  nat- 
ural and  sensual  mind,  which,  warring 
agauist  the  powers  of  heaven  in  the  soul, 
must  be  eitlier  extirpated  or  subdued  in 
spiritual  combat,  before  man  can  be  fully 
regenerated  and  attain  a  state  of  eternal 
peace. 


TESTIMONY  OF  THE  SACRED  WRITERS. 


69 


spiritual  dangers  from  which  we  hope  to  escape  (1  Tim.  vi.  12 ;  2  Tim. 
iv.  7) ;  of  spiritual  trials  in  the  wilderness,  which  we  have  to  endure 
(1  Pet.  iv.  12);  of  a  spiritual  Red  Sea  and  Jordan,  over  which  we 
must  pass ;  of  heaven-descended  nuinna,  on  which  we  must  feed ;  of 
living  waters  gushing  from  the  Rock  of  Truth,  by  which  we  must  be 
refreshed ;  and  of  that  delightsome  land  visibly  outstretched  before 
us  from  Pisgah's  mount,  which  we  may  inherit  as  an  everlasting  pos- 
session. A  land  thus  described  in  the  beautiful  language  of  corre- 
spondence, in  order  to  represent  a  heavenly  state  of  mind,  or  the 
establishment  of  heaven  in  the  soul,  and  also  to  afford  us  faint  ideas 
of  the  surpassing  loveliness,  the  inconceivable  grandeur,  the  beatific 
glory  of  the  heavenly  world  ;  the  abundance  of  its  precious  blessings, 
the  splendor  of  its  spiritual  and  diversified  scenery,  the  ineflfable  de- 
lights, the  ecstatic  virtues  and  the  exalted  graces  of  the  ever-blessed 
inhabitants,  of  which  the  outward  objects,  in  all  their  indefinite  va- 
riety, are  all  exact  correspondences.  "  A  gdod  land  and  a  large,  a 
land  flowing  with  milk  and  honey  "  (Ex.  iii.  8).  "  A  land  of  hills  and 
valleys,  and  drinketh  water  of  the  rain  of  heaven ;  a  land  that  the 
Lord  thy  God  careth  for :  the  eyes  of  the  Lord  thy  God  are  always 
upon  it,  from  the  beginning  of  the  year  even  unto  the  end  of  the 
year"  (Deut.  xi.  11,  12).  "A  land  of  brooks  of  water,  of  fountains 
and  depths  that  spring  out  of  valleys  and  hills ;  a  land  of  wheat,  and 
barley,  and  vines,  and  fig-trees,  and  pomegranates  ;  a  land  of  oil  olive 
and  honey  ;  a  land  wherein  thou  shalt  eat  bread  without  scarceness, 
thou  shalt  not  lack  anything  in  it ;  a  land  whose  stones  are  iron,  and 
out  of  whose  hills  thou  mayest  dig  brass  "  (Deut.  viii.  7-9).  And 
what  does  all  this  justly  imply,  but  that  the  whole  of  the  eventful 
history  of  the  Children  of  Israel,  narrated  by  the  plenarily  inspired 
penman,  is  to  be  spiritually  explained  and  understood.  Thus  the 
Holy  Word  inculcates  its  own  spirituality,  and  the  writings  of  the 
apostles  most  abundantly  confirm  the  testimony." 

In  the  Greek  Devotions  of  Bishop  An-  ;  Lechery  Hivite. 

drews,  translated  in  Tracts  for  the  r/mrs,  i  The  Cares  of  Life  (Covetousness)  Canaanite. 
Ixxxviii.  (fourth  day.  p.  48).  occurs  the  fol-  Lukewarm  Indifference  i  Sloth)  Jebusite. 
lowing  interesting  passage,  which  indicates  !  [Give  me] 

that  the  above  nations  were  regarded  by  !    Humility,  pitifulness,  patience,  sobriety, 
that  author  as  figurative  of  unclean  princi-  puritj',  contentment,  ready  zeal." 
pies  in  the  mind;  it  occurs  in  the  prayer     ■»  Voltaire,  in  ignorance  of  the  true  inter- 
for  grace.  i  pretation  of  the  Divine  Word,  sarcastically 

"  [Defend  me  from]  i  quotes  the  passage  in  Gen.  xv.  18,  where  the 

Pride  Amorite.     j  Lord  said  to  Abraham,  "Unto  thy  seed  I 

Envy  Hittite.       j  have  given  this  land,  from  the  river  of  Egypt 

Wrath  Ptrizzite.      unto  the  great  river,  the  river  Euphrates :  " 

Gluttony  Girgashite.  and  says,  "  The  critics  ask,  how  could  God 


70 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


promise  the  Jews  this  immense  country 
which  they  have  never  possessed  ?  and  how 
could  God  give  to  tliem  /orever  that  small 
part  of  Palestine  out  of  which  they  have 
so  long  been  driven?" — Phil.  Did.,  art.  Abra- 
ham, yo\.  i.,  p. 8ueh  baseless  objections 
against  the  Word  of  God  fall  to  the  ground, 
like  as  Dagon  did  before  the  ark  (1  Sam.  v.). 
when  the  true  principles  of  interpretation 
are  known. 

Tliat  eminent  men  have  had  some  idea  of 
the  true  method  of  expounding  the  Word  of 
God,  though  unacquaiuted  with  the  direct 
laws  of  correspondence,  might  be  confirmed 
by  an  abundance  of  evidence.  I  quote  in 
proof  a  passage  from  Bishop  Home's  Com- 
menlary  on  the  Book  of  Psalms.  The  prelate 
says,  "  The  spiritual  sense  is,  and  must  be. 
peculiar  to  the  Scriptures;  because  of  those 
persons  and  transactions  only,  which  are 
there  mentioned  and  recorded,  can  it  be 
affirmed  for  certain  that  they  were  designed 
to  be  figurative.  And  should  any  one  at- 
tempt to  apply  the  narrative  of  Alexander's 
expedition  by  Quintus  Curlius,  or  the  Com- 
mentaries of  Ca?sar,  as  the  New  Testament 
writers  have  done,  and  taught  us  to  do  to 
the  histories  of  the  Old,  he  would  find  him- 
self unable  to  proceed  three  steps  with  con- 
sistency and  propriety."  "  The  argument, 
therefore,  which  would  infer  the  absurdity 
of  suppo.sing  the  Scriptures  to  have  a  sjiirit- 
ual  sense,  from  the  acknowledged  absurdity 
of  supposing  histories  or  poems  merely  hu- 
man to  have  it,  is  inconclusive:  the  sacred 
writings  differing  in  that  respect  from  all 
other  writings  in  the  world,  as  much  ns  the 
nature  of  the  transactions  they  relate  differs 
from  all  other  transactions,  and  the  AUTHOR 
who  relates  them  diflers  from  all  other  au- 
thors." 


Origen  says, "  They  who  fiud  faultwith  the 
allegorical  exposition  of  the  Scripture,  and 
maintain  that  it  has  no  other  sense  than  that 
which  the  text  shows,  take  away  the  key  of 
knowledge." — In  Malt.,  cap.  xxiii. 

"  In  all  things,"  says  Augustine,  "that  He 
[GodJ  hath  spoken  unto  us  (in  his  written 
Word),  we  must  seek  for  the  spiritual  mean- 
ing, to  ascertain  which  your  desires  in  the 
name  of  Christ  will  assist  us.  By  which,  as 
by  invisible  hands,  ye  knock  at  the  invisible 
gate,  that  invisibly  it  may  open  to  us,  and 
ye  invisibly  may  enter  in,  and  invisibly  be 
healed." — Psnlm  ciii.,  Enarratio.  And  again 
the  same  writer  says,  '•  Barley,  as  you  know, 
is  so,  formed  that  you  come  with  difficulty 
to  the  nourishing  part  of  it,  wrapped  up  as 
it  is  in  a  covering  of  chaff,  and  that  chaff 
stiff  and  cleaving,  so  as  not  to  be  stripped 
oft'  without  some  trouble.  Such  is  the  letter 
of  the  Old  Testament,  clothed  with  the  wrap- 
pings of  carnal  sacraments,  or  tokens;  but 
if  you  once  come  to  its  marrow,  it  nourishes 
and  satisfies."— 7n  Joan,  tr.  24,  25.  "  What  is 
the  chaff  to  the  wheat,  sailh  the  Lord."  (Jer. 
xxiii.  28.) 

Augustine  also  remarks  that "  Now  no  one 
doubts  that  both  objects  become  known  to 
us  with  greater  delight  by  means  of  simili- 
tudes, and  things  that  are  sought  for  w  ith 
some  difficulty  are  discovered  with  more 
pleasure.  Magnificently,  therefore,  and 
healthfully  for  us,  hath  the  Holy  Spirit 
so  adapted  the  Sacred  Scriptures  as  to 
satisfy  our  hunger  by  passages  more  mani- 
fest, and  by  those  that  are  more  obscure  to 
l)revent  fastidiousness."— Z>e  Voct.  Chris.,  lib. 
ii.,  vol.  iii.,  p.  ly. 


CHAPTER  YI. 


The  Difference  between  Correspondence  and  Metaphor,  Fable,  etc., 
STATED. — Correspondence  defined,  with  Examples  of  its  Applica- 
tion IN  expounding  the  Holy  Word. 

WE  have  already  seen  that  the  only  science  by  which  the  Word  of 
God  can  be  spiritually  unfolded,  and  clearly  distinguished  from 
all  other  compositions  whatsoever,  is  the  science  of  correspondences. 
Let  us  investigate  and  illustrate  the  nature  and  application  of  its  first 
principles.  The  science  of  correspondences  is  capable  of  being  estab- 
lished and  confirmed  by  the  strictest  reasoning  and  deduction  of  phil- 
osophy. Indeed,  the  absolute  principles  of  all  philosophy  must  be 
sought  and  found  within  us,  and  this  is  true  of  the  philosophy  on  which 
correspondence  rests;  but,  as  Swedenborg  states,  "it  may  also  be  gath- 
ered from  analogies,  and  even  from  geometry  itself"  (H.  K.  41).  This 
mode  of  reasoning,  however,  would  lead  us  into  a  long  train  of  meta- 
physical inquiries  and  researches  for  Avhich  general  readers  have  but 
little  leisure,  and  still  less  inclination.  In  general,  we  may  say  of 
science,  that  it  is  a  knowledge  of  the  relation  which  exists  between  the 
divine  ideas  and  divine  works  ;  between  what  is  infinite  and  what  is 
finite ;  between  what  is  spiritual  and  what  is  natural ;  and  between 
what  is  mental  and  what  is  material.  While  fable  has  no  higher  aim 
than  to  inculcate  moral  maxims  which  have  relation  only  to  earthly 
existence ;  while  figures  of  speech  are  but  adornments  of  discourse 
and  ornaments  of  rhetoric ;  and  while  comparison  merely  likens  one 
natural  object  in  appearance  to  another  for  the  capricious  purpose  of 
illustration ;  correspondence  is  the  positive  aflBnity  or  relation  which 
natural  objects  bear  to  sj^iritual  realities.  It  is  precisely  the  relation 
of  the  producing  cause  to  its  resulting  effect ;  of  the  inward  essence 
to  the  manifested  form ;  of  the  spiritual  world  to  the  natural  world ; 
of  the  soul  to  the  body ;  of  the  various  faculties  of  the  mind  and  their 
spiritual  uses,  to  the  various  organs  and  viscera  of  the  body  and  their 
respective  natural  uses.  Thus,  as  the  Avhole  of  the  natural  world  cor- 
responds in  all  its  multitudinous  particulars  to  the  spiritual  world, 

71 


72 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


and  the  visible  objects  in  both  worlds  correspond  to  the  world  of  mind, 
— the  affections  and  thoughts  of  men,  spirits,  and  angels ;  and  these 
again,  in  their  purest  and  holiest  significance,  to  the  Divine  affections 
and  thoughts  of  God, — just  so  the  literal  sense  of  the  Holy  Word, 
which  appears  to  treat  of  terrestrial  objects  and  affairs,  corresponds 
to  its  internal  sense,  which  treats  only  of  divine  and  "heavenly  things" 
(John  iii.  12),  which  are,  so  to  speak,  mirrors  reflecting  the  image  of 
the  Great  Fii-st  Cause,  the  Creator  and  Sustainer  of  all.  The  figures 
of  speech,  and  beauties  of  diction,  in  the  literal  sense,  are  but  "  sub- 
sidiary ornaments  of  the  casket"  which  contains  purest  gems  of  ines- 
timable price.  Such  is  the  nature  of  that  harmonious  and  indissolu- 
ble bond  by  which  all  things,  spiritual  as  well  as  natural,  are  con- 
nected with  their  Supreme  Original,  and  are  preserved  by  the  same 
law  as  that  by  which  they  were  primarily  created. 

Imagery  is  usually  divided,  first,  into  Tropes  or  Figures,  including  Al- 
legory, Metaphor,  Metonymy,  Parable,  Prosopopoeia,  and  Synecdoche ; 
and,  secondly,  including  visible  images  and  similitudes,  as  the  Emblem, 
the  Symbol,  and  the  Type,  all  of  which,  however,  are  allied  to,  and 
have  their  essence  or  ground  in,  correspondences  and  representatives. 

Correspondence  must  not  be  confounded  with  metaphorical  figures 
of  speech.  Hindmarsh  strikingly  explains  the  difference  between 
metaphor  and  the  language  of  correspondence.  "  A  mere  figure  or 
metaphor,"  says  he,  "  is  the  resemblance  in  some  certain  Avay,  which 
one  thing  bears  to  another,  not  according  to  the  true  nature  and  fit- 
ness of  things,  so  much  as  by  the  arbitrary  choice  of  a  speaker  or 
writer,  who  is  desirous  of  illustrating  his  subject,  and  rendering  it 
familiar  to  the  comprehension.  Consequently,  there  is  no  necessary 
union  between  the  subject  and  the  figure,  nor  is  the  one  an  effect  of 
the  other,  or  in  any  wise  dependent  on  its  existence  and  subsistence, 
as  is  the  case  in  all  correspondences.  An  example  will  illustrate  the 
truth  of  my  ol)servation.  Virgil,  in  his  ^neid,  lib.  ii.,  likens  the 
destruction  of  Troy,  with  her  lofty  spires,  to  the  fall  of  an  aged  oak 
on  being  hewn  down  by  the  woodman's  hatchet.  This  is  a  simile,  or 
figure,  but  not  a  correspondence ;  for  there  is  no  necessary  connection 
between  the  city  of  Troy  and  a  mountain  oak,  nor  between  her  lofty 
spires  and  the  wide  extending  branches  of  a  tree.  The  one  is  not 
within  the  other,  as  its  life  and  soul ;  nor  can  the  relationship  subsist- 
ing between  them  be  considered  like  that  of  cause  and  effect,  essence 
and  form,  prior  and  posterior,  soul  and  body,  which,  nevertheless,  is 
the  case  with  all  true  correspondences.    The  difference  between  a 


DEFINED.— WITH  ILLUSTRATIVE  EXAJUFLES. 


73 


mere  figure  and  a  correspondence  may  again  appear  from  the  follow- 
ing consideration.  A  mere  figure  or  simile  is  the  resemblance  which 
one  natural  object  or  circumstance  is  supposed  to  bear  to  another 
natural  object  or  circumstance;  whereas,  a  correspondence  is  the 
actual  relation  subsisting  between  a  natural  object  and  a  spiritual 
subject,  or  a  natural  form  and  a  spiritual  essence ;  that  is,  between 
outer  and  inner,  lower  and  higher,  nature  and  spirit ;  and  not  between 
nature  and  nature,  or  spirit  and  spirit.  This  distinction  should  be 
well  attended  to.  The  language  of  correspondences  is  the  language 
of  God  himself,  being  that  in  which  He  always  speaks,  both  in  his 
Word  and  in  his  works :  but  figure  and  metaphor,  together,  with  the 
language  of  fable,  are  the  mere  inventions  of  man,  which  took  their 
rise  when  the  divine  science  of  correspondences  began  to  be  lost  in 
the  world." — Preface  to  Hindmarsh's  translation  of  Swedenborg's 
Hieroglyphic  Key  to  NaUiral  and  Spiritual  Mysteries,  pp.  3-5. 

All  natural  things  exist  from  a  spiritual  origin,  and  all  things 
spiritual  from  a  divine  origin,  or  the  Lord.  The  human  body,  with 
all  its  parts  and  functions,  is  elaborated  from  the  soul,  its  faculties 
and  powers,  and  therefore  corresponds  to  it  in  every  particular  of  its 
structure,  form,  and  use.  So  the  whole  Universe  is  not  the  product 
of  an  immediate  and  direct  fiat  of  Omnipotence,  but  is  the  result  of 
a  series  of  spiritual  causes  and  divine  ends.  Hence  all  things  therein, 
even  to  the  most  minute  atoms,  are  correspondences ;  the  language  of 
which  is  intelligible  to  angels,  from  the  realities  with  which  they  are 
surrounded  corresponding  to  their  own  states  of  mind,  and  suggests 
to  the  enlightened  mind  spiritual  ideas.  Thus  correspondence  origi- 
nates in  the  very  nature  of  angels  and  of  God. 

"  Heaven,  in  the  Word,  in  the  internal  sense,  does  not  signify  the 
heaven  or  sky  which  is  apparent  to  the  eyes  of  the  body,  but  the 
kingdom  of  the  Lord  universally  and  particularly.  He  who  looks 
at  things  internal  from  those  that  are  external,  when  he  views  the 
heavens  or  sky,  does  not  think  at  all  of  the  starry  heaven,  but  of 
the  angelic  heaven ;  when  he  beholds  the  sun,  he  does  not  think  of 
the  sun,  but  of  the  Lord,  as  being  the  sun  of  heaven ;  and  so  when 
he  sees  the  moon,  and  the  stars  also ;  yea,  when  he  beholds  the  im- 
mensity of  the  heavens,  he  does  not  think  of  material  immensity,  but 
of  the  immense  and  infinite  power  of  the  Lord ;  so  also  in  other  in- 
stances, since  there  is  nothing  but  what  is  representative.  He  like- 
wise regards  earthly  objects  in  the  same  view  ;  thus,  when  he  beholds 
the  first  dawn  of  the  morning  light,  he  does  not  think  of  the  day- 
7 


74 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


dawn,  but  of  the  rise  of  all  things  from  the  Lord,  and  their  progres- 
sion to  the  full  day  of  wisdom ;  in  like  manner,  Avhen  he  looks  on 
gardens,  shrubberies,  and  beds  of  flowers,  his  eye  is  not  confined  to 
any  particular  tree,  its  blossom,  leaf,  or  fruit,  but  he  is  led  to  a  con- 
templation of  the  celestial  things  represented  by  them,  neither  does 
he  behold  only  the  flowers,  their  beauties  and  elegancies,  but  is  led 
to  regard  also  the  things  which  they  represent  in  the  other  life ;  for 
there  is  not  a  single  object  existing  in  the  sky  or  in  the  earth,  which 
is  beautiful  and  agreeable,  but  what  is  in  some  way  representative  of 
the  Lord's  kingdom.  The  ground  and  reason  why  all  things  in  the 
heavens  or  sky,  and  on  the  earth,  both  collectively  and  individually, 
are  representative,  is  because  they  originally  existed,  and  do  contin- 
ually exist,  that  is,  subsist  from  an  influx  of  the  Lord  through 
heaven.  The  case  in  this  I'espect  is  like  that  of  the  human  body, 
which  exists  and  subsists  by  its  soul ;  wherefore  all  things  in  the 
body,  both  collectively  and  individually,  are  representative  of  its 
soul :  the  soul  is  in  the  uses  and  ends  regarded,  but  the  body  is  in  the 
execution  of  such  uses  and  ends.  In  like  manner  all  effects  whatsoever 
are  representative  of  the  uses  which  are  their  causes ;  and  the  uses 
are  representative  of  the  ends  which  are  their  first  principles.  They 
who  are  in  divine  ideas  never  confine  their  sight  to  mere  external 
objects,  but  continually,  from  them  and  in  them,  beh;)ld  things  inter- 
nal ;  and  internal  things  are,  most  essentially,  those  of  the  Lord's 
kingdom  ;  consequently,  these  are  in  the  veriest  end  of  all.  The  case 
is  similar  in  regard  to  the  Word  of  the  Lord  :  they  who  are  in  divine 
ideas  never  regard  the  Word  of  the  Lord  from  the  letter,  but  con- 
sider the  letter  and  the  literal  sense,  as  representative  and  significative 
of  the  celestial  and  spiritual  things  appertaining  to  the  Church  and  to 
the  Lord's  kingdom.  With  them  the  literal  sense  is  only  an  instru- 
mental medium  of  leading  the  thoughts  to  such  objects." — A.  C.  1807. 

"  Everything  in  the  vegetable  kingdom  which  is  beautiful  and  orna- 
mental derives  its  origin  through  heaven  from  the  Lord ;  and  that, 
when  the  celestial  and  spiritual  things  of  the  Lord  flow  into  nature, 
such  objects  of  beauty  and  ornament  are  actually  exhibited,  and  that 
thence  proceeds  the  vegetative  soul  or  life.  Hence,  also,  come  repre- 
sentatives."—A.  C.  1632. 

The  invisible,  or,  as  many  philosophers  prefer  calling  it,  the  sub- 
jective world,  acts  within  or  upon  the  visible  or  objective  world ;  for 
everything  in  the  natural  universe,  as  we  have  shown,  continually 
subsists  as  an  efl'ect  terminating  in  some  use  by  means  of  influx  from 


DEFINED.— WITH  ILLUSTRATIVE  EXAMPLES. 


75 


what  corresponds  therewith  in  the  spiritual  world  as  its  efficient  cause ; 
it  is  thus  tlie  plane  or  resting-place  of  something  spiritual.  All  this 
admits  of  easy  illustration,  and  may  be  abundantly  confirmed.  For 
instance,  there  is  a  constant  influent  life  momentarily  derived  from 
the  Lord,  and  descending  from  the  soul  into  all  the  particular  mem- 
bers, viscera,  and  forms  of  structure,  however  miuute,  belonging  to  the 
body,  without  which  the  material  organization  would  soon  be  deranged, 
and  the  elements  composing  them  would  speedily  fall  to  pieces,  and  be 
dispersed.  Thus  there  is  an  exact  correspondence  established  by  cre- 
ation between  all  the  various  parts  and  functions  of  the  body,  and  the 
manifold  principles  and  faculties  of  the  soul  which  gave  them  existing 
forms  and  activities  in  the  natural  world,  and  may  be  said  for  a  time  to 
inhabit  them.  There  is,  for  example,  an  exact  correspondence  between 
the  organ  of  vision — the  eye,  its  structure,  and  its  use — and  the  men- 
tal eye  or  the  understanding  and  its  powers.  The  brilliancy  and  ear- 
nest gaze  of  the  eye  will  often  search  and  reveal  the  quality  of  inward 
thought  without  the  utterance  of  a  word,  or  where  the  speech  would 
be  ambiguous  (1  Sam.  xvi.  7 ;  Luke  xxii.  61). 

Here  the  tacit  operation  of  the  intellect  in  and  through  the  eye 
proves  that  there  exists  the  closest  correspondence  and  connection. 
Thus,  also,  what  light  is  to  the  natural  eye,  truth  is  to  the  under- 
standing ;  what  vision  is  to  the  eye,  perception  is  to  the  soul.  And  it 
is  common  in  all  languages,  for  those  who  know  nothing  of  the  divine 
science  of  which  we  are  treating,  whence  such  forms  of  expression 
were  originally  derived,  to  speak  of  insight,  of  seeing  and  not  seeing ; 
of  seeing  in  some  particular  light,  or  with  various  degrees  of  illumi- 
nation ;  of  blindness,  darkness,  shade,  and  brilliancy  in  reference  to 
intellectual  energy  and  rational  discernment. 

As  a  further  most  striking  elucidation,  there  exists  a  correspond- 
ence between  the  heart, — a  vital  organ  of  the  body,  its  physiologi- 
cal structure  and  its  multifarious  uses — and  the  human  will,  as  a 
vital  organ  of  the  soul,  with  its  complex  affections  and  its  compli- 
cated spiritual  uses,  for  the  will  is  the  more  immediate  seat  of  all 
spiritual  life ;  while  the  varied  forms  and  fiinctions  of  the  heart  as  to 
every  particular  correspond,  again,  to  the  spiritual  forms,  activities, 
and  offices  of  love.  As  the  heart  is  the  centre  of  all  motion  to  the 
vital  fluid  in  the  body,  so  the  will  is  the  centre  of  circulation  to  the 
soul  of  all  imvard  life.  As  the  heart  may  be  said  to  reign  through- 
out the  bodily  organs  by  its  proceeding  arteries  and  veins,  and  holds 
them  all  in  harmony,  so  the  will  by  its  ruling  desire  or  love,  and  its 


76 


THE  SCIEKCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES 


proceeding  derivative  vessels  of  affection  and  thought,  rules  within 
and  throughout  the  mind,  and  holds  all  mental  principles  in  unity 
there.  There  is  also  a  continuous  influence  flowing  from  the  will  into 
the  bodily  heart  which  proves  the  existence  of  a  correspondence. 
Excitements  of  the  passions  always  disturb,  more  or  less,  the  move- 
ments of  the  heart,  and  thence  influence  the  whole  body ;  and  just  so 
the  affections  of  the  mind  produce  changes  in  the  will,  and  thence  in 
the  life.  As  the  blood  is  perfected  in  the  heart,  and  there  acquires  its 
heat  and  vitality,  and  is  rendered  fit  for  its  important  purposes  in 
sustaining  the  whole  economy  of  the  body,  and  is  thence  by  the  suc- 
cessive expansion  and  contraction  of  its  muscular  walls,  impelled  in 
continual  and  health-restoring  streams  to  the  most  remote  extremi- 
ties of  the  human  frame,  so  it  is  in  regard  to  the  will.  In  that  recep- 
tacle of  life  within  the  mind,  the  living  affections  of  goodness  and 
truth  are  formed  in  the  regenerating  mind,  and  there  receive  heav- 
enly qualities ;  and  thence  by  action  and  reaction,  streams  of  divine 
life  can  flow  perpetually  forth  to  vivify  the  whole  spiritual  system. 
That  the  will-principle  is  always  signified  by  the  heart  in  the  Word, 
sometimes  in  a  good  sense  and  sometimes  in  an  opposite  serL?e,  must 
be  evident  to  every  intelligent  reader  of  those  numerous  passages 
where  the  heart  is  mentioned.  The  Lord,  who  alone  judgeth  right- 
eously because  He  knoweth  the  secrets  of  the  will,  says,  "  I  am  lie 
who  searcheth  the  reins  [or  kidneys]  and  hearts ;  and  I  will  give  unto 
every  one  of  you  according  to  your  works"  (Rev.  ii.  23).  The  Psalm- 
ist pra3's,  "Search  me  and  know  my  heart"  (Ps.  cxxxix.  23).  AVe 
read  of  an  "honest  heart"  and  an  "evil  heart;"  a  "double  heart"  and 
"singleness  of  heart;"  a  "fearful  heart"  and  a  "strong  heart;"  of  a 
"  hardened  heart "  and  a  "  liberal  heart ;"  of  a  "  broken  heart  "  and  a 
"glad,  joyful  heart ;"  of  an  "  impure  heart"  and  a  "  clean  heart ;"  a 
"heart  of  stone  "  and  a  "  heart  of  flesh ;"  of  a  "  willing  heart,"  of  an 
"understanding  heart,"  a  "proud  heart"  and  a  "lowly  heart," — ex- 
pressions which  can  only  relate  to  various  and  opposite  states  of  the 
will,  and  to  the  affections  and  thoughts  thence  derived. 

To  refer  again  to  common  forms  of  expression,  what  is  more  com- 
mon than  to  attribute  to  an  affectionate  friend  a  warm  heart,  and  to 
give  him  a  cordial  salutation.  This  mode  of  speaking  in  the  lan- 
guage of  correspondence,  derived  from  the  spiritual  signification  of 
the  bodily  organs,  in  reference  to  faculties  and  states  of  the  mind,  is 
univei-sal,  and  has  existed  in  all  ages.  To  a  sagacious  man  is  ascribed 
a  sharp  nose ;  to  an  acute  perception,  a  keen  eye.    This  important 


DEFINED.— 


WITH  ILLUSTRATIVE  EXAMPLES. 


77 


doctrine  is  still  further  exemplified  in  the  human  countenance,  in 
speech,  and  in  gesture.  How  frequently  is  it  observed,  and  how  easy 
is  it  to  prove,  that  the  face  is  the  index  of  the  mind ;  for  it  changes 
its  features  according  to  the  variations  of  inward  feeling;  and  the 
speech  and  gesture,  when  spontaneous,  are  always  outward  indications 
of  mental  states ;  for  the  mind,  except  where  dissimulation  is  prac- 
tised, always  flows  into  and  exhibits  itself  in  the  lineaments  of  the 
countenance,  Avhich  is  pleasing  or  displeasing,  gentle  or  fierce,  tran- 
quil or  agitated,  bold  or  timid,  as  the  mind  within  is  more  or  less  in- 
fluenced by  prevailing  passions ;  while  speech  is  the  form  of  active 
thought,  which  by  correspondence  floM's  into  its  tones  of  utterance, 
which  are  manifestations  of  the  feelings  and  gestures  which  are  ex- 
pressive of  the  desires  and  determinations  of  the  will.  Swedenborg 
treats  this  subject  with  his  usual  clearness  and  felicity  of  expression, 
where  he  writes  as  follows: — "All  things  pertaining  to  man,  whether 
internal  or  external,  correspond  to  heaven ;  the  universal  heaven, 
being  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord  as  one  man,  all  things  therein,  even 
to  the  most  minute  particular,  being  so  arranged  as  to  correspond  to 
whatever  belongs  to  man  "  (Ps.  xlv.  9  ;  Rev.  xxi.  9). 

"  The  whole  face,  where  the  sensories  of  the  sight,  the  smell,  the 
hearing,  and  the  taste  are  situated,  corresponds  to  the  affections  and 
thoughts  thence  derived  in  general ;  the  eyes  correspond  to  the  un- 
derstanding (Isa.  xxxiii.  17,  30) ;  the  nosti-ils  to  perception  (Gen.  ii. 
7) ;  the  ears  to  hearing  and  obedience  (Matt.  xi.  15) ;  and  the  taste, 
to  the  desire  of  knowing  and  becoming  wise  (Ps.  cxix.  103) ;  but  the 
forehead  corresponds  to  the  good  of  love,  Avhence  all  the  others  are 
derived,  for  it  constitutes  the  supreme  part  of  the  face ;  and  immedi- 
ately includes  the  front  and  primary  part  of  the  brain,  whence  are 
the  intellectual  things  of  man  "  (Ezek.  ix.  4).  From  these  considera- 
tions, it  is  evident  what  is  signified  by  the  servants  of  God  being  sealed 
in  their  foreheads  (Rev.  vii.  3),  namely,  that  "  it  is  to  be  in  the  good 
of  love  to  the  Lord  from  the  Lord,  and  thereby  to  be  distinguished 
and  separated  from  those  who  are  not  in  that  love"  (A.  E.  427). 
Thus  the  invisible  mind  is  visibly  and  distinctly  portrayed  and  em- 
blemized  in  the  forms  and  activities  of  the  body,  both  singly  and  col- 
lectively, because  there  exists  between  the  soul  and  its  material  frame 
the  strictest  correspondence. 

Now,  all  that  we  have  thus  endeavored  to  express  is  called  corre- 
spondence ;  for  the  abstract  principles  of  man's  mind  contained  in  his 
will  and  understanding  and  which  constitute  his  inner  world  or  life, 
7* 


78 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES 


being  conspicuously  represented  in  the  organs  of  the  body,  their  mo- 
tive powers,  and  their  active  uses  which  constitute  his  outer  world, 
there  is  a  mutual  correspondence  and  intercourse  between  them  as 
between  causes  and  their  effects ;  the  soul  is  exhibited  in  the  body  as 
its  true  image,  and  they  operate  as  one. 

But  what  correspondence  is,  and  what  influx,  shall  be  illustrated 
by  examples.  The  variations  of  the  face,  which  are  called  the  coun- 
tenance or  features,  correspond  to  the  affections  of  the  mind,  where- 
fore the  face  is  varied  as  to  its  features  as  the  affections  of  the  mind 
are  as  to  their  states :  those  variations  in  the  face  are  correspondences, 
consequently  also  the  face  itself,  and  the  action  of  the  mind  into  it, 
in  order  that  the  correspondences  may  be  exhibited,  is  called  influx. 
The  sight  of  man's  thought,  which  is  called  the  understanding,  cor- 
responds to  the  sight  of  the  eyes,  wherefore  also  from  the  light  and 
flame  of  the  eyes  appears  the  quality  of  the  thought  from  the  under- 
standing ;  the  sight  of  the  eye  is  correspondence,  consequently  also 
the  eye  itself  and  the  action  of  the  understanding  into  the  eye  whereby 
the  correspondence  is  exhibited,  is  influx.  The  active  thought  which 
is  of  the  understanding  corresponds  to  the  speech  which  is  of  the 
mouth ;  the  speech  is  correspondence  as  likewise  is  the  mouth  and 
everything  belonging  to  it,  and  the  action  of  thought  into  speech, 
and  into  the  organs  of  speech,  is  influx.  The  perception  of  the  mind 
corresponds  to  the  smell  of  the  nostrils ;  the  smell  and  the  nostrils  are 
correspondences  and  the  action  is  influx ;  hence  it  is  that  a  man  who 
has  interior  perception  is  said  to  be  of  an  acute  nostril,  or  of  quick 
scent,  and  the  perception  of  a  thing  is  expressed  by  scenting  or  smell- 
ing it  out.  Hearkening,  which  denotes  obedience,  corresponds  to  the 
hearing  of  the  ears,  wherefore  both  the  hearing  and  the  ears  are  cor- 
respondences, and  the  action  of  obedience  into  the  hearing,  in  order 
that  man  may  raise  the  ears,  or  listen  and  attend,  is  influx ;  hence  it 
is  that  hearkening  and  hearing  are  both  significative — to  hearken  and 
to  give  ear  to  any  one  denoting  to  obey,  and  to  hearken  and  hear  any 
one  denoting  to  hear  with  the  ears.  The  action  of  the  body  corre- 
sponds to  the  will ;  the  action  of  the  heart  corresponds  to  the  life  of 
the  love ;  and  the  action  of  the  lungs,  which  is  called  respiration, 
corresponds  to  the  life  of  the  faith  ;  and  the  whole  body  as  to  all  its 
members,  viscera,  and  organs,  corresponds  to  the  soul  as  to  all  the 
functions  and  power  of  its  life.  From  these  few  observations  it  may 
be  seen  what  is  meant  by  correspondence  and  by  influx,  and  that 
whilst  the  spiritual  principle,  which  is  the  life  of  man's  will  and 


DEFINED.— WITH  ILLUSTRATIVE  EXAMPLES.  79 


nnderstanding,  flows  into  the  acts  which  are  of  his  body,  and  exhibits 
itself  in  a  natural  effigy,  there  is  correspondence ;  and  that  thus  the 
spiritual  and  natural  by  correspondences  act  as  one,  like  interior  and 
exterior,  or  like  prior  and  posterior,  or  like  the  efficient  cause  and  the 
effect,  or  like  the  principal  cause  which  is  of  man's  thought  and  will, 
and  the  instrumental  cause  which  is  of  his  speech  and  action.  Such 
a  correspondence  of  natural  things  and  spiritual  exists  not  only  in  all 
and  singular  the  things  of  man,  but  also  in  all  and  singular  the  things 
of  the  world,  and  the  correspondences  are  exhibited  by  the  influx" 
of  the  spiritual  world,  and  all  things  appertaining  to  that  world,  into 
the  natural  Avorld,  and  all  things  appertaining  to  it.  Thus  all  the 
countless  organs  and  forms  of  the  body  with  their  numberless  uses 
typify,  signify,  or  correspond  to  the  endless  distinct  faculties  or  powers 
constituting  the  soul  and  mind  with  their  diversified  uses.  It  is  on 
account  of  this  correspondence  that  the  various  members  and  viscera 
of  the  human  frame  with  their  respective  operations  and  uses  are  so 
frequently  mentioned  in  the  Holy  Word,  both  in  regard  to  God  and 
the  soul  of  man,  in  reference  to  the  laws  of  worship  and  the  precepts 
of  life,  and  are  often  applied  to  inanimate  things,  where  it  is  evident 
that  mere  bodily  organs  cannot  possibly  be  meant.  Such  expressions, 
when  predicated  of  the  Lord,  not  only  refer  to  Him  as  in  Himself 
an  all-glorious  and  Divine  Man,  but  also  signify  some  distinct  qualities 
of  the  divine  mind,  and  operations  of  the  divine  energy  which  would 
otherwise  be  totally  incomprehensible.  Of  the  Lord  it  is  said  in 
Isa.  xi.  5,  "  Righteousness  shall  be  the  girdle  of  his  loins,  and  faith- 
fulness the  girdle  of  his  reins."  Here  the  prophet  is  speaking  of  the 
Lord's  manifested  form,  or  his  glorified  Human  Nature,  as  the  very 
divine  goodness  itself  and  truth  itself,  self-derived  and  sole-subsisting, 
and  from  which  the  church  in  heaven  and  on  earth  is  perpetually 
supplied  with  all  degrees  of  love  and  wisdom,  and  preserved  therein. 
And  in  Zech.  iv.  10,  to  signify  his  omnipresence  and  all-pervading 
Providence,  by  virtue  of  his  wisdom  and  understanding,  it  is  stated 
that  "  the  eyes  of  the  Lord  run  to  and  fro  through  the  whole  earth." 
In  the  same  sense  it  is  written  in  Psalm  xi.  4  that  "  His  eyes  behold 
and  his  eyelids  try  the  children  of  men,"  where  the  Lord's  eyes  and 
his  eyelids  denote  his  Divine  Providence  and  omniscience  and  intelli- 
gence, and  the  mediums  by  which  they  operate,  namely,  the  internal 
and  external  truths  and  doctrines  of  his  Word.    Elsewhere  we  have 


Influx  is  derived  from  the  Latin  word  ivfiuo,  to  inflow  or  flow  in. 


9 


80 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES 


frequent  mention  made  of  the  arm  or  hand  of  the  Lord,  to  signify 
his  divine  omnipotence,  as  in  the  following  passage :  "  He  had  horns 
coming  out  of  his  hand,  and  there  was  the  hiding  of  his  power  "  " 
(Hab.  iii.  4) ;  and  speaking  of  his  eternal  victories  over  death  and 
hell,  for  the  accomplishment  of  human  redemption,  obtained  by  the 
inherent  omnipotence  of  his  own  Divine  Human  Nature,  it  is  said  in 
the  Psalms  that  "  He  hath  done  marvellous  things ;  his  right  hand 
and  his  holy  arm  hath  gotten  Him  the  victory  "  (xcviii.  1). 

It  was  from  this  signification  of  the  hand  as  denoting  power,  and 
of  the  sense  of  touch  as  representing  communication,  translation,  and 
recejation  of  power  and  virtue,  that  the  Lord  laid  his  hands  upon  the 
sick  and  they  recovered ;  and  that  to  accomplish  special  uses  in  rela- 
tion to  ministerial  functions,  inaugurations  into  the  priesthood  of  the 
Jewish  dispensation  (Numb.  viii.  9-12),  and  also  into  the  ministry  of 
the  Christian  church,  from  its  very  first  commencement  (Acts  iv.  3 ; 
viii.  19 ;  xiii.  3 ;  1  Tim.  v.  22),  were  effected  as  divine  order  requires 
by  the  imposition  of  hands.  This  act  bears  the  same  signification 
elsewhere  in  the  Word,  as  in  the  act  of  blessing,  and  on  other  occa- 
sions (Numb,  xxvii.  18-23 ;  Matt.  x\'ii.  7  ;  Mark  v.  23 ;  Rev.  i.  17). 

When  Moses,  Aaron,  and  the  elders  of  Israel  have  a  representative 
vision  of  the  Lord  to  signify  that  He  manifests  himself  to  the  per- 
ceptions of  his  true  church  by  means  of  his  Holy  Word,  it  is  said 
that  "  they  saw  the  God  of  Israel,  and  there  was  under  his  feet,  as 
it  were,  a  paved  work  of  a  sapphire-stone,  and  as  it  Avere  the  body  of 
heaven  in  its  clearness  "  (Exod.  xxiv.  9-11).  AVe  read  also  of  the 
Lord's  heart  to  denote  his  divine  will,  purpose,  or  love  (Isa.  Ixiii.  4 ; 
Matt.  xi.  29) ;  of  his  head,  to  signify  his  infinite  wisdom  and  intelli- 
gence, by  which  He  governs  all  worlds ;  and  of  the  hair  of  his  head, 
to  denote  the  ultimate  energies  of  his  Divine  Providence,  by  which 
the  lowest  and  vilest  of  the  human  family  may  be  saved  (Rev.  i.  14). 
To  represent  the  omnipotence  of  truth  from  the  Lord,  in  its  ultimate 
or  lowest  activity,  destroying  and  dissii)ating  all  the  false  persuasions 
of  that  self-righteousness  which  disclaims  the  need  of  purity  or  cir- 


«"Thehandisthechief  instrument  of  ex-  mon  acceptation,  for  the  conveyance  of 
erting  our  strenglli,  and  is,  therefore,  very  these  common  ideas.  Agreeably  to  these 
properly  used  to  denote  the  power  of  God."  we  are  to  understand  the  terms  when  np- 
— Howard's  Comp.  for  the  FestivaU  and  Fasls  plied  by  Jehovah  to  Himself.  By  his  arm, 
of  lite.  Cli.  of  Eng.,  17G1,  p.  129.  ^  then,  we  are  to  understand  the  exient  of  his 

"  The  ann  and  the  Annfi  are  natural  terms,  power,  as  his  slrclclird-oul  ni-m,  or  infinite 
when  applied  to  the  ability  of  a  man,  whicli  ,  might,  reaches  to  all  things."— Ser/e's  Hor. 
express  his  capacity  or  readiness  of  power,  i  Sol.,  p.  139. 
.  .  .  These  are  figurative  expressions  cf  com- 1 


DEFINED.— WITH  ILLUSTRATIVE  EXAMPLES. 


81 


cumcision  of  heart,  we  are  supplied  with  the  historical  relation  of 
.  Samson,  the  Nazarite,  whose  prodigious  strength  is  said  to  have 
resided  in  his  hair,  slaying  the  Philistines,  emphatically  called  the 
uncircumcised  (Judges  xvi.  17).  In  the  life  of  real  religion,  which 
revealed  truth  teaches  and  enjoins,  and  which  is  exemplified  in  the 
ordinary  duties  of  the  Christian  life,  lies  this  only  real  sjiiritual 
strength  and  security.  This  alone  conjoins  man  to  the  infinite  source 
I  of  all  power.  On  the  preservation  of  his  hair,  according  to  his  vows, 
his  strength  is  said  to  rest.  Shorn  of  this — disjointed  from  omnipo- 
tence— his  vows  broken,  and  he  is  but  weak  and  defenceless,  like  any 
other  unregenerate  man.  In  the  highest  sense  Samson  was  a  type  of 
the  Lord  as  the  great  Redeemer  or  Deliverer  of  the  human  race  from 
death  and  hell,  and  his  hair  will  represent  the  manifestation  of  the 
power  of  truth  in  the  life  and  conduct  of  his  professing  church.  That 
power  is  feeble  or  strong  to  accomplish  the  divine  purposes  in  propor- 
tion as  men  live  in  obedience  to  the  truths  of  his  Word.  Hence,  too, 
we  see  the  reason  why  calling  the  prophet  Elisha,^*  who  represented 
the  Lord  and  his  Word,  "  bald  head  "  "  was  blasphemy  of  the  deepest 
dye,  while  the  sjiiritual  punishment  of  such  impiety  which  the  daring 
blasphemer  thus  induces  upon  himself,  though  it  appears  to  his  dis- 
ordered imagination  as  the  infliction  of  divine  vengeance,  is  exactly 
represented  in  the  destruction  of  the  "  forty  and  two  children  "  by  the 
"  two  she-bears  out  of  the  wood  "  { 2  Kings  ii.  23).  How  interesting 
and  instructive  do  these  narratives  become  when  they  are  expounded 
in  every  divine  particular  related ! 

In  Ezekiel's  prophecy  we  read,  "  I,  the  Lord  God,  will  take  away 
the  stony  heart  out  of  your  flesh,  and  will  give  you  a  heart  of  flesh  " 
(xxxvi.  26),  where  a  stony  heart  signifies  a  hardened  will,**  insensible 
to  good  impressions ;  for  flesh,  in  this  and  many  other  passages,  signi- 
fies goodness,  which  is  the  reason  why  the  Lord  says  He  gives  us  his 
flesh  to  eat  that  we  may  have  eternal  life  (John  vi.  54) ;  and  the 


♦*  Elisha  means  in  English  the  salvation  of 
God. 

<5  "  Bald-head  is  an  epithet  of  scorn  and 
contempt  still  used  in  the  East,  and  is 
given  to  those  who  are  weak  or  mean, 
whether  they  have  hair  on  the  head  or  not. 
Hence,  tlie  epithet  has  often  been  applied  to 
Christian  missionaries." — Roperls's  Oriental 
lUusL.  2d  ed.,  p.  214. 

In  the  spiritual  sense,  it  signifies  a  destitu- 
tion of  the  ullimales  of  religion,  and  is  a  term 
Of  reproach  justly  appUed  to  all  who  make 


the  truth  of  God  and  a  moral  life  subservi- 
ent to  selfish  purposes,  and  who  abound  in 
self-conceit. 

<«.See  Dr.  Rice's  excellent  and  interesting 
work,  UltistrcUions  of  Physiology.  Boston,  U. 
S.,  18.51. 

"  The  instruments  or  organs  [of  the  body] 
constitute  the  media  of  communication  be- 
tween the  world  without  and  the  world 
within,  the  material  creation  and  tlie  spirit- 
ual."—Dr.  G.  Moore's  Power  of  the  Soul  over 
the  Body,  2d  ed.,  p.  35. 


82 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES 


heart,  being  the  centre  of  vitality,  corresponds  to  the  inmost  and 
central  affections  of  the  will.  In  the  Psalms  it  is  said,  "  I  wiU  bless 
the  Lord,  who  hath  given  me  counsel ;  my  reins  also  instruct  [cor- 
rect] me  in  the  night  seasons"  (xvi.  7),  where  the  reins,  or  kidneys, 
of  which  chastisement  is  here  predicated,  signify  the  things  which 
relate  to  faith  and  the  intellect,  or  faculty  of  receiving  them.  For, 
as  the  reins  in  the  animal  economy  serve  the  important  office  of 
purifying  the  vital  fluids,  so  the  truths  of  faith,  or  truths  internally 
believed,  when  practically  applied  in  the  great  Avork  of  man's  regen- 
eration, search  and  explore,  correct  and  purify,  all  thmgs  of  his  mind 
and  life,  insomuch  that  without  them  the  mind  and  life  cannot  be 
examined,  corrected,  and  purified  aright.  This  process  of  casting 
out  evil  affections  and  unclean  thoughts  takes  place  in  the  night  of 
trial  and  temptation,  and  appears  as  a  punishment  till  the  morning 
of  a  new  state  of  deliverance  and  joy  arises  upon  the  grateful  soul, 
as  it  is  written :  "  Behold,  thou  desirest  truth  in  the  inward  parts,  and 
in  the  hidden  part  thou  shalt  make  me  to  know  Avisdom  "  (Ps.  li.  8)  ; 
and  again :  "  Oh  let  the  wickedness  of  the  wicked  come  to  an  end, 
but  establish  the  just ;  for  the  righteous  God  trieth  the  hearts  and 
reins"  (Ps.  vii.  9).  The  Lord  also  thus  reproves  his  people  by  the 
prophet  Jeremiah,  for  the  mere  external  or  lip  profession  of  the  truth 
of  religion  or  of  faith,  without  allowing  it  to  search  out  and  correct 
the  inward  evils  and  impurities  of  their  hearts  and  thoughts :  "  Thou 
art  near  in  their  mouth,  and  far  from  their  reins  "  (xii.  2). 

Again :  in  the  gospel  of  ]\Iatthew  we  read  that  the  Lord  said  to 
his  disciples,  "  Wherefore,  if  thy  hand  or  foot  offend  thee  [literally, 
from  the  Greek,  caujse  thee  to  offend'],  cut  them  off  and  cast  them  from 
thee :  it  is  better  for  thee  to  enter  into  life  halt  or  maimed,  rather 
than  having  two  hands  or  two  feet  to  be  cast  into  everlasting  fire. 
And  if  thine  eye  ofl^end  thee,  pluck  it  out  and  cast  it  from  thee :  it 
is  better  for  thee  to  enter  into  life  with  one  eye,  rather  than  having 
two  eyes  to  be  cast  into  hell  fire  "  (xviii.  8,  9).  In  this  extraordinary 
passage,  which  the  science  of  correspondences  can  alone  unfold,  the 
hands,  as  the  chief  instruments  of  physical  energy  and  the  ultimate 
of  action,  denote  ability ;  the  feet,  as  the  organs  of  locomotion  and 
the  support  for  the  whole  frame,  denote  the  natural  or  lowest  proper- 
ties of  the  mind  ;  and  the  eyes,  or  organs  of  vision,  signify  the  intel- 
lectual powers.  Now  we  are  elsewhere  exhorted  to  have  "  a  single 
eye  and  a  single  heart,"  and  the  reason  is  plain,  because,  as  with  the 
body,  if  the  sight  be  not  directed  to  the  object  before  the  eyes  with 


DEFINED.— VriTH  ILLUSTRATIVE  EXAMPLES. 


83 


singleness  of  energy,  two  objects  appear  where  there  should  be  only 
one,  and  the  view  is  consequently  bewildered :  so  with  the  mind  ;  if  its 
purpose  be  not  direct  and  single,  it  is  distracted  with  the  two  discordant 
views  of  seeking  human  applause  and  of  trying  to  appear  well  with 
God.  And  singleness  of  heart  is  of  necessity  connected  with  single- 
ness of  sight,  inasmuch  as  a  single  and  direct  view  of  subjects  is  the 
result  of  singleness  of  affection,  just  as  surely  as  a  double  and  indirect 
view  follows  from  discordant  feelings.  When,  therefore,  any  evil  or 
false  principles  in  the  natural  mind  are,  by  the  presence  of  truth, 
made  manifest  as  the  cause  of  our  offending  against  the  holy  princi- 
ples of  the  Word,  we  are  to  renounce  them  and  cast  them  from  us, 
for  how  much  better  is  it  for  us  to  enter  into  eternal  life  "  halt  or 
maimed,"  that  is,  imperfectly  instructed  and  struggling  under  the 
effects  of  ignorance,  rather  than,  after  being  well  instructed,  having 
the  form  of  godliness,  but,  as  the  Apostle  says,  "  denying  the  power  " 
(2  Tim.  iii.  5), — a  hand,  a  foot,  au  eye  devoted  to  the  world  and  self, 
while  the  other  is  ostensibly  in  the  service  of  religion.  Such  double- 
minded  conduct  assuredly  renders  man  a  miserable  hypocrite  here,  and 
obnoxious,  hereafter,  to  the  self-inflicted  punishments  of  "  hell-fire,"  or 
the  burning  torments  of  evil  affections  thus  rendered  more  furious  for 
having  been  smothered  in  this  Avorld. 

Again :  in  Jeremiah  it  is  said,  "  Behold,  their  ear  is  uncircumcised, 
and  they  cannot  hearken  "  (vi.  10),  to  signify  that  unwillingness  to 
learn  and  obey  the  principles  of  divine  truth,  which  arises  from  im- 
purity of  heart.  Hearkening  denotes  readiness  to  obey,  even  in  the 
ordinary  language  of  men ;  therefore  many  of  the  statutes  of  Israel 
had  especial  reference  to  the  ear,  and  the  Lord  also  ft-equently  and 
solemnly  said  at  the  commencement  or  conclusion  of  his  divine  in- 
structions, "  Who  hath  ears  to  hear,  let  him  hear  "  (Matt.  xiii.  9)  ;  and 
again,  "  Let  these  sayings  sink  down  into  your  ears  "  (Luke  ix.  44). 
An  unwillingness  to  be  instructed  in  the  divine  truth,  and  a  disincli- 
nation to  obedience,  arising  from  evil  lusts  cherished  in  the  will,  is 
thus  described  in  the  language  of  correspondence  by  the  prophet : 
"  To  whom  shall  I  speak,  and  give  warning,  that  they  may  hear  ? 
Behold,  their  ear  is  uncircumcised,  and  they  cannot  hearken ;  behold, 
the  word  of  the  Lord  is  unto  them  a  reproach ;  they  have  no  delight 
in  it "  ( Jer.  vi.  10).  "  They  hearkened  not  unto  me,  nor  inclined  their 
ear,  but  hardened  their  neck :  they  did  worse  than  their  fathers " 
(lb.,  vii.  26).  But  turn  to  the  Psalms,  where  the  exultation  of  the 
heart  is  described,  where  divine  blessings  are  received  and  acknowl- 


84 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


edged,  and  where  the  life  and  joy  which  animate  the  mind,  internally 
and  externally,  when  it  becomes  receptive  of  faith  and  charity,  are 
the  subjects  treated  of,  and  where  every  term  has  its  peculiar  and 
distinct  meaning,  we  read,  "  Let  the  floods  clap  their  hands ;  let  the 
hills  be  joyful  together  before  the  Lord  "  (xcviii.  8,  9)  ;  "  The  moun- 
tains skipped  like  rams,  and  the  little  hills  like  lambs"  (cxiv.  6) ;  " The 
voice  of  the  Lord  maketh  the  cedars  to  skip  like  a  calf ;  Lebanon  and 
Sirion  like  a  young  unicorn  "  (xxix.  6).  Who  can  interpret  these, 
and  a  multitude  of  similar  passages  in  the  Sacred  Word,  in  their 
merely  literal  sense  ?  What  enlightened  mind  does  not  see  that  the 
various  parts  and  motions  of  the  human  body  are  in  these  instances 
employed  as  significant  figures,  because,  Avhen  viewed  in  connection 
with  their  uses,  they  precisely  correspond  Avith  properties  and  states 
of  the  mind?  .To  affirm,  as  some  have  done,  that  these  and  similar 
expressions  are  mere  ornamental  types  and  oriental  figures,  is  to  re- 
gard them  as  designed  only  to  amuse  the  imagination,  and  is  almost 
equivalent  to  a  denial  of  their  inspiration  and  solemn  verity. 


CHAPTER  YIL 


The  Science  of  Correspondences  not  a  Speculative  and  Visionary 
Theory,  but  an  Absolute  Reality. — Illustrations  from  Opposites, 
and  various  other  Subjects. — The  Objects  for  which  the  Word  of 
God  was  Revealed  only  An.swered  by  the  Admission  of  its  Inter- 
nal Sense,  which  alone  Distinguishes  it  from  all  other  Compo- 
sitions, AND  Reconciles  its  Apparent  Contradictions. — Universality 
OF  this  Divine  Science,  and  the  Necessity  that  Exists  for  the 
Word  being  Written  according  to  it. 

THIS  doctrine  of  the  structure  of  the  "Word  of  God — this  law 
by  which  it  must  of  necessity  be  expounded,  in  order  to  yield 
throughout  its  sacred  pages  "  instruction  and  correction  in  righteous- 
ness "  —  is  no  speculative  or  visionary  theory,  as  some  have  errone- 
ously supposed,  but  a  truly  consistent,  luminous,  and  universal  method 
of  interpretation.  It  may  be  trusted  without  hesitation,  because  it 
is  founded  on  the  immutable  basis  of  eternal  truth, — on  the  ever- 
enduring  laws  of  divine  order,  on  the  unalterable  relation  which  all 
created  objects  have  to  their  Creator,  and  which  all  external  objects 
have  to  internal  realities. 

Correspondences  are  the  only  forms  which  can  contain  the  living 
truths  of  God  and  heaven,  convey  them  into  the  inmost  depths  of  the 
soul,  and  impress  them  permanently  there.  They  are  universally 
understood ;  they  exist  alike  in  all  times  and  under  all  circumstances ; 
they  are  more  or  less  enshrined  in  all  languages,  and  are  equally 
obvious  to  all.  "Whatsoever  anywhere  appears  in  the  universe," 
says  Swedenborg,  "  is  representative  of  the  Lord's  kingdom,  insomuch 
that  there  is  not  anything  contained  in  the  universal  atmospheric 
region  of  the  stars,  or  in  the  earth  and  its  three  kingdoms,  but  what 
in  its  manner  and  measure  is  representative ;  for  all  and  singular  the 
things  in  nature  are  ultimate  images,  inasmuch  as  from  the  Divine 
[principle]  proceed  the  celestial  things  appertaining  to  good,  and  from 
these  celestial  things  the  spiritual  things  appertaining  to  truth,  and 
from  both  the  former  and  the  latter  proceed  natural  things.  Hence 
it  may  appear  how  gross,  yea,  how  terrestrial,  and  also  inverted, 
8  85 


86 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES 


human  reason  is,  which  ascribes  all  and  singular  things  to  nature 
separate  or  exempt  from  influx  prior  to  itself,  or  from  the  efiicient 
cause.  .  .  .  Inasmuch,  now,  as  all  and  singular  things  subsist  from 
the  Divine  [principle],  that  is,  continually  exist,  and  all  and  singular 
things  thence  derived  must  needs  be  representative  of  those  things 
whereby  they  had  existence,  it  follows,  that  the  visible  universe  is 
nothing  but  a  theatre  representative  of  the  Lord's  kingdom,  and 
that  this  latter  is  a  theatre  representative  of  the  Lord  Himself." — 
A.  C.  3483. 

All  terms  are  of  necessity  modified  by  the  sense  of  the  connection 
as  well  as  by  the  imperfection  of  languages.  The  same  term  is  often 
used  in  the  Holy  Word  as  the  translation  of  two  or  even  more  distinct 
words ;  and,  on  the  other  hand,  several  words  are  often  used  to  trans- 
late a  single  expression.  A  single  Avord  in  the  original  may  have  two 
or  more  significations,  either  to  be  determined  by  the  context  or 
dependent  on  the  subject  treated  of  and  indicated,  sometimes,  only 
in  the  most  trifling  difference  in  the  form  of  the  word,  or  in  the  use 
of  particles  and  expletives.  Many  words  and  their  modifications,  in 
the  Hebrew,  Greek,  and  Latin,  have  no  corresponding  terms  or  forms 
of  expression  in  any  modern  tongue.  These  niceties  in  the  original 
sometimes  occasion  perplexity  to  the  reader  of  Swedenborg,  and  give 
to  correspondence  the  appearance  of  being  an  arbitrary  and  uncertain 
science,  which,  of  coui-se,  cannot  be  wholly  removed  without  some 
knowledge  of  the  original  languages  themselves.  Nice  distinctions 
in  the  original  are  not  always  capable  of  transferrence  into  other 
languages." 

The  ancient  Hebrew  is  not  only  the  oldest,  but  the  most  significant 
language  known,  and  was  peculiarly  appropriate  to  the  purpose  of 
enshriuiug  the  science  of  correspondences  in  the  earlier  ages  of  the 
world.  The  roots  of  several  of  the  Semitic  languages,  such  as  the 
Arabic,  Syriac,  Chaldaic,  etc.,  are  so  closely  assimilated  to  the  Hebrew 

«"I  find  that  the  same  object  preaches  I  a  symbol  of  contrary  spiritual  mysteries." — 
truths  of  an  opposite  nature  by  the  medium  //.  Move's  Cab.  Dcf.,  p.  2o9. 
of  the  same  symbol.  This,  however,  can  "  The  same  qualities,  infinitely  good  and 
create  no  confusion,  because  the  context  perfect  in  God,  may  become  imperfect  and 
will  always  determine  in  what  light  the  I  en/ in  the  creature ;  because  in  the  creature, 
symbol  is  to  be  considered.  But  if  you  care-  being  limited  and  finite,  they  may  bo  divided 
fully  consider  the  human  world,  you  will  |  and  separated  from  one  another  by  the  crea- 
fiiid  the  same  ambiguity  in  men's  actions.  [  ture  itself.  There  is  no  evil,  no  guilt,  no  de- 
For  the  same  outward  expression  springs  |  formity.  in  any  creature,  but  in  its  dividing 
frequently  from  opposite  motives."— £s«i!/«  i  and  «7)aro/in<7  itself  from  something  which 


on  Universal  Ancdogxj  between  the  Satural  and 
Spiritual  Worlds,  p.  32. 
"  One  and  the  same  natural  thing  may  be 


God  had  given  to  be  in  union  with  it,"— 
Law's  Appecd,  pp.  24,  41. 


NOT  A  FAKCIFUL  OR  VISIONARY  THEORY. 


87 


as  often  to  throw  considerable  light  on  Hebrew  words  and  phrases, 
and  to  confirm  their  signification. 

Correspondences  are  grounded  in  use,  representatives  in  rituals  of 
religion  and  human  operations,  and  significatives  in  what  is  uttered 
or  written ;  the  w'hole,  however,  having  the  same  ground  of  meaning, 
is  included  in  the  phrase  we  have  so  often  used  —  the  science  of  cor- 
respondences. Now,  it  will  be  seen  at  once,  that,  as  all  good  things 
are  liable  to  abuse  through  the  perversion  of  reason,  and  may  be 
applied  to  evil  as  well  as  good  purposes,  so  the  correspondence,  the 
representation  or  the  signification  will  change,  and  the  object  or 
expression  which  in  a  good  sense  denotes  something  good  or  true,  or 
some  spiritual  blessing,  will,  when  referring  to  or  describing  a  per- 
verted state,  denote  something  evil  or  false,  or  some  blessing  changed 
to  a  curse ;  for,  "  If  ye  will  not  hear,  and  if  ye  will  not  lay  it  to  heart, 
to  give  glory  unto  my  name,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts,  I  will  even  send 
a  curse  upon  you,  and  I  will  cui-se  your  blessings"  (Mai.  ii.  2). 

When  this  law  of  correspondence,  radiant  with  celestial  lustre,  is 
applied  to  those  Scriptures  which  constitute  the  perfect  Word  of  God, 
they  exhibit  one  harmonious  scheme  of  profound  wisdom,  reflecting 
the  Divine  Mind  of  its  glorious  Author,  and  worthy  of  his  infinite 
intelligence  and  goodness;  one  connected  series  of  beautiful,  prac- 
tical, vital,  everlasting  truths,  suited  to  the  endless  progress  of  the 
soul  in  the  life  of  heaven.  It  is  indeed  "  the  key  of  knowledge " 
(Luke  xi.  52),  which  can  alone  unlock  the  cabinet  which  contains  the 
priceless  gems  of  truth,  glowing  with  innumerable  splendors,  derived 
from  the  pure  and  precious  wisdom  of  God, — the  doctrines  and  pre- 
cepts of  eternal  life.  This  mode  of  interpreting  the  Holy  Oracles  is 
as  widely  different  from  what  has  been  called  "  spiritualizing  "  as  the 
substance  is  from  its  shadow.  The  mere  spiritualizer  forces  his  own 
imaginary,  and  often  extravagant,  meaning  on  Scriptural  terms  and 
phrases  to  suit  some  ingenious  notion  fabricated  in  the  realms  of  lux- 
uriant fancy ;  interchanging  and  commingling  the  subjective  and  the 
objective ;  capriciously  changing  the  sense,  whenever  it  suits  his  pur- 
pose, and,  in  his  futile  attempts  to  expound  the  Word  of  God,  pro- 
fanes the  truth  instead  of  unfolding  it.*^    He  has  not  been  unaptly 


*^  "  To  most  educated  persons  in  the  nine- 
teenth century,  these  [spiritualistic  and  arbi- 
trary] applications  of  Scripture  appear  fool- 
ish. In  whatever  degree  [this  mode  of  inter- 
pretation] is  practised,  it  is  equally  incapable 
of  being  reduced  to  any  rule.  It  is  the  inter- 


preter's fancy,  and  is  likely  to  be  not  less, 
but  more,  dangerous  and  extravagant  when 
it  adds  the  charm  of  authority  from  its  use 
in  past  ages.  In  it  we  assume  what  can 
never  be  proved,  and  an  instrument  is  intro- 
duced of  such  subtlety  and  pliability  as  to 


88 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES 


represented  as  on  a  deep  and  mighty  ocean,  without  a  star  to  guide, 
a  compass  to  direct,  or  a  helm  to  regulate  his  course.  The  science  of 
correspondences  is  the  very  reverse  of  all  this,  for  it  rests,  as  we  have 
endeavored  to  show,  on  fixed  data,  on  unchanging  laws.  The  same 
word,  or  expression,  or  phrase,  in  the  same  connection,  always  bearing 
the  same  spiritual  signification,  or  its  opposite,  wherever  it  occurs  in 
the  plenarily-inspired  books  of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments.  Were 
it  otherwise,  the  meaning  would  be  arbitrary,  uncertain,  and  val- 
ueless. 

As  men,  by  virtue  of  their  freedom,  are  capable  of  perverting  the 
richest  blessings  into  curses,  of  profaning  the  holiest  truths  by  falsi- 
fying them  and  connecting  them  with  evils  of  heart  and  life,  of 
abusing  as  well  as  using  God's  best  gifts,  so  numerous  opposites  exist 
in  creation,  and  conformably  therewith  there  are  many  expressions 
and  phrases  in  the  Word  Avhich  are  the  reverse  of  each  other,  as  light 
and  darkness,  day  and  night,  life  and  death,  heat  and  cold,  summer 
and  winter,  clean  and  unclean  animals,  useful  and  noxious  vegetation, 
fruitful  and  barren  trees  and  land.**  And  we  may  easily  see  how 
such  perversion  originates  and  operates  in  the  human  mmd,  for,  as 
unclean  and  voracious  animals  may  be  supported  by  the  same  kind 
of  food,  or  as  wholesome  and  poisonous  vegetables  may  grow  in  the 
same  soil,  receiving  the  same  rays  of  heat  and  light  from  the  sun,  but 


make  the  Scriptures  mean  anything, — 'Cal- 
lus in  campanili,'  as  the  Waldenses  de- 
scribed it;  the  weathercock  on  the  church- 
tower,  which  is  turned  hither  and  thither  by 
every  wind  of  doctrine." — Jowelt's  Essays  and 
Keviews,  9th  ed.,  pp.  369-398. 

The  richest  specimen  of  this  fanciful,  in- 
genious, but  altogether  uncertain  method 
of  expounding  the  Holy  Word,  I  probably 
ever  met  with,  is  an  elaborate  volume  entitled 
"Moses  rnveiled,"  by  William  Guild,  Minis- 
ter of  the  Parish  of  King  Edward,  Edin- 
burgh. 

"  An  unlicensed  imagination  has  produced 
disastrous  effects  in  the  interpretation  of 
Scripture." — Daindson's  Hnmeneiitics,  p.  10. 

For  absurd  specimens  of  this  kind  of  in- 
terpretation, see  Bright.  Gumming.  Walks- 
Icy,  and  other  commentators'  expositions  of 
the  Book  of  Revelation,  Bishop  Marsh's  I^ec- 
turct:,  p.  369-37.5.  and  Dr.  A.  Clarke's  Letter  to 
a  Methodist  Preaeher,  in  which  this  ingenious 
trifling  with  the  Holy  Word,  not  to  say  prof- 
anation of  its  sacred  truths,  is  well  ex- 
posed. 

"That  the  spiritual  interpretation  of  the 


Scriptures,  like  all  other  good  things,  is  lia- 
ble to  abuse,  and  that  it  hath  been  actually 
abused,  both  in  ancient  and  modern  ages, 
cannot  be  denied."  "  Men  of  sense  will 
consider  that  a  principle  is  not.  therefore, 
to  be  rejected  because  it  is  abused,"  (liishop 
Ilunl's  Int.  to  Proph.,  p.  64,)  "since  human 
errors  can  never  invalidate  the  truths  of 
God."— Bishop  Home's  Pre/,  to  the  Psalms,  p. 
viii.,  new  cd.,  1830. 

Augustine  appears  to  have  had  a  cor- 
rect idea  on  this  subject.  He  says  in  his  De 
r>oc.  Chris.,  iii.  S.\  t.  iii.,  pars,  i.,  42  I),  "  The 
same  thing  may  sometimes  stand  for  con- 
traries, here  in  a  good  sense,  there  in  a  posi- 
tively bad  one ; "  and  he  instances  the  leaven 
of  the  Pharisees,  and  the  leaven  of  the  par- 
able; the  lion,  and  the  serpent. — See  Tracts 
for  the  Times,  Ixxxix.,  p.  1T4. 

"  Adam,  one  while,  is  the  spiritual  or  in- 
tellectual man ;  another  while,  the  earthly 
and  carnal." — H.  More's  Philosoph.  Writings, 
p.  176,  London,  1662. 

'•  Cabalistical  appellatives  stand  for  bad  as 
well  as  good  meaning." — Maclean's  Hist,  qf 
the  Celtic  Language,  p.  267. 


NOT  A  FANCIFUL  OR  VISIONARY  THEORY. 


89 


according  to  their  own  peculiar  nature  and  quality,  so  the  wicked  and 
the  good  among  men  alike  receive  the  divine  influences  of  love  and 
wisdom  from  God  ;  but  as  the  unclean  animals  and  poisonous  vege- 
tables change  the  respective  elements  on  which  they  live  into  their 
own  corresponding  natures,  so  the  wicked  pervert  the  heavenly  gifts, 
and  change  them,  so  to  speak,  into  their  contraries,  or  the  opposite 
qualities  of  hell.  For  the  Lord  is  no  respecter  of  persons :  "  He 
maketh  his  sun  to  rise  on  the  evil  and  on  the  good,  and  sendeth  rain 
on  the  just  and  on  the  unjust"  (Matt.  v.  45).  When  the  prophet, 
therefore,  is  deploring  the  perversity  of  Israel,  he  says,  "  Ye  have 
turned  judgment  into  gall,  and  the  fruit  of  righteousness  into  hem- 
lock" (Amos  vi.  12). 

All  good  natural  objects  in  the  universe,  and  their  uses,  exist  from 
the  Lord ;  they  are  the  outbirths  and  infinitely  varied  forms  of  his 
love  and  wisdom ;  but  alP"  noxious  things  and  uses  originate  in 
evil,  and  are  the  opposite  perverted  forms  of  goodness  and  truth ; 
hence,  according  to  their  peculiar  qualities  and  properties,  they  are 
malignant  and  destructive,  filthy  and  poisonous.  All  things  must 
have  had  their  origin  in  the  spiritual  Avorld  by  corresponding  influx, 
either  through  heaven  or  hell,  into  Avhat  is  homogeneous,  while  their 
forms  and  uses  derive  fixity  and  existence  in  the  world  of  nature.^^ 

Whatever  is  accordant  with  the  Divine  Will,  corresponds  to  or 
represents  or  signifies  somewhat  relating  to  heaven,  or  just  order ;  and 
Avhatever  is,  from  any  cause,  contrary  thereto,  exists  of  Divine  per- 
mission, and  corresponds  to  or  represents  or  signifies  somewhat  relat- 
ing to  hell,  or  perverted  order.  Whatever  relates  to  heaven  has 
relation  also  to  goodness  and  truth  in  the  human  mind  and  life,  and 
whatever  relates  to  hell  has  relation  to  evil  and  falsity  in  the  mind 
and  life.  The  Word,  in  its  literal  sense,  is  designed  for  the  use  of 
man  while  in  this  world,  or  in  a  merely  natural  state  ;  and  man,  while 
in  this  probationary  state  of  existence,  is  placed  midAvay  between 
heaven  and  hell,  so  as  to  be  the  subject  of  the  influence  of  each  alike. 
Here  is  the  ground  of  his  freedom  and  his  capacity  for  regeneration ; 
hence  arises  antagonism  in  nature  and  the  mind,  and  hence,  too,  the 
opposite  meanings  of  the  same  term  in  different  parts  of  Scripture, 
referring  to  and  adumbrating  the  antagonistic  principles  and  states 


'oSee  Gen.  i.  4;  viii.  22;  Lev.  xi.  47;  Ps. 
cvii.  33-35 ;  Ezek.  xliv.  23. 

"  "  Such  is  the  analogy  between  the  spirit- 
ual and  material  world,  that  transactions 
8* 


of  the  highest  importance  in  the  former 
pass  on  and  express  themselves  in  the  lat- 
ter, so  as  to  become  the  objects  even  of  sense." 
—Heylin,  Led.  I.,  p.  36. 


90 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES 


of  the  Church  collectively,  or  the  man  of  the  Church  indiyid- 
ually.*' 

As  another  illustration,  a  mountain,  as  being  one  of  the  most  ele- 
vated portions  of  the  earth's  surface,  corresponds  to  an  exalted  or 
inmost  principle  of  the  mind,  thus  to  some  ruling  affection  of  the 
heart.  This  may  be  either  good  or  evU.  If  good,  it  is  "  Mount 
Zion,  the  mountain  of  holiness,"^  denoting  a  state  of  love  to  the 
Lord ;  if  evil,  it  is  "  the  destroying  mountain,"  denoting  a  state  of 
the  love  of  self  Of  the  former  mountain, — an  elevated  state  of  love 
to  God, — we  read,  "  The  Lord  bless  thee,  O  habitation  of  justice,  and 
mountain  of  holiness"  (Jer.  xxxi.  23).  And  in  predicting  the  glorious 
dominion  of  the  love  of  God  in  the  soul,  and  the  divine  blessings 
thence  resulting,  the  prophet  says,  "And  in  this  mountain  shall  the 
Lord  of  hosts  make  unto  all  people  a  feast  of  fat  things,  a  feast  of 
wines  on  the  lees,  of  fat  things  full  of  marrow,  of  wine  on  the  lees 
well  refined"  (Isa.  xxv.  6).  This  signification  of  the  term  mountain 
supplies  the  reason  why,  in  ancient  times,  houses  of  worship  Avere 
built,  worship  was  celebrated,  and  sacrifices  were  offered  on  hills  and 
mountains ;  and  hence,  too,  in  a  corrupt  and  perverted  state  of  the 
human  mind,  whether  as  the  Church  collectively  or  indiAndually, 
idolatry  set  up  its  graven  and  molten  images  in  thousands  of  mon- 
strous and  bestial  forms,  and  burnt  incense  to  them  in  the  high  places 
and  on  the  hills  (2  Kings  xvi.  4) — representative  of  that  gross,  sen- 
sual, and  selfish  worship  which  is  so  utterly  opposed  to  the  Divine 
commandments  (Ex.  xx.  4),  and  which  springs  either  from  the  love 
of  self  in  all  its  corrupt,  cruel  forms,  signified  by  molten  images,  or 
is  fashioned  by  the  graving-tools  of  self-intelligence,  in  all  its  false 
and  hateful  varieties,  signified  by  graven  images.  Of  the  latter 
mountain,  a  state  in  which  the  evil  love  of  self — signified  in  its  oppo- 
site sense  by  a  mountain — is  permitted  to  assume  preeminence,  we 
read,  "  Behold,  I  am  against  thee,  O  destroying  mountain,  saith  the 
Lord,  which  destroyest  all  the  earth :  and  I  wUI  stretch  out  mine 
hand  upon  thee,  and  roll  thee  down  from  the  rocks,  and  will  make 
thee  a  burnt  mountain.    And  they  shall  not  take  of  thee  a  stone  for 


wSeeH.  H.,  n.  113. 

6' Jerome,  speaking  of  Mount  Zion,  affirms 
that  it  is  a  foolish  thing  to  call  an  irrational 
and  insensible  mountain  holy,  or  to  believe 
it  to  be  so." — In  Jerem.,  xxyi. 

"If,  as  I  believe,  and  endeavor  to  prove, 
divine  and  savins  truths  of  the  Word  of  God 
are  concealed  under  the  forms  of  the  figures, 


or  parables,  or  proverbs  of  Nature,  can  you 
seriously  ask  what  is  the  use  of  universal 
analog!"?  It  is  a  key  to  the  Bible  and  to 
Nature.  If  you  see  no  use  in  the  key,  you 
will  probably  see  no  use  in  that  which  it  is 
to  unlock.  To  be  consistent,  you  should  ask 
what  is  the  use  of  the  Bible.  "—Essays  on 
Anal.,  p.  155. 


NOT  A  FANCIFUL  OR  VISIONARY  THEORY. 


91 


a  corner,  nor  a  stone  for  foundations ;  but  thou  shalt  be  desolate  for- 
ever, saith  the  Lord  "  (Jer.  li.  25,  26).  In  reference  to  this  significa- 
tion of  a  mountain,  as  denoting  the  love  of  self  and  the  world,  our 
blessed  Lord  said  to  his  disciples,  "  If  ye  have  faith  as  a  grain  of 
mustard-seed,  ye  shall  say  unto  this  mountain.  Remove  hence  to  yon- 
der place ;  and  it  shall  remove"  (Matt.  xvii.  20).  And  again,  sjieak- 
ing  of  the  blessed  ascendency  and  reign  of  love  and  wisdom  from  the 
Lord,  grounded  in  humility  and  the  eternal  subjection  and  removal 
of  the  proud  and  lofty  principle  of  self-love  opposed  thereto,  the 
prophet  exclaims,  "  Who  art  thou,  O  great  mountain  ?  Before  Zerub- 
babel  thou  shalt  become  a  plain :  and  he  shall  bring  forth  the  head- 
stone thereof  with  shoutings,  crying,  Grace,  grace,  unto  it"  (Zech, 
iv.  7). 

A  hill  is  a  less  lofty  elevation  of  the  earth's  surface  than  a  moun- 
tain, and  when  both  are  mentioned  together,  as  they  often  are,  then  a 
hill  will  signify  the  principle  of  charity,  while  a  mountain  will  signify 
love  to  the  Lord.  Thus  we  read  in  the  projihet  that  at  the  day  of 
the  Lord's  appearing  or  manifestation  for  the  establishment  of  his 
church,  "  The  mountains  shall  drop  down  new  wine,  and  the  hills  shall 
flow  with  milk"  (Joel  iii.  18).  Blessings  of  celestial  and  spiritual 
truth,  in  richest  abundance,  are  here  represented  as  flowing,  distill- 
ing, dropping,  from  the  sacred  and  elevated  principles  of  love  to 
the  Lord  and  of  charity  towards  our  neighbor ;  enriching,  refreshing, 
nourishing  the  soul,  and  enabling  to  bring  forth  and  abound  in  the 
genuine  virtues  and  graces  of  a  Christian  life. 

Again,  treasures,  in  the  Word  of  God,  signify  all  that  on  which  a 
man's  heart  is  chiefly  placed, — that  which,  above  all  other  things,  he 
values  most.  Hence  there  are  treasures  of  goodness  and  truth,  and, 
on  the  contrary,  treasures  of  wickedness  and  falsity ;  so  we  read, 
"  A  good  man  out  of  the  good  treasure  of  his  heart  bringeth  forth 
good  things :  and  an  evil  man  out  of  the  evil  treasure  bringeth  forth 
evil  things"  (Matt.  xii.  35).  Well,  then,  may  we  be  exhorted  by  our 
blessed  Lord  to  "  lay  up  for  ourselves  treasures  in  heaven,  where 
neither  moth  nor  rust  doth  corrupt,  and  where  thieves  do  not  break 
through  nor  steal"  (Matt.  vi.  20)." 

As  another  illustration  of  what  has  been  advanced,  let  us  refer  to 
the  signification  of  natural  light    and  heat,  as  corresponding  in  their 


M  "  Worldly  wealth  is  but  the  shadow  of 
that  true  wealth  which  only  good  men  are 
enriched  with,  and  consisteth  not  in  gold 
and  silver,  but  with  treasures  of  knowledge 


here,  and  of  eternal  happiness  hereafter." — 
Moss's  Muses  Interpreter,  p.  292. 

55 "Light  is  most  certainly  the  universal 
type  of  knowledge  or  demonstration,  whether 


92 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES 


existence,  their  effects,  and  their  uses,  to  spiritual  truth  and  love.  It 
will  then  be  seen  that  their  negatives,  which  are  the  consequences  of 
their  absence  or  privation,  viz.,  darkness  and  cold,  signii^^  ignorance 
and  indifference,  and  that  their  perverted  opposites  are  falsity  and 
lust.  This  will  be  most  easily  and  amply  confirmed,  by  every  intelli- 
gent mind,  from  Scripture  testimony,  from  analogical  reasoning,  and 
from  scientific  facts.  Thus  all  the  qualities  and  predicates  which 
are  attributable  to  light  are  equally  applicable,  in  an  inner  sense,  to 
truth  in  the  understanding,  and  such  as  are  ascribed  to  fire  are  equally 
referable  to  love  in  the  will.  What  glory  and  interest  do  these  cor- 
respondences alone  throw  over  a  large  portion  of  the  Holy  Word ! 
Through  them  you  will  at  once  perceive  why  the  historical  fact  is 
related  of  the  Egyptians  that  "  they  sat  three  days  in  darkness  that 
might  be  felt,"  while  "  the  children  of  Israel  had  light  in  all  their 
dwellings"  (Ex.  x.  23)  ;  and  how  this  natural  event  was  a  just  rep- 
resentative of  a  spiritual  truth  attested  by  the  experience  of  men  in 
every  age.  Egypt  was  celebrated  above  other  nations,  in  ancient 
times,  for  the  cultivation  of  the  sciences ;  the  Egyptians,  therefore, 
in  a  bad  sense,  represented  mere  Avorldly  knowledges  and  science. 
The  children  of  Israel  represented  the  members  of  the  Lord's  church, 
drawing  their  stores  of  spiritual  intelligence  from  the  fountain  of 
light — the  Word  of  God.  Now,  the  visible  effects  of  such  states,  with 
each  of  these  classes,  are  precisely  what  we  find  described  in  the  in- 
spired history ;  the  former  sit  in  despair,  surrounded  by  spiritual 
darkness,  the  density  of  which  makes  it  sensible  even  to  sensual  dis- 
cernment ;  "  for  if  the  light  that  is  in  thee  be  darkness,  how  great  is 
that  darkness "  (Matt.  vi.  23) ;  while  the  latter  have  the  light  of 
divine  truth  to  bless  and  irradiate  all  their  dwellings, — all  the  prin- 
ciples and  states  of  their  minds  and  lives  with  heavenly  perception 
and  intelligence,  consolation  and  peace. 

Knowing  the  correspondence  of  light,  among  thousands  of  beautiful 
and  practical  truths,  we  shall  see  the  reason  why  it  is  said  of  the  holy 
city.  New  Jerusalem,  seen  by  John,  and  which  signifies  the  Lord's 


of  natuTal,  moral,  or  spiritual  truth;  for  if 
not,  what  is  meant  by  the  light  of  nature,  of 
reason,  and  of  conscience  f" — Essays  on  Anal- 
ogy,  p.  289. 

"  In  thy  light  [O  Lord]  shall  we  see  light." 
(Psalm  xxxvi.  9.)  lambliclnis,  the  I'latoii- 
ist,  who  flourished  about  the  year  340,  said 
that  "God  had  light  for  a  body,  and  truth 
for  a  soul." 


"  As  the  sun  cannot  be  known  but  by  his 
own  light,  so  God  cannot  be  known  but  with 
his  own  light."— us. 

"In  the  ancient  writings  of  the  East, 
where  the  marriages  of  the  gods  and  demi- 
gods arc  described,  it  is  always  said  the  cere- 
mony wa-s  performed  in  the  presence  of  the 
god  of  tnc."— Roberts's  Orient.  Jllust.,  2d  ed., 
p.  21. 


NOT  A  FANCIFUL  OR  VISIONARY  THEORY. 


93 


true  church,  that  "  Her  light  was  like  a  stone  most  precious,  even  like 
a  jasper  stone,  clear  as  crystal "  (Rev.  xxi.  11),  to  represent  the  purity, 
the  preciousness,  the  splendor  of  the  heaven-descended  doctrines ;  and 
why  it  is  said  of  the  Lord  that  "  He  covereth  himself  with  light  as 
with  a  garment"  (Psalm  civ.  2),  to  signify  the  investment  of  his 
divine  character  in  the  truth  of  his  Word,  accommodated  to  the 
states  of  his  creatures. 

When,  again,  we  are  acquainted  with  the  correspondence  of  fire,^^ 
as  signifying,  in  a  good  sense,  love — both  divine  and  human — the 
love  the  Lord  bears  to  his  creatures,  and  the  love  they  bear  to  Him 
and  to  each  other  in  various  degrees  of  intensity,  we  shall  understand 
how  the  Lord  defends  and  protects  his  own  church,  and  every  mem- 
ber of  it,  by  the  emanating  influences  of  his  infinite  love  and  Avisdom, 
for  this  is  signified  where  He  says,  "  I,  the  Lord,  will  be  unto  her," 
that  is,  his  church,  "  a  wall  of  fire  round  about"  (Zech.  ii.  5),  an  en- 
circling sphere  through  which  no  enemy  can  break.  The  same  things 
are  also  denoted  in  2  Kings,  where  we  read  that  the  young  man  who 
w'as  alarmed  for  the  safety  of  his  master  had  his  spiritual  sight  opened, 
and  saw  a  representation  of  this  protecting  sphere  in  the  spiritual 
world  surrounding  the  prophet  of  God ;  for  "  Behold,  the  mountain 
was  full  of  horses  and  chariots  of  fire,  round  about  Elisha"  (vi.  17). 

How  encouraging  is  the  thought  that  such,  too,  are  the  encircling 
spheres  which  comfort  and  protect  the  sincere  Christian  in  all  states 
of  tribulation,  temptation,  and  trial,  in  all  seasons  of  affliction,  sorrow, 
and  distress.  Again,  to  signify  that  it  is  the  Lord  alone  who  cleanses 
the  human  mind  from  pollution,  and  imbues  it  with  his  own  divine 
love  and  wisdom.  He  says  that  "  He  ivill  baptize  "  true  believers  "  with 
the  Holy  Spirit  and  uith  fire  "  (Luke  iii.  16) ;  and  to  denote  spiritual 
purification  and  protection,  resulting  from  the  inward  operations  of 
love  and  wisdom  on  the  heart  and  mind,  we  read,  "And  it  shall  come 
to  pass,  that  he  that  is  left  in  Zion,  and  he  that  remaineth  in  Jerusalem, 
shall  be  called  holy,  even  every  one  that  is  written  among  the  living 
in  Jerusalem :  when  the  Lord  shall  have  washed  away  the  filth  of  the 
daughters  of  Zion,  and  shall  have  purged  the  blood  of  Jerusalem 
from  the  midst  thereof  by  the  spirit  of  judgment,  and  by  the  spirit 
of  burning.    And  the  Lord  will  create  upon  every  dwelling-place 


M  "  It  is  needless  to  remark  that  desire  is  in  I  this  fire  which  God  wishes  should  always 
all  languages  compared  to  a  fire."— Btooro-  burn  upon  the  altar  of  our  hearts." — Laure- 
Jkld's  Synopsis,  Am.  S.,  1  Cor.  vii.  9.  (as,  Art.  Fire. 

"  By  fire  is  sometimes  signified  love.  It  is 


TEE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES 


of  mount  Ziou,  and  upon  her  assemblies,  a  cloud  and  smoke  by  day, 
and  the  shining  of  a  flaming  fire  by  night ;  for  upon  all  the  glory 
shall  be  a  defence.  And  there  shall  be  a  tabernacle  for  a  shadow 
in  the  daytime  from  the  heat,  and  for  a  place  of  refuge,  and  for  a 
covert  fi'om  storm  and  from  rain "  (Isa.  iv.  3-6).  Each  expression 
in  these  glorious  declarations  would  be  seen,  had  we  opportunity  of 
unfolding  them,  to  be  filled  with  spirit  and  life ;  but  from  what  has 
been  already  advanced,  the  humble  and  devout  Christian  will  readily 
perceive  the  general  meaning  and  application  of  the  entire  passage. 

When  we  thus  learn  the  sjjiritual  import  of  light  and  fire,  we  see 
the  reason  why  in  the  representative  temple  at  Jerusalem  the  fire  and 
light  were  never  suffered  to  "  go  out "  (Lev.  vi.  13 ;  xxiv.  2),  and  why 
in  the  representative  worship  so  many  offerings  to  Jehovah  were 
directed  to  be  made  by  fire ;  for  the  light  of  heavenly  truth  must 
irradiate  our  understandings  with  undying  hope,  and  the  flame  of 
heavenly  charity  must  be  kindled  on  the  altar  of  our  hearts  and 
never  allowed  to  be  extinguished.  Our  worship,  to  be  intelligent, 
sincere,  internal,  profitable,  must  spring  from  enlightened  reason  and 
hallowed  affection ;  so  will  our  imperfect  services  be  acceptable  to 
Him  Avho  "  regardeth  not  the  outward  ajipearance,  but  looketh  on 
the  heart "  (1  Sam.  xvi.  7).  "When,  again,  we  admit  that  the  oppo- 
sites  of  truth  and  love  are  fantasy,  or  imaginary  light,  or  falsity, 
and  burning  concupiscences,  or  soul-tormenting  lusts,  how  transpic- 
uous numerous  passages  of  the  Word  of  God,  otherwise  inexplicable, 
become, — as  where  the  Psalmist  says,  "  I  lie  among  them  that  are  set 
on  fire  "  (Psalm  Ivii.  4) ;  and  where  the  prophet  says,  "  Behold,  all 
ye  that  kindle  a  fire,  that  compass  yourselves  about  with  sparks: 
Avalk  in  the  light  of  your  fire,  and  in  the  sparks  that  ye  have  kindled. 
This  shall  ye  have  of  mine  hand ;  ye  shall  lie  down  in  sorrow  "  (Isa. 
1.  11).  Again,  we  can  distinctly  and  rationally  perceive  why  the 
children  of  Israel  were  forbidden  to  "  light  a  fire  on  the  sabbath- 
day  "  (Ex.  XXXV.  3),  and  what  is  signified  where  it.  is  written  that 
"  wickedness  burneth  as  the  fire  "  (Isa.  ix.  18),  and  also  why  evil 
lusts  and  their  torments  in  hell  are  called  "unquenchable  fire"  (]\Iark 
ix.  44),  "  devouring  fire,"  and  "everlasting  burnings"  (Isa.  xxxiii.  14). 
We  see  also  the  reason  why,  under  the  representative  dispensation  of 
the  Jews,  Nadab  and  Abihu  were  slain  for  offering  strange  fire  unto 
the  Lord  (Lev.  x.  1,  2),  or  fire  not  taken  from  the  golden  altar,  which 
had  been  miraculously  kindled,  and  was  never  suffered  to  go  out.  This 
criminal  pi'csumption  was  significative  of  approaching  the  Lord  iu 


NOT  A  FANCIFUL  OR  VISIONARY  THEORY. 


95 


sacred  ■worship,  not  from  the  holy  principle  of  love  and  charity,  but 
from  the  wrathful  spirit  of  unhallowed  zeal,  or  the  strange  fire  of 
self-love.  Thus  the  sacred  Word  is  no  longer  a  dead  letter,  but  is 
replete  with  life. 

So,  again,  to  represent  the  grand  idea  that  God  ever  was  and  is,  as 
to  his  inmost  essence,  divine  love  itself,  He  revealed  Himself  under  the 
Most  Ancient,  the  Ancient,  the  Israelitish,  and  even  the  Christian  dis- 
pensation by  fire ;  and  as  divine  love,  when  acting  upon  whatever  is 
contrary  to  itself  in  men  or  evil  spirits,  is  felt  by  them  as  tormenting 
and  destructive,  therefore  the  Lord  is  also  called  "  a  consuming  fire  " 
(Deut.  iv.  24). 

From  this  signification  of  fire  many  common  forms  of  expression 
are  derived,  as  that  we  say  of  a  man,  he  itj  inflamed  by  anger  and 
warmed  by  love ;  heated  by  controversy  and  cooled  by  reflection ; 
animated  by  the  glow  of  philanthropy  and  torpid  as  affection  grows 
cold ;  and  these  mental  changes  are  often  plainly  perceived  and  cor- 
respondently  indicated  in  the  blushes  or  jaaleness  of  the  countenance 
and  the  warmth  or  coldness  of  the  skin.  Hence  it  was,  without  doubt, 
that  fire,  among  the  Oriental  nations,  from  the  most  ancient  times,  was 
so  universally  regarded  as  an  emblem  of  the  Lord,  who  is  love  itself ; 
and  that  in  a  more  corrupt  age,  when  the  true  signification  was  lost, 
consecrated  fires  became  the  objects  of  superstitious  adoration  to  the 
Egyptians,  Chaldeans,  Assyrians,  Persians,  and  other  nations  of  the 
East." 

Once  more  (for  this  portion  of  our  subject  is  most  important  to  be 
understood),  the  element  of  water  may  be  adduced  as  another  illus- 


"  "  In  the  religion  of  Zoroaster,  it  was  de- 
clared a  crime,  punishable  with  death,  to 
kindle  fire  on  the  altar  of  any  newly  erected 
temple,  or  to  rekindle  it  on  any  altar  when 
it  had  been  by  accident  extinguished,  except 
with  fire  obtained  from  some  other  temple 
or  from  the  swx."—KeUo's  Pict.  Bible,  vol.  i., 
p.  271. 

"  The  ancient  Persians  consecrated  fire  as 
an  oblation,  the  most  analogous  to  tlie  nature 
of  God.  Thus,  as  we  find  by  an  inscription  on 
an  Egyptian  obelisk,  the  sun  was  styled  the 
framer  or  opificer  of  the  world.  The  repre- 
sentative became  the  object  of  worship,  and 
the  antitype  was  forgotten." — Euseb.  de  prep. 
Evang.,  liii.,  c.  12;  Dr.  Leland's  Advantage  of 
the  Chris.  Rev.,  vol.  i.,  p.  229;  Serle's  Hist. 
Solit..  p.  347. 

"  Bray  says  that  in  the  curious  and  ancient 
poem  Gododin,  tlie  sacred  fire,  near  the  cur- 


sus  of  Stonehenge  [on  Salisbury  plain],  is 
called  'the  perpetual  fire,'  and  remarks  in  a 
note  that  Stonehenge  was  a  temple  of  the 
Sun,  and  fire  was  invariably  used  in  the 
worship  of  its  deity."— Part  of  Devonshire, 
vol.  i.,  p.  137. 

"  On  the  religion  of  the  ancient  Assyrians, 
Layard  expresses  his  belief  that,  originally, 
it  was  pure  Saba;anism,  in  which  the  heav- 
enly bodies  were  worshipped  as  mere  types 
of  the  power  and  attributes  of  the  Supreme 
Deity,  and  there  is  a  strong  probability  that 
this  form  of  worship  had  its  origin  among 
the  inhabitants  of  the  Assyrian  plain.  The 
fire-worship  of  a  later  age  was  a  corruption 
of  the  purer  form  of  Sabjeanism.  and  there 
are  no  traces  of  it  upon  the  earliest  monu- 
ments."—  Vaux's  Nineveh  and  Persepolis,  p. 
277. 


96 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES 


tration  of  the  beauty  and  consistency  of  the  science  of  correspond- 
ences. This  transparent  liquid  is  often  mentioned  in  the  Sacred 
Scriptures  to  signify,  in  a  good  sense,  natural  truth  or  doctrine  de- 
rived from  the  letter  of  the  Word,  and  adapted  to  the  external  state 
of  all  men  as  to  their  faith  and  obedience.  Pure  water,  when  applied 
to  wash  the  feet  or  the  body,  cleanses  from  defilement ;  so  the  truth 
of  the  literal  sense  of  the  Word  can  purify  the  mind  and  life  from 
the  stains  of  sin.  "  If  I  wash  thee  not,"  said  the  Lord  to  the  Apostle 
Peter,  "  thou  hast  no  part  with  me  "  (John  xiii.  8).^^  What  water  is 
to  the  weary  traveller  fainting  for  thirst  in  the  parched  desert,  so  are 
the  doctrines  of  the  Word  to  the  spii-it  that  desires  and  seeks  for 
them — cherishing,  invigorating,  life-giving.  Water  is  essential  to 
the  existence,  growth,  and  fruitfulness  of  all  the  vegetable  tribes ;  it 
supplies  a  refreshing  beverage  which,  serving  to  modify  the  solid  food 
for  the  purposes  of  digestion,  is  also  indispensable  to  the  support  of 
animal  life ;  so  the  knowledge  of  external  or  doctrinal  truth,  received 
by  faith  in  the  understanding,  and  obeyed  in  simplicity  of  heart,  sat- 
isfies spiritual  thirst,  and  is  essential  to  the  preservation  and  renova- 
tion of  spiritual  life  in  the  soul.  Thus  at  the  command  of  Jehovah, 
Moses  struck  with  his  rod  the  rock  in  the  arid  wilderness,  and  water 
in  abundance  streamed  forth  to  supply  the  fainting  congregation  of 
Israel  (Ex.  xvii.  1-6).  So  when  the  soul  in  a  wilderness  state  is 
apparently  bereft  of  comfort  and  ready  to  sink  in  despair,  lo !  faith, 
in  obedience  to  divine  direction,  strikes  the  rock  of  the  Word  on 
which  the  Lord  stands,  and  the  refreshing  waters  of  consolation  gush 
forth  in  life-restoring  streams. 

Waters  are  sometimes  spoken  of  as  bubbling  fountains,  at  others  as 
flowing  streams ;  sometimes  in  large,  at  others  in  small  quantities ;  as 
living  and  life-giving ;  as  desolating  and  destructive ;  as  sweet  and 
bitter ;  as  transparent  and  muddy ;  as  existing  at  one  time  in  rich 
abundance,  at  another  as  distressingly  deficient.  When  the  meaning 
of  water  is  understood,  how  full  of  instruction,  how  numerous  and 
varied  are  the  lessons  of  wisdom  thus  disclosed  to  our  view,  and  how 
easy  of  application  by  all !  In  the  Book  of  Genesis  we  read  that  "  a 
river  went  out  of  Eden,  to  water  the  garden  "  (ii.  10).  A  garden, 
or  guarded  plot  of  ground,  represents  the  prepared  mind,  and  the 
various  trees,  plants  and  flowers  cultivated  therein,  with  their  blos- 
soms, fruits  and  fragrance,  will  signify  all  kinds  and  degrees  of  intel- 
ligence and  rational  delight.    But  "the  river" — the  stream  of  eternal 


68  "  To  wash  the  feet  Is  to  cleanse  our  actions."— iaureJtM,  ArL  FeeL 


NOT  A  FANCIFUL  OR  VISIONARY  THEORY. 


97 


trutli  from  the  Word  of  life,  that  "  fountain  of  living  waters," — must 
flow  tlirough  it  and  upon  it,  or  all  man's  intelligence  and  intellectual 
pleasures  are  nothing  worth,  and  must  wither  and  perish. 

When,  therefore,  man  is  described  as  receptive  of  natural  truth, 
and  obedient  thereto,  thus,  as  enjoying  the  refreshing  and  perpetual 
flow  of  heavenly  delights,  through  the  medium  of  the  Word,  it  is  said, 
"  And  the  Lord  shall  guide  thee  continually,  and  satisfy  thy  soul  in 
drought,  and  make  fat  thy  bones :  and  thou  shalt  be  like  a  watered 
garden,  whose  waters  fail  not"  (Isa.  Iviii.  11).  And  again:  "Their 
soul  shall  be  as  a  watered  garden ;  and  they  shall  not  sorrow  any 
more  at  all"  (Jer.  xxxi.  12).  The  plenitude  of  divine  truth,  flowing 
eternally  from  the  Lord  by  his  Word,  is  hence  represented  as  "  a  river 
of  unfailing  water,"  and  as  descending  showers — "  showers  of  bless- 
ing," refreshing  and  making  fruitful  the  Lord's  church  in  general,  and 
all  the  principles  of  the  human  mind  in  particular,  like  as  water  irri- 
gates and  fertilizes  the  parched  and  thirsty  soil  through  which  it  glides: 
thus  we  read  in  Deuteronomy,  "  My  doctrine  shall  drop  as  the  rain, 
my  speech  shall  distil  as  the  dew,  or  be  as  the  small  dew  upon  the  ten- 
der herb,  and  as  the  showers  upon  the  grass ; "  and  in  the  Psalms, "  Thou 
visitest  the  earth,  and  waterest  it :  thou  greatly  enrichest  it  with  the 
river  of  God,  which  is  full  of  water :  thou  preparest  them  corn  when 
thou  "hast  so  provided  it.  Thou  waterest  the  ridges  thereof  abun- 
dantly: thou  settlest  the  furrows  thereof:  thou  makest  it  soft  with 
showers:  thou  blessest  the  springing  thereof"  (Ixv.  9). 

Such  truths  or  doctrines  of  the  literal  sense  of  the  Word  as  are  gen- 
uine in  their  outward  form,  and  lead  to  the  reformation  and  regula- 
tion of  the  motives,  as  well  as  of  the  life,  are  denominated  "  living 
waters  "  (John  vii.  38),  and  "  waters  of  life  "  (Rev.  xxii.  1)  ;  but  when 
the  internal  and  spiritual  truths  of  the  Word  revealed  through  the 
letter  are  treated  of,  the  mental  fact  is  represented  in  that  miraculous 
display  of  divine  power,  recorded  in  John  ii.,  where  water  was  con- 
verted into  wine.  This  signification  of  water,  in  a  good  sense,  is  more- 
over positively  afiirmed  by  the  Lord  Himself,  "  For,"  says  He,  "as  the 
rain  cometh  down,  and  the  snow  from  heaven,  and  returneth  not 
thither,  but  watereth  the  earth,  and  maketh  it  bring  forth  and  bud, 
that  it  may  give  seed  to  the  sower,  and  bread  to  the  eater :  so  shall 
my  Word  be  that  goeth  forth  out  of  my  mouth"  (Isa.  Iv.  10,  11); 
and  again  He  graciously  promises,  "  I,"  the  Lord,  "  will  pour  water 
upon  him  that  is  thirsty,  and  floods  upon  the  dry  ground  :  I  will  pour 
my  spirit  upon  thy  seed,  and  my  blessing  upon  thine  offspring :  and 
9  G 


98 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES 


they  shall  spring  up  as  among  the  grass,  as  willows  by  the  water- 
courses  "  (xliv.  3,  4).  When  it  is  seen  that  by  seas  and  floods  of  wa- 
ters are  signified  in  a  heavenly  sense  the  collection  of  divine  truths 
in  the  Holy  Word  and  in  the  human  mind,  then  we  shall  know  why 
David,  in  describing  the  security  of  the  Lord's  church  in  heaven  and 
on  earth,  was  inspired  to  say,  "  The  earth  is  the  Lord's,  and  the  ful- 
ness thereof ;  the  world,  and  they  that  dwell  therein.  For  He  hath 
founded  it  upon  the  seas,  and  established  it  upon  the  floods"  (Ps.  xxiv. 
1,  2).^" 

On  account  of  the  correspondence  of  water,  when  applied  to  pur- 
poses of  purification,  the  Jews  were  commanded  to  institute  various 
kinds  of  ablutions  or  washings  ;  and,  for  the  same  reason,  the  sacred 
ritual  of  baptism  was  instituted,  to  be  a  standing  and  solemn  memo- 
rial of  regeneration,  which  issues  in  the  purification  of  the  mind  and 
life;  for  thus  is  the  prophecy  accomplished,  where  it  is  written, 
"  Then  will  I  sprinkle  clean  water  upon  you,  and  ye  shall  be  clean ; 
from  all  your  filthiness,  and  from  all  your  idols,  will  I  cleanse  you  " 
(Ezek.  xxxvi.  25) ;  and,  again,  in  that  divine  promise  that  in  the 
ftilness  of  time  the  truth  of  the  Holy  Word  should  be  unfolded  for 
the  purposes  of  spiritual  purification,  the  Lord  says,  "  In  that  day 
there  shall  be  a  fountain  opened  to  the  house  of  David  and  to  the 
inhabitants  of  Jerusalem  for  sin  and  for  uncleanness"  (Zech.  xiii.  1). 
"  There  is  a  generation  that  are  pure  in  their  own  eyes,  and  yet  is  not 
washed  from  their  filthiness"  (Prov.  xxx.  12).    And  so  the  Apostle 


»"  And  the  Church  which  He  I  Christ]  has 
founded,  we  behold  it  as  sitting  upon  many 
waters,  upon  the  great  ocean  of  trutli,  from 
whence  every  stream  tliat  has  at  all  or  at 
any  time  refreshed  the  eartli  was  originally 
drawn,  and  to  which  it  duteously  brings 
its  waters  again." — Trench's  Hulsean  Sects.,  p. 
170. 

60"  Ablutions  appear  to  have  been  amongst 
the  oldest  ceremonies  practised  by  difl'crent 
nations,  and  are  still  associated  with  nearly 
all  religions.  The  Egyptian  priests  had  tlieir 
diurnal  and  nocturnal  ablutions;  the  Greeks 
their  sprinklings  ;  the  Romans  their  lustra- 
tions and  lavations;  the  .lews  their  frecjucnt 
washings  and  purifications.  Whence  could 
this  universal  practice  arise  but  from  a 
knowledge  of  the  significance  of  wn.shing?" 
— See  I>r.  J.  Tou'tiley's  Xotcs  to  the  More  Ncvo. 
0}  Mnimonides,  p.  X>2. 

"The  Mexicans,  whose  origin  is  involved 
in  obscurity,  bathe  their  chiUlren  the  mo- 
ment they  are  born,  a  custom  which,  not- 


withstanding its  present  superstitiou-s  asso- 
ciations, seems  to  have  been  unquestionably 
derived  from  ancient  times,  when  the  sci- 
ence of  correspondences  was  well  known; 
for  when  the  midwife  immerses  them  she 
says,  '  Keceive  the  water;  for  the  goddess 
Chaleiuhcueje  is  the  mother.'  'May  this 
water  cleanse  the  spots  which  thou  bearest 
from  the  womb  of  thy  mother,  purify  thy 
heart,  and  give  thee  a  good  and  i)erfect  life." 
In  another  part  of  the  ceremony,  she  says, 
'May  the  invisible  (iod  descend  upon  this 
water,  and  cleanse  thee  of  every  sin  and  im- 
purity, and  free  thee  from  evil  fortune." 
For  further  particulars  of  this  interesting 
ceremony,  see  the  Ahbf  Clavigero's  Hist,  of 
Mex.  The  Brahmins  of  Ilindostan  also  bap- 
tize their  (children,  and  mark  them  with 
red  ointment,  saying,  "O  Lord,  we  present 
this  child,  born  of  a  holy  tribe,  to  thee  and 
thy  service.'  It  is  cleansed  with  water,  and 
anointed  with.oil."— See  Lord's  Banian  Kcl., 
ch.  ix. 


NOT  A  FANCIFUL  OR  VISIONARY  THEORY. 


99 


Paul,  speaking  of  the  purification  of  the  Lord's  Church,  both  gener- 
ally and  individually,  from  defilement,  writes  to  the  Ephesians  as 
follows :  "  Christ  loved  the  church  and  gave  Himself  for  it ;  that  He 
might  sanctify  and  cleanse  it  with  the  washing  of  water  by  the  Word. 
That  He  might  present  it  to  Himself  a  glorious  church,  not  having 
spot,  or  wrinkle,  or  any  such  thing ;  but  that  it  should  be  holy  and 
without  blemish  "  (v.  25-27). 

From  ancient  times  men  plunged  themselves  into  the  Ganges,  the 
Indus,  the  Euphrates,  the  Nile,  and  the  Jordan,  all  rivers  esteemed 
sacred,  to  represent  and  signify,  in  a  good  sense,  purification  from  sin 
in  the  streams  of  divine  wisdom,  by  honest  endeavors  to  apply  its 
sacred  truths  to  the  removal  of  evil  from  the  life,  and  thus  reforma- 
tion of  the  character.  John  the  Baptist  came  as  the  Lord's  forerun- 
ner, and,  for  a  similar  reason,  baptized  all  who  came  unto  him  in  the 
boundary  river  Jordan,  "  unto  repentance,  for  the  confession  and 
remission  of  sins,"  representative  of  the  only  effectual  means  of 
cleansing  the  soul  from  spiritual  defilement,  through  the  doctrines  of 
repentance  and  reformation  which  are  found  in  the  letter  or  external 
boundary  of  the  Word,  and  thus  of  truly  preparing  the  way  of  the 
Lord. 

When  we  thus  understand  what  is  signified  by  water,  how  full  of 
eternal  interest  and  practical  instruction  does  the  Lord's  conversation 
with  the  Samaritan  woman  become,  as  He  sat  on  Jacob's  well.  That 
fountain  was  deep,  and  represented  the  Holy  Word  in  its  outward 
letter;  but  the  Lord,  sitting  upon  it,  represented  the  same  Word, 
bearing  testimony  to  Him  as  the  God  of  Jacob,  and  filling  its  internal 
sense  with  living  Avater  from  Himself.  "  If,"  said  He  to  the  woman, 
"thou  knewest  the  gift  of  God,  and  who  it  is  that  saith  to  thee.  Give 
me  to  drink," — for  He  thirsts,  and  is  only  satisfied  when  his  creatures 
freely  partake  of  his  blessings, — "  thou  wouldest  have  asked  of  Him, 
and  He  would  have  given  thee  living  water.  Whosoever  drinketh 
of  this  water," — the  mere  doctrinal  truth  of  the  letter, — will  find  it 
fail  to  satisfy  the  inmost  cravings  of  the  soul,  and  "  shall  thirst  again ; 
but  whosoever  drinketh  of  the  water  that  I  shall  give  him," — the 
pure,  eternal,  life-giving  streams  of  divine  truth,  revealed  to  angelic 
and  human  perception  in  the  internal  or  spiritual  sense, — "  shall 
never  thirst ;  but " — if  he  inwardly  supplicates  it — "  the  water  that 
I  shall  give  him  shall  be  in  him  a  well  [or  fountain]  of  water  spring- 
ing up  into  everlasting  life."  It  will  satisfy  every  want  of  the  soul ;  it 
will  be  regarded  as  the  best  gift  of  God  to  his  creatures,  and  become 


100 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES 


a  sacred  medium  of  perpetual  communion  with  Him,  and  a  perennial 
source  of  comfort,  beatitude,  and  joy  (John  iv.  6-30).  Though  every 
incident  in  this  beautiful  and  divine  narrative  teems  ■svith  significance, 
we  have  only  space  to  indicate  the  above  general  ideas. 

A  defect  of  water,  therefore,  will  denote  a  destitution  of  truth,  and 
a  thirst  for  water  an  earnest  desu-e  to  receive  it,  as  in  Amos,  "  Be- 
hold, the  days  come,  saith  the  Lord  God,  that  I  will  send  a  famine 
in  the  land,  not  a  famine  of  bread,  nor  a  thii-st  for  water,  but  of 
hearing  the  words  of  the  Lord "  (viii.  11).  "  If  any  man  thirst," 
saith  the  Lord,  "let  him  come  unto  me,  and  drink.  Whosoever 
drinketh  of  the  Avater  that  I  shall  give  him  shall  never  thirst ;  but 
the  water  that  I  shall  give  him  shall  be  in  him  a  weU  [or  fountain] 
of  water,  springing  up  into  everlasting  life"  (John  vii.  37  ;  iv.  14). 

But,  in  its  opposite  sense,  Avater,  as  we  have  already  seen,  will  sig- 
nify truth  perverted  or  falsified, — man's  self-derived  intelligence  and 
"  carnal  wisdom."  This  profanation  of  truth  is  meant  in  the  internal 
sense  by  the  miracle  of  Moses,  when  "  he  stretched  forth  his  rod  over 
the  waters  of  Egypt,  and  they  became  blood"  (Ex.  vii.  19);  while 
the  contrary  was  represented  by  his  making  the  bitter  waters  of  ]\Ia- 
rah  sweet  (Ex.  xv.  23-25).  The  substitution  of  self-dependence  for 
full  reliance  on  the  divine  aid  and  Spirit,  in  the  attainment  of  truth, 
and  of  self-intelligence  and  perverted  reason  in  the  place  of  genuine 
wisdom,  is  signified  by  these  words  of  the  prophet :  "  j\Iy  people  have 
committed  two  evils ;  they  have  forsaken  me,  the  fountain  of  living 
waters,  and  hewed  them  out  cisterns,  broken  cisterns,  that  can  hold 
no  water"  (Jer.  ii.  13).  Hence,  too,  temptations,  which  are  the  result 
of  the  activity  of  false  principles,  in  connection  with  the  powers  of 
darkness  and  evil,  threatening  to  overwhelm  and  destroy  man's  soul, 
are  signified  by  the  raging  flood,  from  which,  under  divine  guidance, 
the  ark  of  salvation  can  alone  deliver  him,  agreeably  to  that  most 
gracious  iiromise  in  Isaiah,  "  When  thou  passest  through  the  waters, 
I  will  be  with  thee :  and  through  the  rivers,  they  shall  not  overflow 
thee :  when  thou  walkest  through  the  fire,  thou  shalt  not  be  burned  ; 
neither  shall  the  flame  kindle  upon  thee"  (xliii.  2);  and  to  signify 
the  direful  torment  which  such  as  wilfully  reject  or  pervert  the  truth 
induce  upon  their  own  minds,  and  which,  in  appearance,  is  atti-ibuted 
to  the  Lord,  He  is  said  to  "  hiss  for  the  fly  in  the  uttermost  part  of 
the  rivers  of  Egypt,  and  for  the  bee  in  the  land  of  Assyria"  (Isa.  vii. 
18,  19).  So,  also,  in  like  states  of  affliction,  the  Psalmist  complains 
and  says,  "  The  floods  of  ungodly  men  made  me  afraid"  (Ps.  xviii.  4) ; 


NOT  A  FANCIFUL  OR  VISIONARY  TnEORY. 


101 


"  Deep  calloth  unto  deep  at  the  noise  of  thy  water-spouts :  all  thy 
waves  and  thy  billows  are  gone  over  me"  (xlii.  7);  "I  sink  in  deep 
mire,  where  there  is  no  standing ;  I  am  come  into  deep  waters,  where 
the  floods  overflow  me.  .  .  .  Let  not  the  water-flood  overflow  me, 
neither  let  the  deep  swallow  me  up"  (Ixix.  2, 15). 

On  account  of  this  signification  of  water,  a  river,  or  flowing  stream 
of  water,  fertilizing  the  lands  through  which  it  rolls,  exactly  corre- 
sponding, in  a  good  sense,  to  the  inflowing  of  heavenly  truths  in  rich 
abundance  into  the  mind,  renovating  all  its  powers,  and  causing  it  to 
be  fruitful  in  intelligence  and  good  works ;  but  in  an  opposite  sense, 
it  signifies  a  desolating  stream  of  false  persuasions,  inducing  ignorance 
and  death.  Thus,  in  the  promise  made  to  the  faithful,  it  is  said, 
"  Thou  shalt  make  them  drink  of  the  river  of  thy  pleasures"  (Psalm 
xxxvi.  8) ;  and  where  the  Holy  Word,  as  the  fountain  of  intelligence, 
is  described,  it  is  said,  "  There  is  a  river,  the  streams  Avhereof  shall 
make  glad  the  city  of  God,  the  holy  place  of  the  tabernacles  of  the 
Most  High"  (Psalm  xlvi.  4).  And  again,  "  For  thus  saith  the  Lord, 
Behold,  I  will  extend  peace  to  her  like  a  river,  and  the  glory  of  the 
Gentiles  like  a  flowing  stream"  (Isa.  Ixvi.  12).  The  divine  promise 
of  heavenly  truths  and  intelligence  in  all  abundance,  to  the  humble 
and  prepared  soul,  is  also  thus  expressed,  "  When  the  poor  and  needy 
seek  water,  and  there  is  none,  and  their  tongue  fiiileth  for  thirst,  I 
the  Lord  will  hear  them,  I  the  God  of  Israel  will  not  forsake  them. 
I  will  open  rivers  in  high  places,  and  fountains  in  the  midst  of  the 
valleys :  I  Avill  make  the  wilderness  a  pool  of  water,  and  the  dry  land 
springs  of  water"  (Isa.  xli.  17,  18).  But  an  exuberance  of  false 
principles,  overflowing  and  desolating  the  mind,  is  signified  where  a 
river  is  spoken  of  in  its  opposite  sense,  as  in  the  Psalms,  "  If  it  had 
not  been  the  Lord  who  was  on  our  side,  now  may  Israel  say, 
then  the  waters  had  overwhelmed  us,  the  stream  had  gone  over 
our  soul :  then  the  proud  waters  had  gone  over  our  soul "  (cxxiv. 
1,  4,  5).  And  in  Isaiah,  "  Go,  ye  swift  messengers,  to  a  nation  scat- 
tered and  peeled,  to  a  people  terrible  from  their  beginning  hith- 
erto :  a  nation  meted  out  and  trodden  doAvn,  whose  land  the  rivers 
have  spoiled"  (xviii.  2).  And  in  the  divine  expostulation  with 
man,  in  consequence  of  his  forsaking  the  Lord's  Word  as  the  only 
fountain  of  truth,  and  vainly  depending  on  his  own  self-derived  intel- 
ligence, fancying  that  this  is  true  wisdom,  "  Hast  thou  not  procured 
this  unto  thyself,  in  that  thou  hast  forsaken  the  Lord  thy  God,  when 
He  led  thee  by  the  way  ?  And  now  what  hast  thou  to  do  in  the  way 
9* 


102 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES 


of  Egypt,  to  drink  the  waters  of  Silior  ?  or  what  hast  thou  to  do  in 
the  way  of  Assyria,  to  drink  the  waters  of  the  riyer?"  (Jer.  ii.  17, 
18.) 

In  the  sublime  prophetic  yision  of  the  holy  waters  proceeding  out 
of  the  sanctuary,  or  Word  of  God,  the  prophet  describes  theii-  out- 
goings as  successiyely  reaching  to  "  the  ankles,"  "  the  knees,"  and 
"  the  loins," — the  waters  and  their  yaryrng  depths  denoting  the  truths 
of  the  Word  accommodated  to  all  states  of  perception ;  the  natural 
and  sensual  state  and  its  perceptions  being  signified  by  the  ankles, 
the  spiritual-uatui-al  state  being  signified  by  the  knees,  the  spiritual 
state  being  signified  by  the  loins,  and  the  celestial  or  highest  state 
being  signified  by  waters  to  swim  in,  for  this  intelligence  and  wisdom 
is  so  far  above  the  natural  man  as  to  be  ineffable.  These  states  of 
exterior,  interior,  and  inmost  perception  are  necessarily  opened  as 
the  prophet  measures  a  thousand,  denoting  the  quality  of  reception, 
that  it  is  full  and  com^Dlete,  because  applied  to  the  life  and  conduct. 
And  beyond  that  highest  state  to  which  man  or  angel  can  attain,  the 
inmost  spirit  of  these  waters,  these  yital  truths,  is  seen  and  acknowl- 
edged as  "  a  riyer  that  cannot  be  passed  oyer," — waters  which  carry 
health  and  life  whithei-soeyer  they  come  (Ezek.  xlvii.  3-9). 

Now  precisely  the  same  kind  of  reasoning  is  applicable,  and  similar 
proofs  might  be  adduced,  in  reference  to  most  other  terms  and  expres- 
sions used  by  the  inspired  prophets  and  eyangelists.*'  The  AVord  of 
God,  in  its  internal  sense,  does  not  treat,  then,  of  individuals  and 
nations  and  the  annals  and  statistics  of  the  human  race,  nor  yet  of 
the  objects  of  natural  history,  nor  yet  of  times  and  seasons,  light  and 
heat,  war  and  peace,  cities  and  countries,  birds  and  beasts,  fishes  and 


"  By  finding  a  spiritual  sense  fin  the  Word 
of  God],  Hilary  will  not  allow  that  historical 
truth  is  weakened  or  destroyed."  "  In  tlie 
beginning  of  our  treatise  we  warned  others 
against  supposing  that  we  detracted  from  the 
belief  in  transactions  by  teaching  that  the 
things  themselves  contained  within  them 
the  outgoings  of  subsequent  realities." — Com- 
ment, on  Matt,  vii.,  p.  WO. 

C>'ril  of  Alexandria  also  held  that  although 
the  spiritual  sense  be  good  and  fruitful,  yet 
what  is  historical  should  be  taken  as  [true] 
history." — Comment,  in  Esai,  lib.  i.,  orat.  4,  vol. 
ii.,  pp.  113,  lU. 

These  analogies  are  so  clear  and  interesting, 
that  you  can  scarcely  open  a  book  on  religious 
sul)jects  where  they  arc  not  in  one  way  or 
other  introduced ;  thus,  the  Christian  Witness 


I  (No.  86,  p.  53)  writer  sairs:  "There  are  many 
I  striking  and  beautiful  analogies  between  the 
I  natural  and  spiritual  worlds.  Faeti  and  phe- 
nomena in  the  one  are  often  used  in  the  Scrip- 
tures to  illustrate  the  truths  of  the  other. 
There  is  a  seed-time  in  the  world  of  mind 
as  well  as  in  the  world  of  matter.  The  gen- 
tle dews  distil,  and  the  early  and  latter  rains 
descend,  both  in  the  world  of  nature  and  in 
the  world  of  grace.  In  the  beautiful  language 
of  inspiration,  the  influences  of  Gospel  grace 
(and  truth]  are  represented  as  coming  down 
like  rain  upon  the  grass,  and  like  showers 
that  water  the  earth.  \\'hen  these  refreshing 
and  fertilizing  influences  are  withdrawn, 
then  comes  drought  and  barrenness  both  in 
the  natural  and  in  the  spiritual  world." 


NOT  A  FANCIFUL  OR  VISIONARY  TESTIMONY.  103 


reptiles,  plants  and  trees,  flowers  and  fruits,  islands  and  lakes,  rivers 
and  seas,  wind  and  floods,  rain  and  dew,  hail  and  snow,  and  all  the 
objects  and  phenomena  of"  the  natural  world  ;  for  these,  in  their  merely 
literal  acceptation,  are  not  the  subjects  of  inspiration  at  all,  nor,  if 
they  were,  could  any  knowledge  respecting  them  impart  righteousness 
and  tranquillity  to  the  soul.  But  the  Word,  in  its  holy  internal,  treats 
of  the  Infinite  Jehovah — his  wisdom  and  his  will,  of  spiritual  subjects 
and  everlasting  realities,  of  the  properties  and  qualities  of  the  human 
soul,  of  repentance  and  regeneration ;  for  of  these  all  created  things 
are  but  corresponding  types.  Nor,  again,  does  the  Word  of  God  treat, 
in  its  interior  and  heavenly  sense,  of  the  chronology  of  kingdoms  and 
empires — of  the  genealogy,  nomenclature,  and  biography  of  their 
rulers  and  history  of  their  people,  nor  of  their  religion  and  laws, 
their  rituals  and  ceremonies,  their  customs  and  manners ;  for  though, 
in  their  literal  sense,  the  things  recorded  in  the  historical  books  of 
the  Word  were  actual  occurrences,  yet,  as  such  only  and  having  no 
higher  reference,  how  can  they  contribute  to  salvation,  or  be  said  to 
have  been  written  by  the  plenary  inspiration  of  God  ?  But  all  these 
worldly  facts  and  occurrences,  without  exception,  represent  mental 
states  and  spiritual  conditions,  inward  and  outward  facts  and  opera- 
tions of  man's  experience,  and  are  the  images  and  symbols  which 
adumbrate  the  objects  of  an  eternal  world,  and  the  attributes  and 
perfections  of  the  Godhead.  Nor,  lastly,  Avas  the  Word  of  God  in- 
spired to  reveal  to  us  the  proverbs  and  sayings,  the  exhortations  and 
discourse,  the  promises  and  threatenings,  the  counsel  and  experience 
of  mere  men,  however  wise  or  distinguished ;  in  its  holy  internal  sense 
all  these  forms  of  address  are  significative  of  truths  and  doctrines 
appertaining  to  the  Lord,  to  the  soul,  and  to  eternal  life. 

With  these  exalted  views,  the  Word  of  God  comes  to  us  invested 
with  ever  new  and  irresistible  authority,  so  far  as  our  will  coincides 
with  the  Divine  will ;  it  interferes  not  with  our  freedom,  and  it  com- 
mends itself  to  our  highest  reason.  It  is  no  longer  filled  Avith  dark, 
inexplicable  mysteries  or  historic  fallacies,  or  regarded  in  reference 
only  to  by-gone  times  and  people,  with  some  incidental  references  to 
morality  here  and  there ;  but  it  teems  with  interest  and  importance, 
conveying  to  us  a  grand  connected  series  of  unchanging  rules  of  life, 
ever  unfolding  more  clearly  to  our  view,  as  the  clouds  of  the  letter 
are  penetrated,  and  having  in  every  page  and  line,  in  every  "jot  and 
tittle  "  (Matt.  v.  18),  the  most  direct  relation  to  our  souls  and  to  the 


104 


TEE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES 


great  interests  of  an  eternal  state.*'  Thus  the  historical,  the  prophet- 
ical, the  doctrinal,  the  devotional,  and  the  ethical  portions  of  the  Word 


^  Bishop  Warburton  says,  "  the  prophetic 
style  seems  to  be  a  speaking  hieroglyphic." — 
Div.  Leg.,  b.  iv.,  §  4. 

"The  TherapeutiE,"  writes  Bruno,  "inter- 
preted the  Scriptures  of  the  Old  Testament 
allegorically,  and  being  wont  to  seek  the 
spiritual  meaning  of  the  Law,  they  more 
readily  embraced  the  Gospel  than  those  who 
looked  no  further  than  the  outward  letter." 
-De  Therap.,  p.  193.  Pliny  says  that  this 
sect  had  been  in  existence  several  thou- 
sand years. — Nat.  Hisl.,  lib.  v.,  cap.  xviii.  The 
name  means  a  physician;  and  Philo  says 
they  were  so  called  because  they  cured  men's 
souls  of  the  diseases  which  they  have  con- 
tracted by  their  passions  and  vices. — Philo 
de  Vita  Contemplaliva.  They  have  been  sup- 
posed to  be  the  Essenes,  an  ancient  sect  of 
the  Jews,  or  probably  a  division  of  that  sect, 
and  called  Therapeutse  from  the  strictness 
of  their  morals  and  the  purity  of  their  con- 
duct.— See  Jcnniny's  Jewish  Aniiq.,  p.  320. 

In  The  New  Baptist  Magazine  for  April,  1827, 
there  is  inserted  a  letter  from  51.  Mayers,  at 
Vienna,  giving  an  account  of  a  most  remark- 
able sect  of  Jews  in  Poland,  called  after  their 
founder,  Sabbathia  Zewy,  Pabbathiaus,  and 
also  Soharites,  on  account  of  the  vencratifju 
in  which  they  hold  a  cabalistical  work, called 
Sohar.  On  their  establishment  in  Poland, 
they  declared  their  toUil  rejection  of  the  Tal- 
mud. They  arc  distinguished  for  their  strict 
morality  and  integrity.  In  the  Coiifession  of 
Faith  which  they  have  published,  among 
other  remarkable  things,  they  assert  their 
belief  respecting  the  Holy  Scriptures,  as  fol- 
lows :— "  We  believe  that  the  writings  of  Mo- 
ses, the  Prophets,  and  all  earlier  Teachers, 
are  not  to  be  taken  literally,  but  liguratively ; 
and  as  containing  a  secret  sense  hid  under 
the  mere  letter.  These  writings  are  to  be 
compared  to  a  beautiful  woman,  who  hides 
her  charms  under  a  veil,  and  expects  her 
admirers  to  take  the  trouble  of  lifting  it  ; 
which  is  also  the  case  with  the  Word  of  God, 
being  hidden  under  the  veil  of  a  figurative 
sense,  which  cannot  be  lifted  even  with  the 
highest  human  ingeiniity,  and  greatest  de- 
gree of  wisdom,  without  the  assistance  of 
Divine  grace.  In  other  words,  the  things 
spoken  of  in  the  Thorah  [Word  of  (iodj,  must 
not  be  tAkeu  literally,  according  t<>  the  mere 
phra.seolog}',  but  we  must  pray  for  the  teach- 
ing of  the  Divine  Spirit,  to  be  enabled  to  dis- 
cern tlie  kernel  which  lies  hid  under  the 
mere  shi  ll  or  liusk  of  the  letter.  We  there- 
fore believe  that  it  is  not  suflicient  merely  to 
read  the  words  of  the  prophets  to  know  the 


literal  meaning,  but  that  it  requires  Divine 
aid  in  order  to  understand,  in  many  places, 
the  fundamental  of  the  letter;  and  thus  we 
find  Da\-id  prays, '  Open  thou  mine  eyes,  that 
I  may  behold  wonderful  things  out  of  thy 
law'  (Ps.  cxix.  IS).  If  King  David  had  been 
able  to  understand  the  Word  of  God  by  his 
own  inquiries,  he  would  not  have  thus 
prayed;  but  his  supplication  was  to  compre- 
hend the  secret  and  hidden  mysteries  of  the 
Thorah.  To  this  effect  are  aLso  the  words  of 
the  Sohar :  '  Woe  to  the  man  who  asserts  that 
the  Thorah  is  a  mere  record  of  historical 
facts  of  ancient  times,  and  contains  but  a 
narrative  of  common  things ;  if  this  were  the 
case,  it  might  also  be  composed  in  the  pres- 
ent time.  But  the  narratives  and  subjects 
contained  in  the  holy  writings  are  only  used 
as  figures  for  the  mysteries  deeply  hidden 
under  the  letter.'  And  whoever  considers 
the  primarj'  sense  as  the  principal  object  of 
tlie  Scriptures,  is  guilty  of  death,  and  forfeits 
all  claim  to  a  future  state.  Therefore  Siiys 
the  Psalmist, '  lighten  mine  eyes '  (I's.  xiii.  3) ; 
that  is  to  say,  that  I  might  discern  the  secrets 
hidden  under  the  letter  of  the  law,  'lest  I 
sleep  the  sleep  of  death.'  In  another  passage 
it  is  remarked  by  the  Sohar,  'If  the  Thorah 
were  only  to  be  taken  in  a  literal  sense,  why 
should  David  say,  "  The  law  of  the  Lord  iis 
perfect,  more  to  be  desired  than  gold,  yea, 
than  much  fine  gold  "  (Ps.  six.).  It  is  there- 
fore undeniable  that  great  and  many  mys- 
teries arc  hidden  under  the  letter  of  the 
Thorah,  to  inquire  into  wliieh  it  is  the  duty 
of  every  one  who  wishes  to  become  ortho- 
dox.' "—Sec  also  Cril.  Bib.,  vol.  iv.,  p.  257. 

This  recognition  of  an  inward  sense  in  the 
Word  of  the  Old  Testament,  closely  assimi- 
lates, as  far  as  we  are  able  to  judge,  to  the 
doctrines  of  the  Therapeutaj  or  Essenes,  at 
the  time  of  our  Lord's  incarnation,  referred 
to  in  the  previous  note.  Though,  from  the 
undoubted  testimony  of  ecclesiastical  writers 
of  every  age,  numbers  of  learned  and  pious 
Christians,  to  which  many  venerable  names 
of  modern  times  might  be  added,  have  held 
fast  the  doctrine  of  an  internal  sense  in  the 
Sacred  Scriptures,  but  they  have  had,  how- 
ever, no  definite  ideas  of  the  laws  of  corre- 
spondence, now  so  miraculously  unfolded  in 
tlie  writings  of  Swedenborg,  nor  yet  of  the 
distinct  books  in  which  that  sense  can  alone 
be  sought  with  success. 

"All  the  expressions  in  the  Word  are  sig- 
nificative of  heavenly  things,  and  all  tlie 
things  arc  representative  thereof,  and  this 
even  to  the  least  tittle."— A.  C.  5147. 


NOT  A  FANCIFUL  OR  VISIONARY  TUIiORY. 


105 


of  God  are  alike  written  according  to  the  invariable  science  of  corre- 
spondences. This  is  the  only  fixed  principle  on  which  it  can  be  ex- 
pounded and  successfully  defended  from  the  cavils  of  infidelity  and 
the  inconsistencies  of  a  false  faith ; — the  only  rule  which,  together 
with  the  aid  of  the  Spirit,  removes  all  difficulties,  reconciles  all  con- 


"  Believing  in  tlie  words  of  my  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  I  do  not  tliink  that  there  is  a  jot  or 
tittle  in  the  law  and  the  prophets  which  is 
devoid  of  mysteries." — Origen,  Horn.  i.  in 
Exod. 

"  It  became  us  to  believe  the  Sacred  Scrip- 
tures, not  to  liavc  one  apex  or  tittle  void  of 
the  wisdom  of  God." — 76.,  Horn.  2,  in  Jcr.,  cited 
in  Hanmer's  ^'iew  of  Anliguity,  p.  231.  Sec 
Matt.  V.  18;  Luke  xvi.  17. 

"  St.  Augustine  wrote  a  whole  Book  under 
the  title  of  Letter  and  Spirit,  in  which  he  has 
shown  that  not  only  the  Histories,  Precepts, 
Parables,  and  Figures  of  the  Old  Testament, 
but  those  of  the  \cw,  are  to  be  both  inter- 
preted spiritually  of  the  operations  of  God 
in  Christ,  and  applied  also  by  Faith  and  the 
power  of  the  Holy  Ghost  to  our  spirits,  to 
make  us  likewise  spiritual ;  otherwise  the 
whole  is  but  the  letter  thai  killeth,  and  not  the 
Spirit  that  givcth  life." — Halloway' s  Letter  and 
Spirit,  vol.  i.,  Int.,  p.  xlviii. 

"  If  Scripture  has  not  an  undercurrent  of 
meaning,  double,  triple,  quadruple,  or  even 
yet  more  manifold,  I  confess  not  only  that 
my  work  is  a  mere  waste  of  labor,  time,  and 
paper,  which  would  comparatively  matter 
little;  but  it  also  follows  that  all  primiti\e 
and  mediaeval  Commentators,  from  the  first 
century  till  the  Reformation,  have  more  or 
less  been  deceiving  the  Church  of  God, — have 
been  substituting  their  fancies  for  his  im- 
mutable verities, — have  adopted  the  system 
which  is  alike  the  offspring  and  the  parent 
of  error,— that  their  folios  have  been  a  hin- 
drance to  the  cause  of  truth,  and  the  lab(jrs 
of  their  loves  an  insult  to  the  genuine  prin- 
ciples of  interpretation.  Take  for  instance 
the  following  extracts : 

"The  Mystical  Interpretation  of  Scripture, 
as  ever}-  one  wiW  allow,  is  the  distinguishing 
mark  of  difference  between  ancient  and  modern 
Commentators.  To  the  former  it  was  the  very 
life,  marrow,  essence,  of  God's  Word ;  the  ker- 
nel, of  which  the  literal  exposition  was  the 
shell;  the  jewel,  to  which  the  outside  and 
verbal  signification  formed  the  shrine.  By 
the  latter  it  has  almost  universally  been  held 
in  equal  contempt  and  abhorrence.  It  has 
been  affirmed  to  be  the  art  of  involving 
everything  in  uncertaintj-,  to  take  away  all 
fixedness  of  meaning,  to  turn  Scripture  into 
a  repository  of  human  fancies,  to  be  subver- 
sive of  all  exactitude,  and  fatal  to  all  truth." 


— Xeale's  Mystical  and  Literal  Interpretation 
of  the  Psalms,  pp.  .377,  379. 

"  What  do  we  mean  by  a  literal  interpreta- 
tion? One  in  whicli  words  have  the  same 
sense  ascribed  to  them  which  they  usually 
boar  in  daily  life.  Now  this  is  one-half  of 
the  truth  needed  for  a  right  iiiterjiretation 
of  the  Scriptures.  The  Word  of  God  is  a  rev- 
elation to  man.  To  be  useful  to  men  it  must 
be  definite  and  intelligible,  and  in  this  sense 
literal.  But  it  is  also  a  revelation  from  God. 
Now  to  be  Divine,  it  must  contain  higher 
truths,  nobler  thoughts,  more  full  and  deep 
conceptions  than  such  as  man  conveys  to  his 
fellow-men.  Tlierefore,  in  employing  human 
language,  it  must  exalt  and  expand  the 
meaning  of  the  terms  which  it  employs.  It 
belongs  to  that  kingdom  of  God  which  eye 
hath  not  seen,  neither  hath  it  entered  into 
the  heart  of  man.  Hence  all  its  messages 
bear  tliis  same  character." — Birk's  First  Ele- 
ment of  Sacred  Prophecy,  p.  250. 

"  Natural  things,  persons,  motions,  and  ac- 
tions, declared  or  spoken  of  in  Scripture,  ad- 
mit of  also  many  times  a  mystical,  moral,  or 
allegorical  sense.  I  know  this  spiritual  sense 
is  as  great  a  fear  to  some  faint  and  unbeliev- 
ing hearts  as  a  spectre.  But  it  is  a  thing  ac- 
knowledged by  the  most  vnse,  most  pious, 
and  most  rational  of  the  Jewish  Doctors.  I 
will  instance  in  one  who  is  ad  instar  omnium, 
Moses  .Slgyptius,  who  compares  the  Divine 
Oracles  'to  Apples  of  Gold  in  pictures  of  sil- 
ver.' For  that  the  outward  Nitor  is  very 
comely,  as  Silver  curiously  cut  thorough  and 
wrought ;  but  the  inward  spiritual  or  mysti- 
cal sense  is  the  Gold,  more  precious  and 
more  beautiful,  that  glisters  through  those 
cuttings  and  artificial  carvings  in  the  letter." 
— H.  Mores  Def.  of  the  Cabala,  Introd.,  p.  107, 
ed.  1G53. 

"The  ancient  interpreters  of  the  Bible  were 
persuaded  and  firmly  believed  that  it  con- 
tained, besides  the  plain  and  obvious  mean- 
ing, mysterious  and  concealed  truths ;  they 
thought  that  in  a  book  so  holy,  and  coming 
from  the  Fountain  of  all  wisdom,  there  can- 
not possibly  be  a  redundant  word,  or  even  a 
superfluous  letter,  or  a  grammatical  anomaly; 
and  consequently,  whenever  such  do  appear, 
they  must  have  been  designedly  introduced 
with  a  view  of  indicating  some  unknown 
truth.''— Hurwit'z  "Essay  on  the  Uninspired 
Literature  of  the  Hebrcivs." 


106 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES 


traclictions,  and,  impressing  equal  value  upon  what  may  appear  trivial 
as  upon  the  most  important  portions  of  the  Word,  irradiating  the  whole 
with  the  bright  beams  of  infinite  glory.  Under  this  mode  of  inter- 
pretation Scripture  triply  becomes  the  interpreter  of  Scripture,  per- 
plexity and  doubt  are  banished,  and  it  is  at  once  demonstrated  that 
the  Holy  Word  is,  like  its  Author,  divine — that  his  spirit  fills  every 
"jot  and  tittle"  of  it  with  sublimity,  sanctity,  and  life,  and  distin- 
guishes it  broadly  from  all  human  compositions  whatsoever. 

Mosheim,  the  ecclesiastical  historian,  from  among  "  a  prodigious 
number  of  interpreters"  of  the  early  ages  of  Christianity,  mentions 
Pantsenus,  Clement  the  Alexandrian,  Tatian,  Justin  Martyr,  The- 
ophilus,  Bishop  of  Antioch,  Origen,  and  others,  who  were  illustrious 
for  their  piety  and  learning  and  love  of  truth,  Avho  "  all  attributed  a 
double  sense  to  the  words  of  Scripture ;  the  one  obvious  and  literal, 
the  other  hidden  and  mysterious,  which  lay  concealed  under  the  veil 
of  the  outward  letter ; "  and  that  "  the  true  meaning  of  the  sacred 
Avriters  was  to  be  sought  in  a  hidden  and  mysterious  sense  arising 
from  the  nature  of  the  things  themselves." — Ecel.  Sid.,  note  50,  cent. 
II.,  p.  2,  0.  iii.,  4,  5 ;  cent.  III.,  p.  2,  c.  iii.,  5. 

And  Bishop  Horne,  speaking  of  the  same  testimony  of  ancient 
Christian  writers  and  expositors,  distinguished  alike  for  their  learn- 
ing and  piety,  says, "  They  are  unexceptionable  witnesses  to  us  of  this 
matter  of  fact,  that  a  spiritual  mode  of  interpreting  the  Scriptures, 
built  upon  the  practice  of  the  apostles  in  their  writings  and  preach- 
ings, did  universally  prevail  in  the  church  from  the  beginning." 
— Comm.  on  Psalms,  pref.,  pp.  xi.,  xii.  (new  ed.  1836.)  Primitive 
language,  in  fact,  had  no  other  expressions  than  those  which  were 
grounded  in  a  certain  intuitive  perception  of  correspondences,  and 
thus,  at  the  same  time,  God  was  seen  and  adored  in  his  glorious 
workmanship,  and  man  was  divinely  instructed  in  the  thing's  of 
eternal  life."' 


63  The  author  of  Tracts  for  the  Times,  Ixxxix., 
says,  "  There  is  no  discrc)iancy  between  the 
tone  of  the  Apostles  and  that  of  the  Chiirch 
in  after  days,  in  rcspoet  of  their  both  as- 
suming, clearly  and  deliberately,  a  certain 
correspondence,  intended  by  the  Creator,  be- 
tween the  material  and  spiritual  worlds"  (p. 
183).  And  again, "  We  need  not,  perhaps,  hes- 
itate to  admit  in  the  most  >inrcser\'cd  way, — 
indeed,  it  might  be  hard  to  find  any  one  who 
has  ever  denied,— tlie  universal  adoption,  by 
the  early  Christian  writers,  of  tlie  allegorical 
way  of  expounding  the  Old  Testament."  "Not 


only  in  the  prophetical  writings  do  they  find 
our  Lord  and  his  Oospel  everywhere;  not 
only  do  they  trace  throughout  the  Levitical 
services  the  example  and  shadow  of  the  fu- 
ture heavenly  things,  but  they  deal  also  in 
the  same  way  with  the  records  of  history, 
whether  I'atriarchal  or  Jewish"  (p.  11). 

An  old  Latin  writer,  cited  and  translated 
by  H.  R.  r.  in  the  Aurora,  vol.  1.,  p.  7-1,  makes 
the  following  interesting  observations:  "I 
am  of  opinion  that  the  first  avtiiors  of  this 
[Hieroglyphia]  wisdom  were  not  from  Egypt; 
for  (if  we  credit  tlie  testimony  of  Alexan- 


NOT  A  FANCIFUL  OR  VISIONARY  THEORY. 


107 


"Wlicn,  in  consequence  of  man's  fall  from  this  state  of  intelligence 
and  purity,  it  became  needful  to  provide  him  with  a  written  record 
of  God's  will  and  wisdom,  adapted  to  raise  him  from  his  lapsed  con- 
dition, and  restore  him  to  the  paradise  of  wisdom  and  happiness,  the 
certainty  is,  that  it  would  be  written  in  the  only  universal  and  un- 
changing language,  the  language  of  correspondence ;  for,  while  the 
arbitrary  words  of  human  languages  are  perpetually  changing,  both 
in  sound  and  sense,  for  want  of  some  unalterable  standard,  the  lan- 
guage of  correspondence  is  as  fixed  and  determined  as  the  universe 
itself.^*  Had  divine  truth  been  revealed  to  man  in  mere  didactic 
phraseology  or  preceptive  forms  of  speech,  it  would  have  supplied 
no  positive  evidences  of  religious  truth,  no  fixed  basis  for  internal 
conviction ;  nor  could  it  have  been  translated  from  one  language  into 
another  without  losing  much  of  its  intrinsic  clearness  and  force ;  nor 


der,  in  his  book  of  Jewish  history,  as  well 
as  of  Eupolemus,  the  author  of  a  book  on  the 
Jewish  kings)  Abraham  lived  in  Heliopolis 
with  the  Egyptian  priests,  and  the  seeds  of 
sciences  scattered  by  Abraham  (some  of 
which  he  professed  to  have  been  handed 
down  to  him  by  Enoch)  were  not  wanting 
in  those  symbolical  and  enigmatical  veils 
under  which  the  wisdom  of  the  ancients  was 
concealed.  It  is  added,  that  this  world, 
crowded  with  such  various  objects,  and 
adorned  with  such  beautiful  imagery,  was 
presented  by  God  to  the  view  of  the  first  men, 
in  order  that  through  those  outward  representa- 
tions, they  viigM  perceive,  as  it  were  through  a 
faint  cloud,  the  bright  rays  of  divinity  which 
shone  within.  It  was  not  without  reason  that 
Epictetus  observed  that  there  existed  in  the 
minds  of  men,  symbols  of  God,  which  He  im- 
presseth  upon  us  by  the  surrounding  repre- 
sentations of  himself;  w'herefore  it  may  eas- 
ily be  believed,  that  the  various  objects  which 
are  beheld  on  the  face  of  the  earth,  were  re- 
garded by  Adam,  by  Enoch,  by  Noah,  and 
others  of  the  primitive  ages,  as  so  many  let- 
ters illuminated  with  the  divine  glory,  where- 
by the  Eternal  Mind  did  stamp  the  impres- 
sion of  his  name  on  man.  I  am  the  readier 
to  accede  to  this  opinion  from  the  custom  of 
their  posterity,  who  so  oftentimes  concealed 
the  mysteries  of  religion  under  symbols  and  fig- 
ures that  nothing  was  more  common.  And,  in- 
deed, the  ancient  Hebrews  so  highly  valued 
the  figurative  mode  of  speech,  that  what- 
ever was  spoken  shrewdly  and  fraught  with 
wisdom,  was  called  Maschal,  an  appella- 
tion which  properly  relates  to  parables  and 
similitudes." — De  Symbolica  JEgyptiorum  Sa- 
pientia. 

^  "  The  forms  of  divine  truth  in  its  ulti- 


mates,  are  moulded  and  fixed  in  all  the  ob- 
jects of  the  ^^sible  world,  which  is,  as  it 
were,  the  chase  containing  the  corrected 
types  of  all  written  language.  The  sounds 
and  the  signs  may  be  different,  according  to 
the  states  of  different  nations,  but  the  sub- 
stance they  involve  is  the  same  in  all  lan- 
guages. Plato  (in  Cratylo,  pp.  383,  42.5,  ed. 
Sorrani)  has  well  said  that  language  is  of 
divine  imposition ;  that  human  reason,  from 
a  defect  in  the  knowledge  of  natures  and 
qualities,  which  are  indicated  by  names, 
could  not  determine  the  cognomena  of 
things.  He  maintains  that  names  are  the 
vehicula  of  substances ;  that  a  fixed  analogj' 
[correspondence]  exists  between  the  name 
and  the  tiling;  that  language,  therefore,  is 
not  arbitrary  in  its  origin,  but  fixed  by  the 
laws  of  analogy ;  and  that  God  alone,  who 
knows  the  nature  of  things,  originally  im- 
posed names  strictly  expressive  of  their  qual- 
ities. Of  the  same  opinion  were  the  Stoics, 
substituting  only  nature  for  God,  as  the  cre- 
ating and  nominating  agent.  Zeno,  Clean- 
thes,  Chrj'sippus,  labored  to  prove  that  sounds 
were  originally  expressive  of  the  nature  of 
things ;  and  that  no  word  or  sound  could  be 
without  such  original.  That  not  only  the 
eye  and  the  ear,  but  the  touch,  the  taste,  and 
the  smell,  were  concerned  in  determining 
them.  They  who  may  desire  to  see  a  full  ac- 
count of  their  system  and  opinions,  may  con- 
sult Galen  de  Decret,  Hippo,  Plato,  lib.  ii,,  Nigi- 
dms  Agel,  10-5,  Laert.  7-3,  Varro  de  Ling.  Lat, 
and  Dion.  Hal.  de  Comp.  Verb.  The  profound 
and  eloquent  commentary  of  Hierocles  on 
the  verses  of  Pj-thagoras,  will  also  furnish  ar- 
gument and  illustration  in  almost  every  page. 
Vide  Glas.  Ed.  17.56."— R.  K.  C.  New-church- 
man, p.  235.  Philadelphia. 


108 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES 


could  it  have  been  handed  do-svn,  from  age  to  age,  in  the  pure  state 
in  which  we  possess  it.  The  laws  of  correspondence  are  based  on  the 
inseparable  connection  which  exists  between  spiritual  causes  and 
natural  effects ;  they  preserve  and  perpetuate  all  the  visible  works 
of  creation,  and  are  necessarily  interwoven  w  ith  all  human  experi- 
ence, mental  and  material ;  the  inspired  Word,  therefore,  enshrined 
in  the  language  of  correspondence,  has  retained,  and  must  retain,  its 
significance  and  authority,  its  comprehensiveness  and  grandeur, 
through  all  generations,  and  in  every  tongue  in  which  words  are  ap- 
propriated to  the  objects  of  the  outer  world  and  the  operations  of  its 
inhabitants.**  From  this  divine  source  man  may  continually  enrich 
himself  with  new  and  unfailing  treasures,  at  the  same  time  that  he 


65  What  an  intelligent  author  affinns  of 
figurative  imagery  is  far  more  truly  and  cor- 
rectly applicable  to  the  science  of  corre- 
spondences. "It  is  the  excellence  of  this 
mode  of  speaking,  that  it  is  not  confined 
to  the  people  of  any  particular  nation  or 
language,  but  applies  itself  equally  to  all 
the  nations  of  the  earth,  and  is  universal. 
It  was  not  intended  for  the  Hebrew  or  the 
Egyptian,  the  Jew  or  the  Greek,  but  for  man  ; 
and  therefore  it  obtjiins  equally  under  the 
Patriarchal,  Jewish,  and  Christian  Dispensa- 
tion :  and  is  of  common  benefit  to  all  ages 
and  all  places.  Words  are  changeable:  lan- 
guage has  been  confounded;  and  men  in 
different  parts  of  the  world  are  unintelligi- 
ble to  one  another  as  barbarians;  but  the 
visible  works  of  nature  are  not  subject  to  any 
such  confusion ;  they  speak  to  us  now  the 
same  as  they  spoke  in  the  earliest  ages,  and 
their  language  will  last  as  long  as  the  world 
shall  remain,  without  being  corrupted."  — 
W.  Jones,  Lecls.  on  the  Fig.  Lang,  of  Scrip.,  p. 
2."!?. 

Paine,  in  his  Age  of  Reason,  says, "  The  idea 
or  belief  of  a  Word  of  God,  existing  in  print, 
or  in  writing,  or  in  speech,  is  inconsistcntwith 
itself,  for  these  reasons  among  many  others: 
the  want  f)f  a  universal  language,  the  muta- 
bility of  language,  the  errors  to  which  trans- 
lations are  suljject,  tlie  possibility  of  toUilIy 
suppressing  such  a  Word,  the- probability  of 
altering  it,  or  of  fabricating  the  whole  and 
imposing  it  upon  the  world." — 8vo  ed.,  1818, 
part  i.,  p. 

These  specioiLS  objections,  to  which,  in  the 
common  mode  of  explaining  the  Scriptures, 
no  satisfactory  answer  ever  lias  or  can  be 
given,  are  dissipated  before  the  great  prin- 
ciples of  interpreting  the  oracles  of  God 
advocated  above,  like  darkness  at  the  rising 
of  tlie  sun.  Not  one  of  them  has  the  shadow 
of  a  support  on  which  to  rest.   Here  is  the 


"universal  language"  which  Paine  thought 
was  wanting. 

To  my  astonishment,  just  as  the  above  note 
was  being  printed  (1st  ed.),  I  met  with  argu- 
ments substantially  the  very  same,  and  cal- 
culated to  subvert  the  divinity,  sanctity,  and 
authority  of  the  Word  of  God,  advocated  in 
the  Dublin  Reviac,  for  October,  1847,  one  of 
the  most  influential  organs  of  the  Roman 
Catholics.    The  passage  occurs  in  a  paper 
'  against  the  indiscriminate  reading  of  the 
Bible.   "  It  was  laid  down,"  says  the  writer, 
"that  faith  was  in  living  persons;  but  the 
Bible  is  a  mere  material  book,  not  possessed 
of  life,  incapable  of  motion,  and  unable  by 
any  power  of  its  own  even  so  much  as  to 
propose  itself  for  belief    But  it  will  be  an- 
swered that,  when  any  one  is  said  to  read  and 
believe  the  Bible,  such  a  person  really  be- 
lieves in  Christ,  whose  words  and  revelation 
are  found  in  the  Bible.  Yes ;  but  how  do  you 
I  know  that  his  words  are  found  in  the  Bible? 
1  If  is  now  eighteen  hundred  years  since  our 
,  Saviour  and  his  apostles  were  on  the  earth. 
!  If  their  revelation  was  committed  to  a  book, 
I  as  you  suppose,  how  do  you  know  that  in  the 
!  course  of  time  this  book  has  not  been  falsi- 
fied ?  How  do  you  prove  the  identity  of  tlie 
Bible  of  the  nineteenth  century  with  the 
Bible  of  the  first?" 
I    To  the  devout  and  reflective  mind,  what  a 
I  powerful  argument  should  the  above  extract 
supply  (coming  as  it  does  from  the  represen- 
tatives of  a  large  proportion  of  the  Christian 
world)  for  the  absolute  neccs.sity  of  the  mode 
of  interpretation  now  revealed  to  mankind, 
unless,  indeed,  we  arc  prepared  to  see  the 
foundations  of  all  truth  undermined.  lA>t 
the  reader  contrast  it  with  the  following 
declarations  of  the  Word  itself:  John  i.  1; 
Luke  iv.  4 ;  I.sa.  xl.  S;  Ps.  cxix.  89;  eiii.  20; 
Matt.  xxiv.  i") :  Mark  xiii.  31 ;  Micah  ii.  7 ; 
John  vi.  C3,  xx.  31. 


NOT  A  FANCIFUL  OR  VISIONARY  THEORY. 


109 


traces  in  livin<T  characters,  amid  the  boundless  works  of  creative 
energy,  the  divine  love  and  wisdom  of  their  all-glorious  Author.  As 
the  objects  of  the  outward  universe  are  thus  contemjilated,  they  awaken 
devotional  feelings  and  kindle  heavenliest  aspirations,  and  the  divinity 
of  the  Word  becomes,  as  it  were,  identical  with  the  great  laws  of  cre- 
ation and  life;  its  truth  is  established  beyond  all  controversy  and 
doubt.*^ 


6^  The  author  of  Tracts  for  the  Times,  Ixxxix., 
speaking  of  tlie  peculiar  phraseologj'  of 
Scripture,  says  (and  his  arguments  would 
have  been  still  more  weighty  and  convincing 
had  he  been  acquainted  witli  the  science  of 
correspondences),  "  Nominalists  are  ready 
enough  to  s!iy, '  [that  this  mode  of  writing] 
Is  the  imperfection  of  language;  the  Al- 
mighty himself,  condescending  to  make  use 
of  human  words  and  idioms,  could  not  other- 
wise convey  ideas  of  the  spiritual  world  than 
by  images  and  terms  tiiken  from  objects  of 
sense.'  Or  again : '  It  is  tlie  genius  of  orient- 
alism ;  if  God  vouchsafed  to  address  the  men 
of  any  particular  time  and  country,  He  would 
adopt  the  modes  of  speech  suited  to  that  time 
and  country.'  Or,  '  The  whole  is  mere  poet- 
ical ornament,  the  vehicle  of  moral  or  his- 
torical truth,  framed  to  be  beautified  and 
engaging  in  its  kind,  in  mere  indulgence  to 
the  infirmity  of  human  nature.' 

"But  would  it  not  be  enough  to  say,  in 
answer  to  aU  these  statements  tf)gether,  that 
even  if  granted  in  fact,  they  fail  as  explana- 
tions, since  the  question  would  immediately 
occur,  who  made  language,  or  orientalism, 
or  poetr>-,  what  they  respectively  arc?  Was 
it  not  One  who  knew  beforehand  that  He 
should  adopt  them  one  day  as  the  channel 
and  conveyance  of  his  truth  and  his  will  to 
mankind  ?  Surely  reason  and  pietj-  teach  us 
that  God's  providence  prepared  langiiage  in 
general,  and  especially  the  languages  of  Holy 
Scripture  and  the  human  stylos  of  its  several 
writers,  as  fit  media  through  which  his  super- 
natural glories  and  dealings  might  be  dis- 
cerned ;  and  if  they  be  so  formed  as  neces- 
sarily to  give  us  notions  of  a  certain  corre- 
spondence between  tlie  supernatural  and 
%'isible,  we  can  hardly  help  concluding  that 
such  notions  were  intended  to  be  formed  by 
us." 

The  same  writer  proceeds  thus:  "If  the 
whole  were  mere  necessity,  arising  out  of 
the  imperfection  of  human  speech,  or  if  it 
were  oriental  boldness  of  phrase  or  poetical 
ornament,  the  symbols  would  probably  be 
more  varied  than  we  find  them  to  be — the 
same  external  object  would  not  so  constantly 
occur  to  express  the  same  invisible  thing, 
10 


through  so  large  a  collection  of  compositions, 
so  widely  differing  in  style  and  tone.  As  to 
the  imperfection  of  human  speech,  we  all 
feel  every  hour  how  it  causes  us  to  modify 
and  alter  our  images;  we  take  the  best 
symbol  wliich  occurs  to  us  at  the  time,  but 
we  use  it  in  a  kind  of  restless,  unsatisfied 
way,  like  persons  aware  that  it  is  not  simply 
the  best ;  and  by  the  time  we  need  it  again, 
we  have  lighted,  verj'  likely,  on  something 
far  truer  and  more  \i'\id;  and  thus  we  go 
on  in  conversation  or  in  writing,  improving 
or  marring  our  imagery,  as  the  case  may 
be,  but  still  letting  it  be  felt  that  it  is  by  no 
means  fixed  and  unchangeable.  Again:  as 
to  poetical  ornament,  variety  and  versatility 
of  resource,  it  is  obviously  a  great  ingredient 
of  that  sort  of  excellency :  to  be  always  re- 
sorting to  the  same  similitude  or  analogy 
would  rather,  of  course,  betray  want  of  skill 
or  power.  The  third  solution,  that  of  orient- 
alism, may  seem  at  first  sight  to  be  more  sat- 
isfactory as  to  this  particular  circurostance  of 
the  same  figure  constiintly  repeated.  Grant- 
ing, however,  that  the  literature  of  the  East- 
ern nations  is,  in  some  resi)ects,  like  their 
manners,  more  fixed  and  monotonous  than 
ours,  and  accordingly  that  it  uses  to  express 
things  out  of  sight  by  a  certain  uniform  im- 
agery, suggesting  the  notion  of  a  settled  and 
understood  imagery,  yet,  in  the  first  place, 
we  know  not  how  far  this  literature  may 
have  been  originally  modelled  in  the  Hebrew 
Scriptures,  instead  of  their  taking  any  tone 
from  some  previom  form  of  it,  the  very  ex- 
istence of  which,  after  all,  is  but  conjectured. 
Next,  sucli  a  statement  would  put  in  a 
stronger  light  the  fact  of  that  kind  of  style 
having  been  adopted  by  the  Holy  Ghost, 
whereby  its  sj-mbolical  words  would  seem 
to  be  raised  to  the  rank  of  divine  hierogl}T)h- 
ics,  so  to  call  them. 

"  The  fixedness,  therefore,  of  the  Scriptural 
imager}-  docs  not  seem  to  be  sufficiently  ac- 
counted for  by  any  criticisms  of  this  kind; 
but  it  is  accounted  for  if  we  suppose  the 
material  world  originally  constructed  with 
a  view  to  the  sacred  analogies  wliich  tliis 
sjTnbolical  alphabet  of  Scripture  (if  we  may 
so  denominate  it)  suggests." — Pp.  171-3. 


110 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDEXCES 


K  the  Word  had  been  MTitten  w  ithout  a  literal  sense  exactly  cor- 
responding to  its  inward  spirit,  a  medium  of  conjunction  between 
heaven  and  earth,  angels  and  men,  would  have  been  wanting,  aud 
there  would  have  been  no  ground  or  basis  on  which  divine  truth 
could  have  rested,  so  as  to  remain  fixed  with  man.  Attendant  angels 
can  perceive  the  spiritual  sense  while  man  peruses  the  letter  in  faith 
and  sincerity,  even  where  he  is  not  acquainted  with  the  internal  sense, 
and  he  can  claim  a  holy  state  of  adjunction  with  them ;  but  when 
the  genuine  doctrines  of  the  letter  and  the  truths  of  the  internal 
sense  are  acknowledged  by  him,  and  received  in  affection,  he  may 
then  enter  into  a  blessed  state  of  association  aud  conjunction  with 
them. 

"  The  literal  sense  of  the  Word  is  also  a  defence  for  the  genuine 
truths  concealed  in  it,  lest  they  should  sufier  violence ;  and  the  defence 
consists  in  this,  that  the  literal  sense  can  be  turned  every  way,  in  all 
directions,  and  be  explained  according  to  the  reader's  apprehension 
without  its  internal  being  hurt  or  violated,  for  no  hurt  ensues  from  the 
literal  sense  being  understood  difierently  by  diflerent  people.  But  the 
danger  is,  when  the  divine  truths  which  are  hidden  therein  are  perverted, 
for  it  is  by  this  that  the  Word  suffers  violence.  To  prevent  which, 
the  literal  sense  is  its  defence ;  and  it  operates  as  such  a  defence  with 
those  who  are  under  the  influence  of  religious  errors,  and  yet  do  not 
confirm  them  in  their  minds ;  from  these  the  Word  suffers  no  vio- 
lence. The  literal  sense,  acting  as  a  guard  or  defence,  is  signified  by 
the  cherubim  in  the  Word,  and  is  also  described  by  them." — D,  S.  S., 
n.  97. 

Swedenborg  elucidates  this  interesting  point  most  convincingly, 
where  he  says,  "  That  the  Word  without  its  literal  sense  would  be 
like  a  palace  without  a  foundation ;  that  is,  like  a  palace  in  the  air 
and  not  on  the  ground,  which  could  only  be  the  shadow  of  a  palace, 
and  must  vanish  away  ;  also,  that  the  Word,  without  its  literal  sense, 
would  be  like  a  temple  in  which  there  are  many  holy  things,  and  in 
the  midst  thereof  the  holy  of  holies,  without  a  roof  and  walls  to  form 
the  containants  thereof ;  in  which  case  its  holy  things  would  be  plun- 
dered by  thieves,  or  be  violated  by  the  beasts  of  the  earth  and  the 


"In  reading  the  Bible  for  Word  of  God], 
you  eftnnut  avoid  perceiving  that  all  the 
prophets  and  all  the  saercd  writers  use  the 
figurative  language  of  parable.  It  is  the 
language  of  inspiration  and  the  symbolical 
language  of  nature."  "The  operations  of 


the  spiritual  and  moral  kingdoms  in  man 
are  typified,  in  toto,  by  those  of  the  king- 
doms of  nature,  as  it  is  termed  by  philoso- 
phers."— Eisay  on  Universal  Analoffy,  pp.  15, 
36,38. 


NOT  A  FANCIFUL  OR  VISIONARY  THEORY. 


Ill 


birds  of  heaven,  and  thus  be  dissipated.  In  like  manner  it  would  be 
like  the  tabernacle,  in  the  inmost  place  whereof  was  the  ark  of  the 
covenant,  and  in  the  middle  part  the  golden  candlestick,  the  golden 
altar  for  incense,  and  also  the  table  for  sheAV-bread,  which  were  its 
holy  things,  without  its  ultimates,  which  Avere  the  curtains  and  veils. 
Yea,  the  Word  without  its  literal  sense  would  be  like  the  human  body 
without  its  coverings,  which  are  called  skins,  and  without  its  support- 
ers, which  are  called  bones,  of  which,  supposing  it  to  be  deprived,  its 
inner  parts  must  of  necessity  be  dispersed  and  perish.  It  would  also 
be  like  the  heart  and  lungs  in  the  thorax  deprived  of  their  cover- 
ing which  is  called  the  pleura,  and  their  supporters  which  are  called 
the  ribs ;  or  like  the  brain  without  its  coverings  which  are  called  the 
dura  mater  and  piVt  mater,  and  without  its  common  covering,  con- 
tainant  and  firmament  which  is  called  the  skull.  Such  would  be  the 
state  of  the  AVord  without  its  literal  sense ;  wherefore  it  is  said  in 
Isaiah,  that  '  the  Lord  will  create  upon  all  the  glory  a  covering '  " 
(iv.  5).— S.  S.,  n.  33. 


CHAPTEE  Till. 


The  Difference  between  the  xVppakent  and  Genuine  Truths  of  the 
Literal  Sense  of  the  Holy  Word  Explained  and  Illustrated. 


IN  many  parts  of  the  sacred  Scriptures,®'  however,  particularly  in 
the  Gospels,  we  find  true  doctrine  plainly  revealed  for  the  simple 
in  heart, — "the  babes  in  Christ"  (1  Cor.  iii.  1;  1  Pet.  ii.  2);  but 
would  we  behold  the  hidden  splendors  of  heaven,  which  fill  the  inner 
courts  of  the  sanctuary,  "  the  everlasting  gates  must  be  unfolded," — 
we  must  enter  through  "  the  veil,"  and  as  we  meditate  on  what  we 
see,  we  cannot  fail  to  adopt  the  exclamation  of  the  patriarch,  and 
say,  "  This  is  none  other  than  the  house  of  God,  and  this  is  the  gate 
of  heaven  "  (Gen.  xxvii.  17).  Nor  let  it  for  one  moment  be  supposed 
that  the  internal  sense  of  Scripture  invalidates  or  injures,  in  the 
slightest  degree,  its  extrinsic  meaning  and  authority.  On  the  con- 
trary, as  the  soul  animates  and  confers  dignity  on  the  body  in  which 
it  dwells,  so  the  spiritual  sense  gives  life  to  and  exalts  the  literal 
sense,  which  is  acknowledged  to  be  eminently  holy  in  consequence  of 
the  heavenly  meaning  of  which  it  is  the  repository,  and  which,  far 
from  being  disparaged,  is  preserved  by  it  and  for  it  with  the  most 
scrupulous  exactness.  Of  the  Word  of  God  in  both  senses  it  may  be 
truly  said,  in  the  language  of  the  author  of  the  Epistle  to  the  He- 


w  "  There  is  a  striking  passage  in  Augus- 
tine," says  the  autlior  of  Tracts  for  the  Times, 
Ixxxix.,  p.  4.'),  "which  collects,  as  it  were,  into 
a  point,  the  confessions  on  this  head  of  every 
generation  of  believers;  'The  style  itself  in 
which  Holy  Scripture  is  framed,  how  open 
Is  it  to  every  one's  approach,  liow  impossi- 
ble to  be  searched  out  by  any  hut  a  very  few  ! 
What  things  it  contains  that  are  obvious  and 
open,  these,  like  a  familiar  friend,  it  speaks 
simply  to  the  heart,  both  of  unlearned  and 
learned.  As  to  those,  on  the  other  hand, 
which  it  hides  in  mysteries,  neither  does  it 
elevate  them  by  lofty  speech,  such  as  might 
deter  from  a  nearer  approach  the  dull  and 
untaught  mind,  as  a  poor  man  sometimes 
fears  to  approach  a  rich  one  ;  hut  Scripture 
inyites  all  by  a  lowly  kind  of  speech,  intend- 


ing not  only  to  feed  all  with  obvious  truth, 
but  also  to  exercise  and  prove  all  by  that 
truth  which  is  remote  from  view :  having  in 
its  easy  i)arts  whatever  its  hard  parts  contain. 
3$ut  lost  being  open  to  view,  they  should  in- 
cur contempt,  the  same  truths  again  are  made 
desirable  by  concealment ;  to  meet  the  de- 
sire, they  are,  as  it  were,  produced  anew ; 
and  being  so  renewed,  they  insinuate  them- 
selves with  a  kind  of  delight.  Thus  whole- 
some correction  is  provided  for  corrupt 
minds,  wholesome  no\irishment  for  feeble 
minds,  and  wholesome  enjoyment  for  groat 
minds.  That  mind  alone  is  set  against  this 
teaching,  that,  either  through  error  knows 
not  its  healing  power,  or  through  sickness 
loathes  it  as  medicine.' " — Ep.  137,  g  18,  t.  ii.,  p. 
olO. 

112 


APPARENT  AND  REAL  TRUTHS  OF  SCRIPTURE.  113 


brews,  that  it  "  is  quick,  and  powerful,  and  sharper  than  any  two- 
edged  sword,  piercing  even  to  the  dividing  asunder  of  soul  and  spirit, 
and  of  the  joints  and  marrow,  and  is  a  discerner  of  the  thoughts  and 
intents  of  the  heart"  (iv.  12).  The  letter  is  composed  so  as  to  engage 
the  attention  of  children  and  to  arouse  the  indifference  of  tlie  most 
supine.  Here  the  rudimental  elements  of  truth  and  goodness  are 
offered  for  acceptance.  It  calls  "  sinners  to  rei^entance  "  by  exciting 
their  hopes  and  awakening  their  fears.  External  promises  are  an- 
nexed to  obedience,  threatenings  to  disobedience.  To  adapt  its  inward 
spirit  to  the  lowest  and  weakest,  apjjearances  of  truth,  or  truths  as 
they  present  themselves  to  the  natural  understandings  of  men,  are 
often  substituted  for  genuine  truths,  things  relative  for  things  abso- 
lute. Without  impairing  the  intrinsic  verity,  the  value,  the  jiurity, 
or  the  efficacy  of  the  Word,  in  the  least,  the  most  salutary  lessons  are 
presented  therein,  under  every  possible  diversity  of  form,  and  so  won- 
derfully and  mercifully  is  the  whole  accommodated  to  every  character, 
and  brought  down  to  the  level  of  every  apprehension,  that  all  minds, 
both  simple  and  intelligent,  the  illiterate  and  the  learned,  may  be 
gradually  led,  by  means  of  it,  from  the  slavery  of  sinful  propensities  and 
habits,  to  the  liberty  of  heaven, — from  spiritual  darkness  to  God's 
marvellous  light, — without  injury  to  their  freedom.  These  adapta- 
tions of  truth  to  the  varieties  of  human  perception  may  be  compared 
to  lenses  of  various  powers-— convex  for  one,  concave  for  another. 
There  are  also  numerous  instances  in  which  genuine  doctrine  concern- 
ing the  Lord,  and  the  essentials  of  salvation,  shine  clearly  and  un- 
mistakably, even  through  the  cortex  of  the  letter.*'  These  agree  in 
every  respect  with  the  deeper  truths  of  the  inward  sjiirit,  and  may 
always  be  universally  recognized.  As  the  mind  receives  and  obeys, 
it  becomes  expanded  and  elevated,  prepared  for  higher  degrees  of 
spiritual  light  and  usefulness.  It  is  like  the  dawn  which  precedes  the 
rising  of  the  sun,  or  the  spring  which  heralds  the  coming  year. 
Nor  must  we  omit  to  notice  the  fact  that  all  the  great  doctrines  of 


•8  See  Matt.  xxii.  3" ;  Isa.  xlv.  22 ;  Matt.  xix. 
17;  John  xiv.  9,  10;  Rev.  xxii.  12. 

"  We  have  compared  the  letter  of  the  Word 
of  God  to  the  skin  that  covers  the  body,  and 
its  hidden  contents  to  the  interior  organs 
and  members;  .  .  .  but  to  illustrate  the 
present  subject,  the  Holy  Word  may  be 
compared  to  a  beautiful  female  clothed  in 
becomingdraperj',  but  whose  face  and  hands 
remain  uncovered  :  thus,  while  the  greater 
part  of  the  letter  of  the  Scriptures  consists 
of  truths  veiled  over  by  natural  images. 


which  cannot  be  deciphered  without  a  key, 
the  things  most  indispensable  to  be  known 
are  openly  displayed."— JVbbZe's  Plen.  Imp.,  p. 
115. 

So  Augustine,  cited  by  Bishop  Hall,  asserts, 
"  There  is  not  so  much  diflBculty  in  the  Scrip- 
tures to  come  to  those  things  which  are  neces- 
sary to  salvation." — Ep.  3.  And  in  another 
place, "  In  those  things  which  are  openly  laid 
down  in  Scripture,  are  found  all  those  things 
which  contain  our  failh  and  rules  of  life." — 
De  Docl.  Chris.,  lii.,  c.  9. 


10^ 


H 


114 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


the  Christian  religion,  those  which  involve  the  first  steps  of  moral 
duty  and  are  essential  to  salvation,  must  clearly  and  legibly  be 
drawn  from,  and  supported  by,  the  literal  sense  of  the  Word,  in 
which  divine  truth  lies  couched  in  all  its  ftilness  and  power.^'  It 
is  the  "  hem "  of  the  Lord's  outer  garments,  whence  healing  virtue 
issues  forth  on  every  side  (Matt.  xiv.  36).  Just  as  appearances  in 
the  works  of  God  are  to  be  explained  by  the  ascertained  deductions 
of  scientific  research,  so  the  appearances  of  truth  in  the  letter  of  the 
Word  of  God  must  be  expounded  by  the  facts  of  true  doctrine  in 
order  to  harmonize  with  genuine  wisdom.'" 

The  fallacies  arising  from  primary  impressions  on  the  mind  are 
"  truths  in  the  time  of  ignorance,"  and  have  to  be  removed  or  dis- 
sipated in  the  progress  we  make  in  all  kinds  of  knowledge.  Nor, 
constituted  as  we  are,  capable  of  an  everlasting  advancement  in 
intelligence,  is  this  any  imperfection;  on  the  contrary,  it  lies,  in 
reality,  at  the  root  of  all  improvement.  We  are  surrounded  with 
fallacies  and  appearances  of  truth,  natural  and  mental,  which  ob- 
servation, experience,  and  reflection  only  can  explain  and  correct. 
Thus  all  things  appear  to  originate  from  mere  nature.  The  sun 
appears  to  move  daily  round  the  earth,  to  rise  in  the  east  and  to  set 
in  the  west.    It  appears  to  us  as  though  we  beheld  objects  out  of  the 


See  Rom.  i.  16 ;  Ps.  xxix.  4 ;  Luke  iv.  32 ; 
Isa.  viii.  20. 

"  The  truths  of  the  literal  sense  of  the 
Word  are,  in  some  cases,  not  naked  truths, 
but  only  appearances  of  truths,  and  are  like 
similitudes  and  comparisons  taken  from  the 
objects  of  nature,  and  thus  accommodated 
and  brought  down  to  the  apprehension  of 
simple  minds  and  of  children.  But  whereas 
they  arc  at  the  .same  time  correspondences, 
Jhey  are  the  receptacles  and  abodes  of  genu- 
ine truth  :  and  they  are  like  containing  ves- 
sels,—like  a  crystJilline  cupcontainiugcscel- 
lent  wine,  or  a  silver  dish  containing  rich 
meats;  or  they  arc  like  garments  clothing 
the  body, — like  swaddling-clothes  on  an  in- 
fant, or  an  elegant  dress  on  a  beautiful  vir- 
gin ;  they  are  also  like  the  scientifics  of  the 
natural  man,— which  comprehend  in  them 
the  perceptions  and  aflcetions  of  truth  of  the 
spiritual  man."— S.  S.,  n.  40. 

"When  the  Word  of  God  (which  is  true) 
is  literally  false,  it  is  spiritually  true.  This 
spiritual  sense  is  covered  by  another,  in  a 
va.st  number  of  places,  and  uncovered  in 
some,— rarely,  indeed,  but  nevertheless  in 
such  a  manner  that  the  places  where  it  is 
concealed  are  equivocal,  and  agree  with  both 


[senses] ;  whereas  the  places  where  it  is  dis- 
closed are  unequivocal,  and  agree  only  with 
the  spiritual  sense."— Pase/ia/'s  ThouglUs. 

"  It  is  the  manner  of  Scripture,"  says  Greg- 
ory of  Xyssa,  "  to  describe  what  appears  to  be 
instead  of  what  really  is." — Ep.  dc  Python,  p. 
870.  "  Or  in  other  words,"  adds  Dr.  Davidson, 
"the diction  of  the  Bible  describes  circum- 
stances and  physical  truths  optically,  accord- 
ing to  the  popular  opinions  and  customary 
phraseology  of  men,  without  strict  scientific 
accuracy."— Sacrcrf  Ilcnricnaiiics.  p.  IIS.  "An 
object  seen  in  two  difTerent  mediums  ap- 
pears crooked  or  broken,  however  straight 
and  entire  it  may  be  in  itself."— .4ddiso7i. 

"  Even  the  most  advanced  language  is  not 
yet,  and  never  will  be  after  all,  more  than 
the  langiiage  of  appearances.  The  visible 
world,  much  more  than  you  suppose,  is  a 
piissing  shadow,  a  scene  of  illusions  and  of 
phantoms.  What  you  call  a  reality  is  still  in 
itself  but  a  phenomenon  considered  in  rela- 
tion to  a  more  exalted  reality,  and  to  an  ul- 
terior analysis.  .  .  .  The  expression  of  ap- 
pearances, accordingly,  provided  it  be  ex- 
act, is,  among  men,  philosophically  correct, 
and  what  it  behoved  the  Scriptures  to  em- 
ploy."— Gaussai's  TlieopncuMy,  pp.  250-1. 


ArrARENT  AND  REAL  TRUTHS  OF  SCRIPTURE.  115 


eye  or  at  a  distance  from  us.  The  sky  over  our  heads  appears  con- 
cave, the  earth  beneath  our  feet  as  a  plain.  These  appearances  with 
many  othei-s  are  so  described  in  the  letter  of  the  Word  ;  but  the  gen- 
uine truth  obtained  by  scientific  investigation  and  rational  analysis, 
is,  we  know,  the  reverse  of  all  this,  when  we  substitute  states  of  life 
for  space  and  time.  To  speak  according  to  apparent  truths,  however, 
best  suits  the  universal  forms  of  ordinary  intercourse,  and  is  sufficient 
for  all  the  practical  purposes  of  life,  because  best  adapted  to  the 
apprehension  of  all ;  and  when  the  realities  and  genuine  facts  are 
understood,  this  mode  of  speech  is  attended  with  no  difficulty  Avhat- 
ever.  To  speak  according  to  appearances  has  been  well  described  by 
Grindon  as  the  great  law  of  language,  "  because  all  language  deals 
primarily  with  ultimates  and  externals,"  or  what  is  first  presented  to 
the  outward  senses  and  to  the  apperceptions  of  the  external  mind. 
Nay,  further,  the  language  of  appearances  is  equally  well,  and  in 
some  cases,  perhaps,  far  better  and  more  universally,  adapted  to  the 
expression  and  apprehension  of  truth  than  the  correct  theory  and 
nomenclature  of  science,  which  are  always  changing^  or  the  strict 
language  of  philosophy,  which  would  be  understood  by  few  unaccus- 
tomed to  abstract  inquiries. 

Even  in  religious  doctrines  many  fallacies  exist,  which  experience 
alone  can  rectify.  For  instance,  it  appears  to  some,  even  honest, 
minds,  that  faith  alone  saves  man  from  sin,  and  to  others,  that  good 
works  alone  are  the  ground  of  acceptance  with  God.  From  the  mere 
appearances  of  the  literal  sense  of  Scripture,  many  have  inferred  that 
God  is  angry  and  vindictive  and  delights  in  punishing  the  sinner  for 
his  transgressions ;  that  the  soul  is  a  mere  vapor,  and  the  spiritual 
world  a  mysterious  void ;  that  the  body  will  rise  at  some  ftiture  day 
from  the  grave,  and  the  earth  will  be  sublimated  into  a  heaven,  and 
that  heaven  and  its  joys  are  the  capricious  gifts  of  God,  and  will  even 
borrow  confirmation  of  these  opinions  from  the  letter  of  the  Word. 
But  all  such  views  are  the  oflJspring  of  appearances  mistaken  for 
realities,  and  of  subsequent  fallacious  reasonings  thereon,  which  can 
only  be  corrected  and  dissipated  by  a  right  discrimination  between 
apparent  and  genuine  truths,  according  to  the  rule  of  interpretation 
here  advocated.  It  is  even  so  with  natural  knowledge.  While  one 
mind  will  perceive  a  scientific  law  in  its  native  lustre,  another,  without 
a  question  of  insincerity,  will  have  but  an  obscure  idea  of  it ;  a  third 
will  regard  it  as  a  fallacy  of  the  senses,  and  a  fourth  will  entirely 
reject  it  as  absolutely  false  and  untenable.    Hence  Ave  are  supplied 


116 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES 


with  an  incontrovertible  argument  in  favor  of  the  necessity  of  the 
Word  of  God,  as  we  find  it,  being  outwardly  suited  to  the  early  states 
of  all  for  whom  it  was  designed. 

All  men  are  first  external  and  carnal,  and  by  nature  inclined  only 
to  what  is  evil ;  yet  they  have  to  be  impressed  with  the  indispensable 
truth  of  God's  existence  and  government  and  the  hatefulness  of  sin, 
before  they  can  trust  his  guidance,  be  reclaimed  from  iniquity,  attain 
newness  of  heart  and  life,  become  spiritually -minded,  and  have  cor- 
rect ideas  of  spiritual  things.  "  Howbeit,"  saith  the  apostle  Paul, 
"that  was  not  first  which  is  spiritual,  but  that  which  is  natural; 
and  afterward  that  which  is  spiritual"  (1  Cor.  xv.  46).  "But  the 
natural  man  receiveth  not  the  things  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  for  they 
are  foolishness  unto  him ;  neither  can  he  know  them,  because  they 
are  spiritually  discerned  "  (1  Cor.  ii.  14).  A  child,  for  instance,  sees 
any  given  truth  relating  to  the  life  and  conduct  merely  in  its  simple 
appearance,  so  that  parental  aflTection  will  assume  the  form  of  auger, 
and  parental  instruction  the  form  of  cruelty  ;  but  a  young  man  m  ill 
perceive  the  same  truth  in  a  less  imperfect  state  of  the  intellect,  and 
see  it  in  another  light ;  mature  age,  however,  will  again  strip  it  of 
many  adventitious  coverings  ;  wliile  old  age  Avill  look  at  it  in  a  higher 
c^egree  of  light,  and  see  it  in  a  totally  different  point  of  view,  and  will 
from  long  experience  and  observation  adopt  and  enforce  only  what  is 
genuine."  When  the  deluded  sensualist,  therefore,  approaches  the 
Divine  Word,  he  sees,  as  he  only  can  see,  no  further  than  the  mere 
appearances  of  the  letter.  He  is  warned  to  escape  "  the  wrath  to 
come."  He  is  threatened,  that  his  natural  fears  and  hopes  may  be 
awakened,  and  that  he  may  be  impressed  with  his  awful  state  by 
nature  and  by  choice.  He  looks  at  the  Lord  as  "  an  austere  man  " 
and  a  "  hard  master."    He  is  thus,  may  be,  induced  to  seek  deliv- 


"  Take  as  an  illustration  the  petition  in  the 
Lord's  Prayer,  "Give  us  this  day  our  daily 
bread."  The  child  utters  it,  and  is  taught 
from  it  that  all  that  he  enjoys  is  absolutely 
given  by  the  Lord.  But  as  childhood  passes 
away,  he  discovers  that  his  food  and  clothes 
are  the  results  of  the  labor  of  his  parents, 
and  now  he  prays  for  life  and  strenpth  for 
them.  In  youth  he  learns  that  though  they 
labor,  it  is  "God  who  gives  the  increase," 
and  he  now  prays  for  the  blessing  of  the  Lord 
on  his  own  works  as  well  as  on  his  jiarents. 
When  youth  passes  and  manhood  dawns,  ho 
begins  to  feel  the  need  of  intelligence  to 
guide  him  aright,  and  now  he  thinks  of  a 
spiritual  bread  on  wliich  his  soul  can  live. 


and  he  prays  for  light  and  knowledge  In- 
stead of  the  literal  food  of  his  childhood. 
And  still  on,  when  intelligence  has  awa- 
kened his  nnderstiinding,  hesees  the  need  of 
spiritual  wisdom,  and  begins  to  search  for  it 
in  the  Word  of  God,  to  regenerate  his  heart 
and  life.  He  still  u.^^es  the  same  words,  but 
prays  for  interior  light.  And  when  this  is 
vouchsafed,  it  teaches  him  that  beyond  all 
this  he  has  another  and  a  higher  need— the 
love  of  God  in  his  soul — and  at  the  divine 
footstool  of  his  Father  he  seeks  and  asks  for 
this  love  in  the  words  of  his  childhood's 
prayer,  "Give  us  this  day  our  daily  bread.  " 
—Ed. 


APPARENT  AND  REAL  TRUTHS  OF  SCRIPTURE.  117 


erance  from  evil  and  error,  and,  in  dependence  on  Him  who  is  "  mighty 
to  save,"  is  encouraged  to  take  the  first  step  in  the  patli  of  repentance. 
The  simple  in  heart  and  mind  approach  the  same  Word,  they  read 
and  understand  its  doctrines,  and  obey  its  precepts  in  simplicity,  and 
partake  of  its  unspeakable  consolations,  rejoicing  as  from  time  to  time 
they  see  "  greater  things  than  these."  When  the  intelligent,  who  have 
made  some  progress  and  acquired  some  experience  in  the  regenerate 
life,  read  the  Word,  they  can  more  clearly  and  rationally  see  the 
unfoldings  of  the  internal  sense ;  and,  as  they  advance  in  goodness, 
will  have  still  deeper  mysteries  and  more  glorious  wonders  displayed 
to  their  delighted  view,  until  "  perfect  love  casteth  out  fear  "  (1  John 
iv.  18),  and  the  light  shining  brighter  and  brighter  upon  them  reveals 
the  open  day,  and  enables  them  to  discern  truths  in  that  light  by 
which  angels  see.  (Prov.  iv.  18.)  "  For  we  know  in  part,"  says  the 
apostle  Paul,  "  and  we  prophesy  in  part.  But  when  that  which  is 
perfect  is  come,  then  that  which  is  in  part  shall  be  done  away.  When 
I  was  a  child,  I  spake  as  a  child,  I  understood  as  a  child,  I  thought 
as  a  child ;  but  when  I  became  a  man,  I  put  away  childish  things. 
For  now  we  see  through  a  glass,  darkly ;  but  then,  face  to  face :  now 
I  know  in  part ;  but  then  shall  I  know  even  as  also  I  am  known  " 
(1  Cor.  xiii.  9-12).'^  So  also  the  Lord  himself,  who  is  "  the  same 
yesterday,  to-day,  and  forever"  (Heb.  xiii.  3),  is  perceived  and  ac- 
knowledged, as  to  his  Divine  characteristics,  just  in  proportion  as 
truth  is  unfolded  and  purity  of  heart  is  attained.  He  is  regarded 
in  man's  first  efforts  as  a  stem  teacher,  before  He  can  be  seen  as  the 
God  of  all  Avisdom  and  whose  laws  all  proceed  from  his  unbounded 
love ;  but  when  man  has  made  advanced  progress  in  the  regenerate 
life,  and  has  become  partially  acquainted  with  the  influence  of  love 
upon  his  heart,  in  all  its  beautiful  and  tender  varieties,  then,  and  not 
till  then,  can  he  see  God  as  He  really  is,  love  itself  and  wisdom  itself. 
And  these  changes  of  state  are  ob\nously  finite,  and  attach  only  to  the 
creature,  and  in  respect  to  God  himself  are  but  appearances  of  truth." 


"  "  Now,  we  see  by  means  of  a  mirror  re- 
fleeting  the  images  of  heavenly  and  spiritual 
things,  in  an  enigmatical  manner,  invisible 
things  being  represented  by  visible ;  spiritual 
by  natural ;  eternal  by  temporal." — Dr.  A. 
Clarke's  Comment. 

"  "You  know,"  observes  Maimonides,  "what 
the  wise  man  says  (Prov.  xxv.  11):  A  word 
spoken  according  to  his  two  faces,  is  as  apples 
of  gold  in  net-work  of  silver.  Therefore, 
when  a  word  spoken  according  to  both  ilsjaces 
(that  is,  according  to  its  exterior  and  interior 


signification)  is  said  to  be  like  apples  of  gold 
in  net-work  of  silver,  the  meaning  is.  tliat  the 
exterior  sense  of  such  word  is  good  and  pre- 
cious as  silver,  but  that  the  interior  is  yet 
much  more  excellent:  this  being  in  com- 
parison of  the  otfier,  proportionably  as  gold 
is  to  silver  in  value.  Nor  is  this  all,  but  it 
has  yet  this  farther  meaning,  viz.,  that  there 
likewise  is  something  in  the  exterior  sense, 
that  naturally  leads  to  a  closer  inspection 
and  consideration  of  the  interior,  without 
which  this  would  not  be  observed.  Even  as 


118 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


In  accommodation  to  human  discernment,  the  letter  of  the  sacred 
Word  sometimes  speaks  of  the  Lord  as  having  his  dwelling-place 
above  the  outward  firmament ;  as  pleased  or  displeased  with  every 
separate  action  and  thought  of  each  single  individual ;  as  changing 
his  mind;  as  capriciously  seeming  to  grant  admission  into  heaven 
for  a  reward,  and  as  arbitrarily  casting  into  hell  as  a  punishment  to 
chastise  man  for  transgressions  against  his  precepts ;  and  as  attribut- 
ing to  Him  evil  as  well  as  good, — electing  some  and  rejecting  othei's, 
as  absent  at  one  time  and  present  at  another,  coming  down  and  going 
up,  seeing  and  not  seeing,  knowing  and  not  knowing.'*  In  such  lan- 
guage of  mere  appearance  is  the  truth  presented  to  us  in  the  letter 
of  the  Word,  and  thus  adapted  to  the  states  of  the  unreflecting  and 
the  simple ;  but  those  who  have  advanced  in  states  of  intelligence 
may  plainly  perceive  that  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  within  (IMatt. 
xii.  28;  Mark  i.  15;  Luke  xvii.  20,  21);  that  God  cannot  possibly 
have  any  favorites,  for  He  is  justice  itself  and  is  no  respecter  of 
persons  (2  Sam.  xiv.  14 ;  2  Chron.  xix.  7 ;  Acts  x.  34 ;  Rom.  ii.  11 ; 
Eph.  vi.  9 ;  Col.  iii.  25 ;  1  Pet.  i.  17  ;  James  ii.  9)  ;  that  He  imputes 
evil  to  no  one  (2  Cor.  v.  19) ;  that  He  is  omniscient  and  omnipresent; 
that  as  sin  on  man's  part  abstracts  nothing  from  his  iafinite  perfec- 
tions, for  He  is  goodness  itself  (Ps.  cxlv.  9),  and  truth  itself  (John 
xiv.  6),  and  unchangeably  the  same  (Mai.  iii.  6),  therefore  both  sin 
and  its  torment  must  originate  with  man;  for  as  man  accepts  or 
abjures  the  invitations  of  the  Saviour,  he  secures  the  things  belong- 
ing to  his  eternal  peace  and  joy,  or,  on  the  contrary,  is  the  artificer 
of  his  own  misery,  and  brings  upon  himself  the  condign  punishment 
he  suffers.  The  great  and  genuine  truth,  confirmed  by  wisdom  and 
experience,  is,  that  the  mind  forms  its  own  heaven  or  its  own  hell 


an  apple  of  gold  covered  (as  aforesaid)  wUh  a 
silver  net-work,  if  you  stand  too  far  oflT,  or  do 
not  look  attentively  at  it,  seems  to  be  all  sil- 
ver. But  when  the  attention  of  one  who 
has  good  eyes,  is  attracted  by  the  worth  and 
beauty  of  the  silver,  to  look  more  nearly  at  it, 
he  discerns  the  golden  apple  that  lies  veiled 
within.  So  oftentimes  [he  might  have  said 
always]  are  the  words  of  the  prophets.  Their 
exterior  parts  present  things  many  ways  use- 
ful and  excellent,  either  for  direction  about 
morals,  or  for  the  outward  government  of 
the  Church,  and  other  like  good  purposes 
and  uses;  while  the  interior  part,  or  spirit 
of  the  same,  Is  of  superior  excellency,  to 
build  up  them  that  believe  in  the  outline 
mysteries  of  faith."  "This  is  the  exposition 
of  that  Je^v,  and  is  an  exposition  not  unwor- 


thy of  a  Christian."— Cited  by  HaUoway,  "Let- 
ter and  Spirit,"  pp,  4,  5. 

"  "  It  is,"  says  Cicero,  "  the  common  opin- 
ion of  all  philosophers,  of  what  sect  soever, 
that  the  Deity  can  neither  be  angry  nor  hurt 
anybody."— De  Officii,  iii.  27. 

An  ancient  Pagan  writer  has  composed  a 
discourse  to  show  that  the  .\theist,  Who  de- 
nies a  God,  does  Him  less  dishonor  than  the 
man  who  owns  his  being,  but  at  the  same 
time  believes  Him  to  be  cruel,  hard  to  please, 
and  terrible  to  human  natvire.  "  For  my  own 
part,"  says  he.  "  I  would  rather  it  should  bo 
said  of  me,  that  there  was  never  any  such 
man  as  Plutarch,  than  that  Plutarch  was  ill- 
naturrd.  capricious,  inhuman." — Anniv.  Oal- 
end.,  p.  764. 


APPARENT  AND  REAL  TRUTHS  OF  SCRIPTURE.  119 


in  time  and  to  all  eternity.  The  sympathies  of  our  nature,  our 
aflections,  and  our  thoughts,  purified,  elevated,  and  refined  by  the 
operations  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  the  work  of  regeneration,  will  be 
forever  active  in  promoting  the  welfare  and  ministering  to  the  hap- 
piness of  others,  and  in  that  glorious  and  ever-enlarging  work  finds 
a  corresponding  reward  in  the  approval  of  conscience,  and  in  a 
perpetual  increase  of  wisdom,  love,  and  blessedness ;  and,  on  the 
other  hand,  if  selfishness  rule  the  mind  and  destroy  these  sympa- 
thies, and  corrupt  these  affections  and  thoughts,  the  sensual  appetites 
alone  remain,  which  always  minister  to  disappointment,  wretchedness, 
punishment,  and  wrath."  "  Tribulation  and  anguish  upon  every  soul 
of  man  that  doeth  evil ;  but  glory,  honor,  and  peace  to  every  man 
that  worketh  good "  (Rom.  ii.  9,  10).  "  Behold,"  saith  the  Lord, 
"for  your  iniquities  have  ye  sold  yourselves"  (Isa.  1.  1).  "They 
that  plow  iniquity  and  sow  wickedness,  reap  the  same  "  (Job  iv.  8). 
And  again :  "  Your  iniquities  have  turned  away  these  [blessings], 
and  your  sins  have  withholden  good  things  from  you  "  (Jer.  v.  25). 
Nor  is  there,  as  it  at  first  sight  might  be  supposed,  an}'thing  deroga- 
tory to  the  character  of  God,  nor  the  slightest  prevarication  or  per- 
version of  the  truth  in  such  forms  of  expression ;  for  man  is  born  into 
all  kinds  and  degrees  of  hereditary  tendency  toward  evils  and  errors, 
and  it  was  essential  to  his  freedom  and  advancement  in  the  life  and 
light  of  heaven  that  truths  relating  to  the  Divine  character  and  ope- 
rations should  be  clothed  with  appearances  in  the  Word  to  suit  his 
lowest  states  of  thought  and  love.  On  this  subject,  Swedenborg  thus 
writes:  "A  further  reason  why  it  is  permitted  to  think  that  Jehovah 
turns  away  his  face,  is  angry,  punishes,  tempts,  and  even  curses  and 
kills,  is  in  order  that  men  might  believe  that  the  Lord  alone  governs 
and  disposes  all  and  everything  in  the  universe,  even  evil  itself,  pun- 
ishment and  temptation ;  and  when  they  have  received  this  most 
general  idea,  those  who  can  be  further  instructed  might  afterwards 
learn  how,  or  in  what  manner.  He  governs  and  disposes  all  things, 
and  that  He  turns  the  evil  of  punishment  and  the  evU  of  temptation 
into  good"  (A.  C.  245).    Thus  in  Isa.  viii.  17  an  apparent  truth  is 


'5  "  Misery  is  the  natural  inevitable  conse- 
quence of  men's  voluntary  corruption  of 
themselves;  and  they  who  resolve  all  the 
punishment  and  miseries  of  another  life  into 
a  purely  positive  infliction  of  God,  do  think 
with  the  vulgar." — Bishop  Brown's  Divine 
Annln(Tii,  p.  339. 

"The  Jews  did  not  perceive  that  the  attri- 


bution of  wrath  and  jealousy  to  their  God 
could  only  be  a  figure  of  speech ;  and  what 
is  worse,  it  is  difficult  to  persuade  many 
Christians  of  the  same  thing,  and  solemn 
inferences  from  the  figurative  expressions 
of  the  Hebrew  literature  have  been  crj-stal- 
lized  into  Christian  doctrine." — Wilson,  Es- 
says and  Eeneus,  9th  ed.,  p.  171. 


120  THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 

presented,  calculated  to  awaken  the  attention  of  tlie  most  careless 
reader :  "  I  will  wait  upon  the  Lord,  that  hideth  his  face  from  the 
house  of  Jacob."  It  can  only  be  in  appearance  that  the  ever-present 
Jehovah  hides  his  face  ;  just  as  the  natural  sun  appears  to  withdraw 
when  hidden  by  a  cloud.  The  truth  is,  that  just  as  a  cloud  rises  from 
the  earth  and  shrouds  the  sun  from  view,  so  do  the  gross  thoughts  and 
persuasions,  signified  by  a  cloud,  spring  from  the  earthly  mind  or 
carnal  nature,  intercept  the  mental  vision,  and  prevent  the  beams  of 
mercy,  signified  by  the  Lord's  face,  from  being  perceived.  As  it  is 
declared  by  the  Lord  Himself,  "  Your  iniquities  have  separated  be- 
tween you  and  your  God,  and  your  sins  have  hid  his  face  from  you  " 
(Isa.  lix.  2).  Here  the  genuine  truth  gleams  through  the  letter,  and 
becomes  manifest ;  the  cloud  is  dissipated,  and  the  sun  shines  in  all 
his  effulgence.  So  also,  in  Genesis,  we  read,  "  God  did  tempt  Abra- 
ham" (xxii.  1).  This  could  only  be  said  in  appearance,  for  the 
Apostle  James  states  the  genuine  truth  where  he  says,  "  Let  no  man 
say  when  he  is  tempted,  I  am  tempted  of  God ;  for  God  cannot  be 
tempted  with  evil,  neither  tempteth  He  any  man ;  but  every  man  is 
tempted  when  he  is  drawn  away  of  his  own  lust  and  enticed"  (i.  13, 
14).  Again,  it  is  said,  "  God  is  angry  with  the  wicked  every  day  " 
(Psalm  vii.  11).  This  representation  of  the  Almighty  must  be  an 
appearance  arising  from  the  disjjosition  of  the  sinner  being  opposite 
to  the  nature  of  infinite  love  and  zeal,  and  not  from  any  angry  pas- 
sion burning  in  the  pure  bosom  of  Deity.  With  the  wicked,  God 
appears  to  be  angry  "  every  day,"  or  in  every  state,  because  of  their 
wilful  opposition  to  his  Word  ;  therefore,  we  read,  "With  the  merciful 
thou  wilt  show  thyself  merciful,  and  with  the  upright  man  thou  wilt 
show  thyself  upright.  With  the  pure  thou  wilt  show  thyself  pure, 
and  with  the  froward  thou  wilt  show  thyself  unsavory  [or  froward]" 
(2  Sam.  xxii.  26,  27 ;  Ps.  xviii.  25,  26).  The  Apostle  John,  then, 
affirms  the  genuine  truth,  whatever  may  be  the  appearance  to  the 
contrary,  where  he  says,  "God  is  love"  (1  Eph.  iv.  8) ;  and  we  are 
assured  by  the  Lord  Himself  that  "fury  is  not  in  Him"  (Isa.  xxvii. 
4),  and  that  his  nature  is  unchangeable,  "  the  same  yesterday,  to-day, 
and  forever"  (Heb.  xiii.  8).  It  is  man  that  hates  his  God,  and  re- 
gards his  service  as  that  of  "a  hard  master"  (Matt.  xxv.  24);  but 
God,  being  immutable  love  and  goodness,  can  never  hate  the  creatures 
of  his  hand.  "As  I  live,  saith  the  Lord  God,  I  have  no  pleasure  in 
the  death  of  the  wicked  ;  but  that  the  wicked  turn  from  his  way  and 
live"  (Ezek.  xxxiii.  11). 


APPARENT  AND  REAL  TRUTHS  OF  SCRIPTURE. 


121 


Thiis,  true  doctrine  makes  the  literal  in  harmony  with  the  internal 
sense,  and  reconciles  every  difficulty.  In  the  Psalms  we  read,  "  Do 
not  I  hate  them,  O  Lord,  that  hate  thee  ?  I  hate  them  with  perfect 
hatred,  I  count  them  mine  enemies"  (cxxxix.  21,  22).  How  plain  it  is 
that  these  words  must  have  an  inward  spiritual  sense,  else  they  cannot 
be  consistently  understood,  and  would  be  unworthy  a  book  whose 
Author  is  love  itself,  and  who  has  taught  us  by  precept  and  example 
to  love  even  our  enemies,  Who,  then,  are  our  enemies  that  we  have 
to  hate  ?  The  Lord  tells  us,  "  If  any  man  come  to  me,  and  hate  not 
his  father,  and  mother,  and  wife,  and  children,  and  brethren,  and 
sisters,  yea,  and  his  own  life  also,  he  cannot  be  my  disciple  "  (Luke 
xiv.  26).  What  an  extraordinary  declaration  is  this,  coupled  with 
the  other !  What  says  the  Apostle  John  ?  "  He  that  hateth  his 
brother  is  in  darkness  "  (1  Epist.  ii.  11).  Turn  to  iii.  15,  "  Whosoever 
hateth  his  brother  is  a  murderer ;"  and  in  the  20th  verse,  "  If  a  man 
say,  I  love  God,  and  hateth  his  brother,  he  is  a  liar."  What  says  the 
divine  commandment  ?  "  Honor  thy  father  and  thy  mother :  that 
thy  days  may  be  prolonged  upon  the  land  which  the  Lord  thy  God 
giveth  thee"  (Ex.  xx.  12).  How  can  all  this  be  reconciled,  unless 
we  allow  that  the:Scriptures' contain  a  holy  internal  sense?  In  the 
literal  sense  of  the  fourth  commandment  we  are  taught  the  doctrine 
of  external  obedience,  to  honor  and  obey  our  natural  parents  ;  but  in 
the  spiritual  and  heavenly  sense  we  are  commanded  to  honor  and 
obey  our  heavenly  Father,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  our  spiritual 
mother,  his  Church,  "  the  bride  and  wife  of  the  Lamb  ; "  or,  in  another 
sense,  to  celebrate  his  divine  goodness  or  love,  and  his  divine  wisdom 
or  truth,  by  a  life  of  order ;  then  will  our  days  be  prolonged,  or, 
according  to  the  spiritual  idea,  then  shall  we  acquire  a  fitness  for 
endless  life  in  the  heavenly  Canaan.  In  an  ojjposite  sense,  our  own 
father  and  mother,  and  the  enemies  whom  we  have  to  hate  with  per- 
fect hatred  before  we  can  become  the  Lord's  disciples,  are  the  unclean 
and  unholy  hereditary  principles  of  evil  and  falsity  in  the  unregen- 
erate  mind ;  for  they  are  the  parents  and  kindred  of  its  impure  grati- 
fications, wherein  its  degraded  life  consists.  This  father  and  mother, 
together  with  all  their  corrupt  ofispring,  yea,  and  our  own  impure  life 
also,  we  are  to  hate,  to  abhor,  to  cast  out,  aud  to  destroy  their  do- 
minion within  us,  as  it  is  written,  "  For  I  am  come  to  set  a  man  at 
variance  against  his  father,  and  the  daughter  against  her  mother, 
and  the  daughter-in-law  against  her  mother-in-law.  And  a  man's 
foes  shall  be  they  of  his  own  household.  He  that  findeth  his  life 
11 


122 


TEE  SCIEA^CE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


shall  lose  it ;  and  he  that  loseth  his  life  for  my  sake  shall  find  it " 
(Matt.  X.  35,  36,  39) ;  and,  again,  "  Happy  shall  he  be  that  taketh 
thy  little  ones,"  O  daughter  of  Babylon,  "  and  dasheth  them  against 
the  stones  "  (Psalm  cxxxvii.  9). 

In  Genesis  we  read  that  "  it  repented  the  Lord  that  He  had  made 
man  on  the  earth,  and  it  grieved  Him  at  his  heart "  (vi.  6).  Here, 
again,  \re  have  an  apparent  truth,  resulting  from  man's  rebellious 
disobedience  and  obstinate  impenitence,  mentioned  in  the  previous 
verse,  and  hence  a  change  is  ascribed  to  the  Divine  Being ;  but  He 
declares  his  own  true  character  where  He  says,  "  God  is  not  a  man 
that  He  should  lie,  nor  the  son  of  man  that  He  should  repent "  (Num. 
xxiii.  19).  So,  again,  we  read,  "  the  Lord  hardened  Pharaoh's  heart" 
(Ex.  vii.  13).  This  also  is  expressed  according  to  the  appearance, 
and  in  accommodation  to  the  state  of  the  Israelites,  w'ho  supposed 
that  what  the  Lord  permitted  He  willed.  The  genuine  truth  is 
asserted  in  Ex.  viii.  15,  32,  where  it  is  tAvice  said,  "  Pharaoh  hardened 
his  own  heart"  (see  also  1  Sam.  \\.  6).  By  grief  and  repentance, 
when  predicated  of  Jehovah,  are  signified,  in  the  internal  sense,  the 
operations  of  his  divine  mercy  and  wisdom,  which  are  spoken  of  so 
as  not  to  transcend  finite  conceptions,  in  agreement  with  the  nature 
of  mercy  and  forgiveness  as  exercised  among  men ;  and  for  the  same 
reason  human  properties  and  characteristics  are  so  often  ascribed  to 
the  Lord. 

On  this  part  of  our  subject,  Swedenborg  thus  writes:  "Whosoever 
is  disposed  to  confirm  false  principles  by  appearances,  according  to 
which  the  Word  is  written,  may  do  so  in  innumerable  instances.  But 
there  is  a  difllerence  between  confirming  false  principles  by  passages 
from  the  Word,  and  believing  in  simplicity  what  is  spoken  in  the 
Word.  He  who  confirms  false  principles,  first  assumes  some  principle 
of  his  own,  from  which  he  is  unwilling  to  depart,  and  whose  authority 
he  is  determined  at  all  events  to  support,  for  which  purpose  he  collects 
and  accumulates  corroborating  proofs  from  every  quarter,  conse- 
quently from  the  Word,  till  he  is  so  thoroughly  self-persuaded  with 
regard  thereto,  that  he  can  no  longer  see  the  truth.  But  whosoever 
in  simplicity,  or  out  of  a  simple  heart,  believes  what  is  spoken  in  the 
Word,  does  not  first  assume  principles  of  his  own,  but  thinks  wluit 
is  spoken  to  be  true,  because  the  Lord  spake  it ;  and  in  case  he  is 
instructed  as  to  the  right  undci-stauding  thereof,  by  what  is  spoken 
in  other  parts  of  the  word,  he  instantly  acquiesces,  and  in  his  heart 
rejoices :  nay,  even  supposing  a  person,  through  simplicity,  to  believe 


ArrARENT  AND  REAL  TRUTHS  OF  SCRIPTURE.  123 


that  the  Lord  is  -wrathful,  that  He  punishes,  repents,  grieves,  etc., 
whereby  he  is  restrained  from  evil,  and  led  to  do  good,  such  belief  is 
not  at  all  hurtful  to  him,  inasmuch  as  it  leads  him  to  believe  also  that 
the  Lord  sees  all  things  both  generally  and  particularly,  and  when  he 
is  principled  in  such  belief  he  is  afterwards  capable  of  being  enlight- 
ened in  other  points  of  faith,  at  least  in  another  life,  if  not  before : 
the  case  is  different  with  those  w'ho  are  self-persuaded  in  consequence 
of  preconceived  principles,  and  who  are  riveted  in  the  belief  thereof 
through  the  pernicious  influence  of  selfish  and  worldly  love." — A.  C, 
n.  589. 

Again,  the  same  author  says,  "  In  many  passages  of  the  Word  we 
find  anger,  wrath,  and  vengeance  attributed  to  God,  and  it  is  said 
that  He  punishes,  casts  into  hell,  tempts,  with  many  other  expressions 
of  a  like  nature.  Now,  where  all  this  is  believed  in  a  child-like  sim- 
plicity, and  made  the  ground  of  the  fear  of  God,  and  of  care  not  to 
offend  Him,  no  man  incurs  condemnation  by  such  a  simple  belief. 
But  where  a  man  confirms  himself  in  such  notions,  so  as  to  be  per- 
suaded that  anger,  wrath,  vengeance,  belong  to  God,  and  that  He 
punishes  mankind,  and  casts  them  into  hell,  under  the  influence  of 
such  anger,  wrath,  and  vengeance,  in  this  case  his  belief  is  con- 
demnatory, because  he  has  destroyed  genuine  truth,  w^hich  teaches 
that  God  is  love  itself,  mercy  itself,  and  goodness  itself,  and,  being 
these,  that  He  cannot  be  angry,  wrathful,  or  revengeful.  Where 
such  evil  passions,  then,  are  attributed  in  the  Word  to  God,  it  is  owing 
to  appearance  only.  It  is  the  same  in  many  other  instances." — 
S.  S.,  n.  94. 

Truths  accommodated  to  our  gross  perceptions  are,  for  the  most 
part,  apparent  truths ;  but  seen  in  spiritual  light,  their  appearance  is 
changed,  a  transfiguration,  so  to  speak,  takes  place  ;  they  are  invested 
with  new  splendors,  and  are  spiritually  discerned.  Let  us  "  not  judge, 
then,  according  to  the  ajjpearance,  but  judge  righteous  judgment " 
(John  vii.  24) ;  for,  from  making  no  distinction  whatever  between 
the  apparent  and  real  truths  of  Scripture,  which  correspondence  thus 
opens  and  explains,  all  the  false  and  heretical  doctrines  which  have 
agitated  and  divided  the  Christian  world  have  sprung.  Hence  we 
see  the  importance  of  true  doctrine  to  enable  us  rightly  to  understand 
the  revealed  Word  (see,  for  illustration.  Gen.  vi.  7  ;  Ex.  xxxiii.  12- 
14;  Jer.  xviii.  8-10;  Hos.  xi.  8,  9;  Joel  ii.  10-12 ;  Jonah  ii.  9,  10; 
Rev.  XV.  1-7). 


CHAPTEE  IX. 


The  Cokeespondence  of  War  and  Implements  of  War  in  the  Holy 

WOED. 

WE  frequently  read  in  the  Holy  "Word  of  cruel  wars,  and  of 
weapons  of  war,  which,  because  they  all,  either  in  a  good  or 
a  bad  sense,  represent  states  of  spiritual  warfare,  and  describe  the 
instrumentalities  by  which  they  are  carried  on,  appear  in  the  letter 
of  the  Word  to  be  sanctioned  and  applauded,  and  are  sometimes 
represented  as  commanded  by  Jehovah  ;  as,  "  The  Lord  hath  sworn 
that  the  Lord  will  have  war  with  Amalek  from  generation  to  gener- 
ation "  (Ex.  xvii.  16).  Nothing  can  be  more  abhorrent  to  the  Divine 
character  or  revolting  to  Christian  feeling  than  the  ferocious  spirit  of 
war ;  and  yet  the  Lord  commanded  the  children  of  Israel  not  only 
to  exterminate  the  Amalekites,  but  the  inhabitants  of  Heshbon  and 
Bashan.  In  Deuteronomy  we  read  how  this  Avas  done :  "  And  the 
Lord  our  God  delivered  the  king  before  us,  and  Ave  smote  him  and 
his  sons  and  all  his  people.  And  we  took  all  his  cities  at  that  time, 
and  utterly  destroyed  the  men  and  the  women  and  the  little  ones  of 
every  city ;  Ave  left  none  to  remain  "  (ii.  33, 34 ;  iii.  6).  While  such  revolt- 
ing cruelty  Avas  permitted  on  account  of  the  degeneracy  of  mankind, 
and  Avas  even  attributed  to  the  Lord,  because  it  Avas,  as  in  all  other 
similar  cases,  a  lesser  evil  for  a  greater  good,  it  must  be  evident  that 
it  was  recorded  by  inspiration  for  some  more  hidden  meaning  than 
the  mere  history,  though  that  history  be  true.  Let  us  call  to  mind 
"  the  foes  of  our  OAvn  household  "  (Matt.  x.  86),  the  adversaries  lurk- 
ing in  our  OAvn  bosoms,  the  enemies  of  our  eternal  peace,  and  how 
beautiful  is  the  lesson  of  instruction  Avith  Avhich  we  are  at  once  sup- 
plied !  HoAV  deeply  interesting  is  the  command  to  destroy,  by  the 
power  of  truth  and  love,  all  our  bitter  antagonists,  our  selfish  passions 
and  unclean  persuasions,  to  let  not  one  remain!  Both  in  the  Old 
and  NcAv  Testaments  armor  and  instruments  of  war  are  continually 
mentioned  in  reference  solely  to  their  internal  significations.  Turn 
to  Joel :  "  Prepare  Avar,"  saith  the  Lord  ;  "  beat  your  plowshares  into 
swords,  and  your  jiruning-hooks  into  speare ;  let  the  Aveak  say,  '  I  am 

124 


WARS  AND  IMPLEMENTS  OF  WAR. 


125 


strong '  "  (iii.  10).  Now  read  Isa.  ii.  4 :  "  They  shall  beat  their  swords 
iuto  plowshares,  and  their  spears  into  pruning-hooks ;  nation  shall  not 
lift  up  sword  against  nation,  neither  shall  they  learn  war  any  more." 
We  have  here,  in  the  literal  sense  of  the  Word,  two  divine  coraraands 
and  predictions  the  very  oi^posite  of  each  other.  There  is  another 
striking  instance  In  the  New  Testament  of  a  precisely  similar  descrip- 
tion, amounting  to  an  apparent  contradiction.  In  Luke  it  is  said  that 
"  the  Lord  hath  visited  us  to  guide  our  feet  into  the  way  of  peace " 
(i.  79) ;  and  we  read  that  the  angels  sang  at  his  nativity,  "  Glory  to 
God  in  the  highest,  and  on  earth  peace,  good-will  towards  men  [or  to 
men  of  good  will]  "  (ii.  14).  But  what  does  our  blessed  Lord  himself 
say  ?  "  Think  not  that  I  am  come  to  send  peace  on  earth ;  I  came 
not  to  send  peace,  but  a  sword  "  (Matt.  x.  34).  Equally  inexplicable 
in  the  letter  only  are  two  passages  of  similar  import,  which  the  Lord 
spake  nearly  at  the  same  period  to  his  disciples,  one  of  which  is  re- 
corded in  Matt.  xxvi.  52 :  "All  they  that  take  the  sword  shall  perish 
with  the  sword ; "  and  the  other  in  Luke  xxii.  36,  where  He  says, 
"He  that  hath  no  sword,  let  him  sell  his  garment  and  buy  one." 
By  the  mere  letter  these  apparent  contradictions  never  can  be  har- 
monized ;  the  spiritual  sense  can  alone  reconcile  them.  Every  other 
mode  of  interpretation  leaves  them  unexplained  mysteries.  How 
interesting  and  instructive,  how  plain  and  simple,  how  pure  and  true 
are  all  such  passages  when  their  hidden  meaning  is  unfolded  by  the 
great  law  of  correspondence !  As  we  read  them,  let  us  contemplate 
that  triumph  over  sin  afld  folly,  in  intention,  thought,  and  deed,  which 
must  ever  precede  a  state  of  internal  peace,  and  which  devout  and 
humble  faith  in  the  Word  of  God,  our  armory  and  our  "  quiver," 
and  ready  obedience  to  its  commands,  always  gives ;  for  doing  this 
we  have  "  our  feet  shod  with  the  preparation  of  the  gospel  of  peace  " 
(Eph.  vi.  15).  Let  us  think,  therefore,  of  our  spiritual  warfare 
against  evil  and  hell;  "for  we  wrestle  not  against  flesh  and  blood, 
but  against  principalities  and  powers,  against  the  rulers  of  the 
darkness  of  this  world,  against  spiritual  wickedness  in  high  places  " 
(Eph.  vi.  12).  Let  us  think  of  the  panoply  of  strength  requisite  to 
give  us  victory  over  all  our  inward  foes  and  persecutors — "  the  helmet 
of  salvation,"  "  the  breastplate  of  righteousness,"  "  the  shield  of  faith," 
"  the  sword  of  the  Spirit,"  "  the  spear  "  of  true  doctriae,  the  sharp- 
pointed  arrows  of  truth,  and  "  the  whole  armor  of  God  "  (Eph.  vi. 
10-17)  ;  clothed  and  armed  with  which  we  have  to  wage  this  inward 
combat,  destroying,  by  the  power  of  faith  and  love,  all  our  spiritual 
11  * 


126 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


enemies,  young  and  old,  before  we  can  sit  down  in  tranquillity— 
before  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  can  impart  to  our  souls  "  that  peace 
which  the  world  can  neither  give  nor  take  away,"  and  all  becomes 
at  once  luminous,  intelligible  and  practical,  and  in  the  inspired  lan- 
guage of  the  Psalmist  we  are  ready  to  exclaim,  "  Plead  my  cause, 
O  Lord,  with  them  that  strive  with  me ;  fight  against  them  that  fight 
against  me.  Take  hold  of  shield  and  buckler,  and  stand  up  for  my 
help.  Draw  out  also  the  spear,  and  stop  the  way  against  them  that 
persecute  me :  say  unto  my  soul,  I  am  thy  salvation  "  (Ps.  xxxv.  2, 
3)  ;  "  Gird  thy  sword  upon  thy  thigh,  O  most  mighty,  with  thy  glory 
and  thy  majesty.  Thine  arrows  are  sharp  in  the  heart  of  the  king's 
enemies"  (xlv.  3,  6) ;  "Blessed  be  the  Lord  my  strength, who  teacheth 
my  hands  to  war  and  my  fingers  to  fight"  (cxliv.  1),  and  to  ascribe 
from  the  heart  all  the  power  and  the  glory  to  Him  alone.    "  Thou, 

0  Lord,  hast  given  me  the  shield  of  thy  salvation :  and  thy  right 
hand  hath  holden  me  up,  and  thy  gentleness  hath  made  me  great. 
Thou  hast  enlarged  my  steps  under  me,  that  my  feet  did  not  slip. 

1  have  pursued  mine  enemies,  and  overtaken  them:  neither  did  I 
turn  again  till  they  were  consumed.  I  have  wounded  them  that  they 
were  not  able  to  rise :  they  are  fallen  under  my  feet.  For  thou  hast 
girded  me  with  strength  unto  the  battle :  thou  hast  subdued  under  me 
those  that  rose  up  against  me.  The  Lord  liveth  ;  and  blessed  be  my 
rock ;  and  let  the  Lord  God  of  my  salvation  be  exalted  "  (Ps.  xviii. 
35-39,  46). 

Again :  treating  of  the  final  destruction  of  all  our  spiritual  enemies, 
the  sacred  prophet,  addressing  his  divine  deliverer,  in  whose  name 
and  by  whose  strength  the  regenerating  Christian  ever  "  comes  off 
more  than  conqueror,"  says,  "  Thou  [O  Lord,  by  thy  Word]  art  my 
battle-axe  and  weapons  of  war :  for  Avith  thee  will  I  break  in  pieces 
the  nations,  and  wirii  thee  will  I  destro)'  kingdoms ;  and  with  thee 
will  I  break  in  pieces  the  horse  and  his  rider ;  Avith  thee  also  will  I 
break  in  pieces  man  and  woman ;  and  with  thee  will  I  break  in  pieces 
old  and  young ;  and  with  thee  will  I  break  in  pieces  the  young  man 
and  the  maid ;  I  will  also  break  in  pieces  Avith  thee  the  shepherd  and 
his  flock ;  and  A\'ith  thee  Avill  I  break  in  pieces  the  husbandman  and 
his  yoke  of  oxen ;  and  Avith  thee  will  I  break  in  pieces  captains  and 
rulers  "  ( Jer.  li.  20-23).  It  is  in  this,  the  true  inAvard  sense  of  temp- 
tation conflict,  that  the  apostle  Paul  exhorts  Timothy  to  fight  the  good 
fight  of  faith  and  lay  hold  on  eternal  life,  and  as  an  encouragement 
sets  before  him  his  OAvn  example  and  experience  at  the  close  of  his 


WARS  AND  IMPLEMENTS  OF  WAR, 


127 


ministry  in  these  touching  ■words :  "  I  am  now  ready  to  be  offered, 
and  the  time  of  my  departure  is  at  hand.  I  have  fought  a  good 
fight,  I  have  finished  my  course,  I  have  kept  the  faith :  henceforth 
there  is  laid  up  for  me  a  crown  of  righteousness,  -which  the  Lord, 
the  righteous  judge,  will  give  me  at  that  day ;  and  not  me  only, 
but  unto  all  them  also  that  love  his  appearing  "  (2  Tim.  iv.  6-8). 

In  connection  with  this  spiritual  signification  of  warfare,  and  in 
further  illustration  of  the  science  of  correspondences,  let  me  recall 
your  attention  to  the  battle  fought  by  "  the  children  of  Israel  with 
the  Amalekites ; "  and  I  allude  to  it  thus  specifically,  because  in  the 
internal  sense  subjects  of  the  most  edifying  tendency  are  presented 
before  us,  which  yet  do  not  appear  on  the  surface  of  the  history. 
Without  some  deeper  meaning  than  that  of  the  letter,  it  is  nothing 
more  than  the  narration  of  a  battle  and  a  victory,  a  descriptive  scene 
of  strife  and  bloodshed,  together  with  a  most  remarkable  intervention 
of  Divine  power.  It  is  thus  stated :  "  Then  came  Amalek,  and  fought 
with  Israel  in  Rephidim.  And  Moses  said  unto  Joshua,  Choose  us 
out  men,  and  go  out,  fight  with  Amalek :  to-morrow  I  will  stand  on 
the  top  of  the  hUl  with  the  rod  of  God  in  mine  hand.  So  Joshua 
did  as  Moses  had  said  to  him,  and  fought  with  Amalek  :  and  Moses, 
Aaron  and  Hur  went  up  to  the  top  of  the  hill.  And  it  came  to  pass, 
when  Moses  held  up  his  hand,  that  Israel  prevailed :  and  when  he  let 
down  his  hand,  Amalek  prevailed.  But  Moses'  hands  were  hea^^y ; 
and  they  took  a  stone  and  put  it  under  him,  and  he  sat  thereon  ;  and 
Aaron  and  Hur  stayed  up  his  hands,  the  one  on  the  one  side,  and  the 
other  on  the  other  side ;  and  his  hands  were  steady  until  the  going 
down  of  the  sun.  And  Joshua  discomfited  Amalek  and  his  people 
with  the  edge  of  the  sword"  (Ex.  xvii.  8-13).  In  the  spiritual  im- 
port of  this  sacred  history,  it  treats  of  a  state  in  man's  regeneration, 
or  the  gradual  process  by  which  he  is  saved  from  evil  and  hell.  The 
hosts  of  Israel  signify,  collectively,  the  Lord's  church,  and,  individ- 
ually, every  sincere  member  of  it,  who,  in  consequence  of  the  indefi- 
nite number  of  affections  and  thoughts,  faculties  and  powers,  con- 
stituent of  the  human  mind,  and  the  abundant  principles  of  goodness 
and  truth  of  which  they  may  be  receptive,  is  called  "  a  host."  The 
armies  of  Amalek'^  signifj'-  those  spiritual  adversaries  which,  Avith 
deadly  animosity,  oppose  our  progress  towards  the  kingdom  of  God, 
or  in  the  attainment  of  a  heavenly  state  of  mind  and  life,  represented 


'^Amakk  means,  in  English,  "a  striking  or  smiting  people." 


128 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


by  the  land  of  Canaan.  These  implacable  enemies  of  our  salvation 
include  not  only  "the  principalities  and  powers  of  darkness,"  but  all 
those  false  jirinciples  and  selfish  persuasions  springing  from  the  love 
of  evil, — those  disorderly  tempers  and  unclean  thoughts,  those  ma- 
licious dispositions  and  cruel  lusts, — in  which  they  delight  to  dwell. 
The  battle,  therefore,  in  every  particular  recorded,  was  so  described 
in  the  Word  of  God  as  to  represent  the  spiritual  conflict  between  the 
powers  of  heaven  and  hell  which  is  Avaged  in  every  bosom  in  the 
course  of  regeneration ;  the  means  which  can  alone  be  effectually 
employed  for  the  soul's  deliverance,  and  the  certain  victory  to  be 
obtained  through  perseverance  in  the  Christian  course.  The  fact  of 
Joshua  marshalling  Israel's  hosts,  and,  under  the  direction  of  Moses, 
leading  them  forth  to  the  combat,  represented  the  authority  of  the 
truth  adapted  to  the  natural  man,  Avhich  arranges  all  within  the 
mind  in  due  order,  under  the  immediate  direction  of  the  truth, 
adapted  to  the  spiritual  man,  derived  from  the  spirit  of  the  Holy 
"Word,  signified  by  Moses.  The  battle  was  fought  in  a  valley,  and 
a  valley  means  the  low  state  of  the  natural  mind,  where  opposition  to 
heavenly  things  is  always  to  be  met,  and  which  is  called  elsewhere 
"  the  valley  of  decision  "  (Joel  iii.  14).  The  success  of  the  battle  is 
not  made  to  depend  either  on  the  personal  valor  of  the  combatants 
or  on  the  military  skill  of  their  leaders,  but  on  the  singular  circum- 
stance of  the  hands  of  Moses  being  "  held  up"  towards  heaven  or  "  let 
down "  towards  the  earth,  as  he  stood  or  sat  on  the  top  of  a  neigh- 
boring hill.  The  hands  always  mean  ability  or  power,  both  of 
the  understanding  and  the  will, — ^the  former  being  signified  by  the 
left  hand  and  the  latter  by  the  right ;  and  the  hands  of  Moses  signify 
the  power  of  truth  derived  from  the  Word  when  received  in  the  mind, 
and  also  the  faculties  of  apprehending  and  obeying  it.  A  hill,  in 
contradistinction  to  a  valley,  denotes  a  state  of  charity  or  love  actu- 
ated by  lofty  or  heavenly  motives,  in  opposition  to  such  as  are  low, 
carnal,  or  grovelling.  This  is  the  hill  of  blessing,  the  source  of  all 
spiritual  strength,  that  girds  us  for  the  battle.  "  I  will  lift  up  mine 
eyes  to  the  hills,"  saith  the  Psalmist,  "  from  whence  cometh  my  help" 
(Psalm  cxxi.  1).  The  holding  up  of  the  hands  of  Moses  was  an 
impressive  figure  of  the  lifting  up,  by  the  power  of  truth,  of  all  the 
inward  I'aculties  of  the  soul  towards  the  Lord,  that  they  may  be  con- 
stantly renewed  and  invigorated  by  the  divine  energy  and  life.  "  Let 
us  lift  up  our  hearts  with  our  hands  unto  God  in  the  heavens"  (Ivani. 
iii.  41).    But  the  letting  down  of  his  hands  will  represent  a  decline 


WARS  AND  IMPLEMENTS  OF  WAR. 


129 


of  the  mental  faculties  towards  the  earthly  nature,  or  towards  those 
objects  of  self  and  the  world,  which  are  beneath, — thus,  the  substitu- 
tion of  self-will  for  the  Divine  Will,  of  self-intelligence  for  the  Divine 
Wisdom,  and  of  self-dependence  for  the  Divine  Providence.  The 
heaviness  of  the  hands  of  Moses  denotes  man's  proneness  to  rest  on 
his  own  power,  in  the  hour  of  danger  and  temptation  ;  and  that  even 
truth,  however  vivid  may  be  its  impression  on  the  memory  and  intel- 
lect, is,  in  such  a  season  of  self-reliance,  drawn  downwards  towards 
earthly  objects  and  sensual  pursuits,  and  is  then  powerless  against  the 
armies  of  Amalek,  which,  notwithstanding  its  presence,  prevails  over 
the  hosts  of  Israel.  "  Aaron  and  Hur,"  therefore,  we  learn,  "  took  a 
stone  and  placed  it  under  Moses,  and  stayed  up  both  his  hands,  till  the 
going  down  of  the  sun,  and  Amalek  was  discomfited."  Aaron  and  Hur, 
the  servants  and  priests  of  the  Most  High  God,  represent  the  varied 
princijiles  of  faith,  accommodated  to  the  outward  and  to  the  inward 
man, — the  truth  believed  from  afiection  and  rationally  perceived. 
These  are  the  ministers  of  the  Lord  in  the  soul, — the  only  princi]:)les 
that  can  aid  and  support  the  sinking,  the  desponding  mind,  in  the 
time  of  spiritual  warfare.  They  are  the  reactive  agents,  in  unison 
with  the  operations  of  God,  for  the  promotion  of  our  salvation,  essen- 
tial mediums  of  spiritual  victory  in  the  hour  of  trial.  The  stone 
placed  under  Moses  signifies  the  truth,  which  inculcates  a  life  of  order 
in  the  use  of  the  senses,  and  is  thus  a  support  to  the  divine  law  in  the 
Word,  which  rests  thereon,  and  is,  in  the  letter,  often  meant  by  a 
"  stone  "  or  '"'  rock."  Such  a  consistent  life  is  the  real  prop  and  sup- 
port of  all  inward  truth  and  goodness,  and  is  absolutely  essential  to 
preserve  them  from  being  Avasted.  The  hands  of  INIoses  being  firmly 
sustained  till  the  going  down  of  the  sun,  signifies  that  such  elevation 
of  man's  inward  powers  and  gifts,  both  of  reason  and  freedom,  of 
thought  and  will,  must  be  perseveringly  mamtained,  till  the  state  of 
spiritual  conflict  here  treated  of  is  terminated.  Then  our  enemies 
being  vanquished,  we  shall  build,  like  the  triumphant  and  grateful 
Israelites  of  old,  the  altar  of  true  spiritual  worship  in  our  hearts, 
inscribing  it  with  the  holy  name,  "Jehovah  nissi"  (the  Lord  my 
banner),  in  the  heartfelt  acknowledgment  that  all  power  to  resist  evil 
and  do  good  comes  from  the  Lord  alone,  who  has  solemnly  proclaimed 
that  "  He  will  have  war  with  Amalek  from  generation  to  generation  " 
(Ex.  xvii.  16)." 


"  Origen  appears  to  have  had  a  perception  1  for  some  spiritual  purpose,  not  apparent  in 
that  the  record  of  this  battle  was  designed  I  the  letter;  for,  speaking  of  it,  he  observes, 

I 


130 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


"I  would  here  pause  a  little,  and  ask  those  1 
who  are  not  willing  to  understand  the  rela-  j 
tion  spiritually,  but  only  according  to  the  j 
letter,  whether  they  can  possibly  think  that  i 
the  Almighty  God  could  have  regarded  the 
hands  of  Moses  in  giving  the  victorj-  either 
to  Israel  or  to  Amalek,  as  they  were  raised 
up  or  let  fall?    1  would  ask  such  persons 
whether  they  think  this  worthy  of  having 


been  uttered  by  the  Holy  Spirit?"— 7n  Lib. 
Reg.,  cap.  xx.  And  Barnabas,  in  his  expla- 
nation of  the  Miracles,  says,  "  The  lifting  up 
of  the  hands  of  Moses  signifies  the  applica- 
tion of  the  Law  in  its  highest  meaning ;  but 
the  letting  down  of  his  hands  signifies  a  low, 
an  earthly,  and  a  literal  exposition."— De  Yiid 
Mosis. 


'8  "Are  not  the  two  grand  \-ital  organs,  the 
heart  and  the  htng?,  truly  analogous  in  many 
important  points  ttf  the  two  vital  systems  of 
the  soul,  viz.,  the  mind,  or  system  of  thought, 
and  the  moral  affections  of  the  heart  [or 
willj  ?  " — Es.?ay  on  Analogy,  p.  195. 

For  an  argument  on  the  sexual  system, 
which  so  extensively  exists  in  the  animal 
and  vegetable  kingdoms,  see  an  interesting 
and  instructive  work  by  L.  H.  Grindon,  en- 
titled The  Sexualily  of  Nature.  This  intelli- 
gent writer  says,  in  his  general  introduction, 
p.  1,  "  Nature  is  a  system  of  nuptials.  Every- 
thing in  creation  partakes  either  of  mascu- 
line or  feminine  qualities;— animals  and 
plants,  earth,  air,  water,  color,  heat,  light, 
music,  thought,  speech,  the  sense  of  the 
beautiful,  the  adaptation  of  the  soul  for 
heaven,  all  exist  as  the  offspring  of  a  kind 
of  marriage.  Restricted  commonly  to  the 
institution  of  wedlock,  as  it  exists  among 
mankind,  the  word  'marriage'  rightfully 
holds  a  meaning  far  wider.  It  denotes  all 
unions  analogous  to  the  human  in  the  history 
both  of  matter  and  spirit.  As  universal  laws, 
sex  and  marriage  rank  accordingly  with  the 
most  important  and  comprehensive  subjects 
on  which  science  and  philosophy  can  employ 
themselves.  Innumerable  phenomena,  both 
of  matter  and  mind,  are  explained  by  refer- 
ence to  them  us  a  central  principle;  while 
in  the  immensity  of  their  emi)ire,  and  in 
splendid  uniformity  of  their  vanity,  they 
offer  the  grandest  proof  that  man  is  Nature 
concentrated, and  Nature, man  diffused.  They 
constitute  a  bond  of  afTinity,  which  certifies 
every  part  of  creation  to  bo  of  common  origin 
and  plan,  the  manifold  expression  of  one 
primitive  idea." 

"L,oves  and  marriages,"  says  Dr.  Mason 
Good,  "  are  common  to  all  nature." 

"God  is  both  a  man  and  an  immortiil 
maid."— Oiyft.  Prag.  Which  is  the  same 
tiling  as  asserting  that  He  is  perfect  wisdom 
and  perfect  goodness. 

In  the  most  ancient  historical  times,  "  we 
shall  find  every  nation,  notwithstanding  the 
variety  of  names,  acknowledging  the  same 
deities  and  the  same  system  of  theology; 
and,  however  humble  any  of  the  deities  may 
appear  in  the  I'antlieon  of  Greece  and  Rome, 
each,  who  has  any  claim  to  antiquity,  will  be 


found  ultimately,  if  not  immediately,  resolv- 
able into  one  or  other  of  two  primeval  prin- 
ciples, the  great  god  and  goddess  of  the  Gen- 
tiles."—Cbri/'s  Mylhol.  Eru].,  p.  6. 

Mythological  beings  are  all  di%ided  into 
masculine  and  feminine.  Davis,  in  his  His- 
tory of  the  Chinese,  tells  us  that  they  have 
among  them  "fragments  of  traditionary 
knowledge  ascribing  the  production  of  the 
j  universe  to  the  cooperation  of  the  active  and 
I  passive,  or  male  and  female,  principle.  The 
celestial  principle  was  male,  the  terrestrial 
was  female ;  all  animate  and  inanimate  na- 
ture was  also  distinguished  into  masculine 
and  feminine.   Nor  do  they  confine  this 
distinction  to  the  animal  and  vegetable 
world  only,  but  extend  it  to  everj-  part  of 
nature.    Numbers  themselves  have  their 
1  genders ;  a  unit  and  everj-  odd  number  be- 
I  ing  male,  two  and  every  even  number  fe- 
male." 

"If  reason  and  truth  [that  is.  the  under- 
standing] be  the  most  strong  and  male  faculty 
in  human' nature,  and  if  sentiment  or  love 
[that  is,  the  will  principle]  be  the  most  beau- 
tiful and  female  parts  of  the  same,  then  it  is 

I  evident  tliat  every  man  is  in  himself  both 
viale  and  female :  and  so  likewise  is  every 
woman.  The  great  distinction  is,  that  in 
woman  the  feeling  heart  predominates,  so 
as  to  give  a  general  characteristic,  and  in 
man  the  rational  mind  or  head  predominates 
in  alike  degree,  so  as  to  forma  characteristic. 
...  If  we  extend  our  views  and  reflections 

I  in  like  manner  to  any  and  all  the  various 
systems  of  the  visible  creation,  whether  an- 
imate or  inanimate,  we  shall,  I  believe,  find 
the  same  truths  illustrated  continually  in 
male  and  female  expression." — Essays  on  Anal- 
ogy, pp.  227,  239. 

"  Which  two  great  sexes  animate  the  world." 

Milton's  Paradise  Lost. 

In  the  Hebrew  language,  most  objects  that 
are  double  by  nature  or  art,  as  the  eyes,  the 
hands,  the  feet,  etc.,  are  expressed  by  the 
dual  number;  such  terms  generally  refer  to 
the  two  essentials  of  the  life  and  mind  in 
conjunction— the  left  eye  or  hand  denoting 
the  perception  and  power  of  the  intellect, 
and  the  right  eye  or  hand  the  perception 
and  power  of  the  will-principle. 


CHAPTER  X. 


On  the  Will  and  Understanding,  as  Comprising  both  the  Divine  and 
THE  Human  Mind;  on  the  Marriage  of  Divine  Goodness  and  Truth 
therein,  and  on  the  Union  of  Love  and  Wisdom  in  the  Holy  Word, 
with  Illustrations. 

11HERE  are  two  distinct  departments  of  the  human  mind  which 
-  we  are  taught  is  a  finite  resemblance  of  the  Divine  Mind.  These 
are  the  will,  or  voluntary  principle,  which  is  the  seat  of  all  the  feel- 
ings, affections,  and  desires,  and  the  understanding,  or  intellectual 
principle,  which  is  the  repository  of  all  the  thoughts,  ideas,  and 
opinions.  The  former  is  internal,  the  latter  external.  These  two 
faculties  in  man  are  the  receptacles  of  a  continuous  flow  of  life  from 
the  Lord,  and,  in  their  separate  and  united  activities  are,  in  one  way 
or  other,  constant)}'  referred  to  in  the  sacred  volume.  They  partake 
of  a  distinction  like  that  of  sex,  and  to  which,  indeed,  the  masculine 
and  feminine  principles  exactly  correspond,  both  in  God  and  man. 
They  are  both  essential  to  conscious  rational  existence,  and  their 
union,  corresponding  harmony,  and  resulting  offspring,  are  always 
represented  in  the  Word  by  the  union  of  male  and  female,  the  mar- 
riage covenant,  and  the  parental  relationship.  The  diverse  constitu- 
tion of  the  sexes  correspond ;  a  man  thinks  more  from  the  under- 
standing, a  woman  thinks  more  from  the  heart ;  the  male  acts  more 
from  the  dictates  of  reason,  but  a  woman  acts  more  from  the  impulse 
of  affection.  Hence  they  are  helps-meet  for  each  other,  and,  in  true 
heavenly  marriage,  "  are  no  more  two  but  one  flesh." (/See  p.  130.) 

Because  man  from  creation  was  thus  endowed  with  these  two 
faculties,  he  is  said  to  have  been  formed  "  in  the  image  and  likeness 
of  God  "  and  to  have  had  breathed  into  him  "  the  breath  of  life " 
(or,  more  correctly  translated  from  the  Hebrew,  "  breath  of  lives  "), 
"and  man,"  it  is  added,  "became  a  living  soul"  (Gen.  i.  26;  ii.  7). 
For,  when  he  is  restored  to  order  by  regeneration,  man  is  still  an 
image  of  God,  by  virtue  of  his  intellectual  gifts  and  their  reception 
of  truth  and  intelligence  from  the  Lord,  through  the  inspired  life  of 
his  divine  wisdom ;  and  a  likeness  of  God,  by  virtue  of  his  voluntary 

131 


132  THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


powers  and  their  reception  of  goodness  from  the  Lord,  through  the 
inbreathings  of  the  life  of  divine  love.  When  these  principles  are 
received  in  heart  and  soul,  and  reproduced  in  the  conduct  and 
conversation,  man  then  becomes  both  an  image  and  likeness  of 
God.  And  as  marriage  between  one  man  and  one  woman  is,  in  a 
good  sense,  the  true  type  and  representative  of  all  kinds  of  internal 
union  of  love  and  wisdom,  charity  and  faith,  in  the  soul,  therefore  it 
is  solemnly  enjoined,  "  what  God  has  joined  together,  let  no  man  put 
asunder  "  (Mark  x.  9). 

There  are  two  essential  attributes  of  divine  existence — divine  love 
and  divine  wisdom.  The  former  is  the  very  divine  essence  or  substance 
and  the  latter  is  the  very  divine  form  of  God,  and  neither  could  have 
being  or  existence  without  the  other.  Their  infinitely  perfect  union, 
energy,  and  operation  constitute  the  third  essential  in  the  threefold 
character  of  the  divine  nature.  With  man,  who  is,  as  we  have  already 
seen,  created  in  the  image  of  God,  finite  love  and  finite  Avisdom  are 
the  two  corresi^ondrng  and  essential  attributes  of  mind,  whose  united 
and  inseparable  activity,  in  the  outward  life  and  conduct,  constitute 
the  third  essential  of  human  existence.  It  is  to  be  observed  that  the 
whole  natural  universe,  with  its  indefinite  contents,  was  created  from 
infinite  love  as  the  divine  end,  by  means  of  infinite  wisdom  as  the 
instrumental  cause.  The  objects  of  the  visible  universe  are  the 
ultimate  or  lowest  effects  of  the  combined  operation  of  God's  love 
and  wisdom,  and  are  the  corresponding  finited  images  of  all  the 
realities  of  the  spiritual  world,  Avhich  acts  in  and  upon  the  natural 
world ;  while,  again,  the  objects  of  both  worlds  are,  collectively  and 
singly,  images,  more  or  less  remote,  of  the  innumerable  faculties  and 
principles  existing  in  man,  and  of  the  infinite  attributes  and  perfec- 
tions existing  in  God.  Every  man,  both  in  his  mind  and  in  the 
corresponding  forms  of  his  body,  is,  therefore,  an  image  of  his  great 
Maker,  and  also  a  univei*se  in  its  least  form. 

For  instance,  the  two  universal  elements  of  primordial  creation  are 
light  and  heat ;  the  two  universal  attributes  of  nature  are  time  and 
space ;  the  two  universal  characteristics  of  l)odies  are  substance  and 
form.  All  these  correspond  to  the  two  universal  faculties  of  the  will 
and  the  understanding,  and  their  finite  properties  of  freedom  and 
reason  as  constituent  of  mind,  and  to  their  two  universal,  though 
ever-varying,  states  of  afl^ection  and  thought  ;  and  these,  again,  are 
the  finite  corresponding  images  and  forms  of  the  infinite  essentials  of 
Divine  goodness  and  intelligence,  which  are  the  activities  and  out- 


UNION  OF  LOVE  AND  WISDOM  IN  SCRIPTURE. 


133 


growings  of  the  Lord's  infinite  will  and  understanding,  and  of  his 
incommunicable  attributes  of  omnipresence  and  eternity.  In  like 
manner  the  heart,  with  its  vital  motions,  corresponds  to  the  will  and 
its  activities,  and  the  lungs,  with  the  powers  of  respiration,  correspond 
to  the  understanding  and  its  operations,  and  these  are  the  two  uni- 
versal receptacles  of  life  in  the  bodily  frame.  Now,  between  the 
primary  departments  of  the  mind,  their  combined  activities,  and  the 
things  which  they  receive,  there  is  a  mutual  relationship  necessarily 
established,  essential  to  the  existence  of  each,  like  that  which  subsists 
between  the  chief  organs  of  the  bodily  frame,  the  heart  and  the 
lungs.  Thus  the  will  and  understanding,  in  agreement  with  man's 
freedom  and  reason,  may  become  receptive  of  goodness  and  truth,  or 
their  opposites,  evil  and  falsity,  which  are  their  respective  perver- 
sions; and  between  goodness  and  truth,  and  also  between  evil  and 
falsity,  there  is  a  mutual  affinity  exactly  represented  by  a  mar- 
riage. Hence,  by  a  marriage,  in  the  Word,  is  always  signified,  in  a 
good  sense,  the  internal  union  of  some  principle  of  heavenly  love  or 
charity  in  the  will,  with  a  corresponding  principle  of  heavenly  wis- 
dom or  faith  in  the  understanding ;  and,  in  an  opposite  sense,  the  in- 
fernal union  of  some  principle  of  evil  in  the  will,  with  its  correspond- 
ing principle  of  falsity  in  the  understanding.  And  since  the  Lord's 
reciprocal  conjunction  with  man  is  the  effect  of  the  previous  union 
of  goodness  and  truth  in  the  soul,  so  it  is  often  called  a  marriage 
covenant,  in  which  the  Lord  is  designated  the  bridegroom  and  hus- 
band, and  the  church,  the  bride  and  wife  (Hos.  ii.  16 ;  Rev.  xix.  7). 

On  account  of  this  twofold  constitution  of  the  human  mind,  both 
in  general  and  in  particular,  we  find  that  all  the  bodily  organs  are 
likewise  double,  or  arranged  in  pairs.  For  the  same  reasons,  binary 
forms  of  expression,  in  several  parts  of  speech,  are  found  so  frequently 
in  the  sacred  Word,  which,  in  appearance,  are  synonymous,  as, 
search  and  try,  void  and  empty,  wilderness  and  desert,  briers  and 
thorns,  rod  and  staff",  babes  and  sucklings,  nations  and  people,  poor 
and  needy,  righteousness  and  faithfulness,  thief  and  robber,  sin  and 
iniquity,  joy  and  gladness,  mourning  and  weeping,  anger  and  wrath, 
justice  and  judgment ;  so,  also,  Ave  find  numerous  correlatives  asso- 
ciated, as,  man  and  woman,  husband  and  wife,  father  and  mother, 
sons  and  daughters,  brother  and  companion,  kings  and  priests,  bride- 
groom and  bride,  ploughmen  and  vine-dressers,  flocks  and  herds, 
threshing-floor  and  wine-press,  heart  and  spirit,  flesh  and  blood,  hun- 
ger and  thirst,  eating  and  drinkuig,  bread  and  wine,  hills  and  valleys, 
12 


134 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


land  and  sea,  heat  and  light ;  or  two  things  are  joined  together  whose 
properties  and  uses  are  susceptible  of  union,  or  are  mutually  depend- 
ent, as,  sun  and  moon,  fire  and  flame,  gold  and  silver,  brass  and 
iron,  wood  and  stone,  Zion  and  Jerusalem,  Judah  and  Israel ;  two 
words  are  also  associated  together,  as,  "  take  and  eat,"  "  strait  gate 
and  narrow  way,"  "wide  gate  and  broad  way,"  "spirit  and  fire,"  to 
labor  and  be  heavy-laden,  ploughing  and  feeding  cattle,  etc. ;  and 
sometimes  the  same  term  is  simply  repeated  with  or  without  adjuncts. 
Now,  in  all  these  cases,  one  of  the  terms  (or  the  parallelism  in  which 
it  occurs)  refers  to  some  principle  or  characteristic  of  the  will,  or  to 
some  quality  or  state  of  the  affections,  desires,  and  actions  thence 
derived ;  and  the  other  has  resjiect  to  some  principle  of  the  under- 
standing, or  to  some  quality  or  state  of  the  thoughts  and  memory, 
and  the  words  which  result  therefrom,  whether  holy  or  profane.  One 
term  has  reference  to  goodness,  or  some  good  state  of  mind,  and,  in 
an  opposite  sense,  to  evil,  or  some  evil  state  of  mind,  as  the  context 
will  show ;  and  the  other  term  bears  the  same  relation  to  truth,  or,  in 
an  opposite  sense,  to  falsity.  One  will  be  predicated  more  or  less  of 
some  celestial  truth,  or  of  some  particular  love  and  its  delights,  or  its 
opposite  lust  and  its  pleasures,  and  the  other  will  be  predicated  more 
or  less  of  some  spiritual  truth,  or  its  opposite  falsity,  or  of  some  spe- 
cific thought  or  idea,  either  pure  or  unclean.  For  in  the  divine  Word 
there  can  be  nothing  useless,  nothing  superfluous. 

These  conclusions  are  confirmed  by  that  wonderful  passage, 
among  others,  in  the  prophecy  of  Jeremiah,  where  the  Lord,  by  the 
mouth  of  the  prophet,  in  treating  of  the  omnipotence  of  divine  truth 
emanating  from  Himself  in  his  Word,  and  active  for  the  redemption 
and  salvation  of  the  human  race,  says,  "  Thou  art  my  battle-axe  and 
weapons  of  war :  for  with  thee  will  I  break  in  pieces  the  nations,  and 
with  thee  will  I  destroy  kingdoms ;  and  w  ith  thee  will  I  break  in 
pieces  the  horse  and  his  rider ;  and  with  thee  will  I  break  in  pieces 
the  chariot  and  his  rider ;  and  with  thee  also  will  I  break  in  pieces 
man  and  woman  ;  and  with  thee  will  I  break  in  pieces  old  and  young ; 
and  with  thee  w  ill  I  break  in  pieces  the  young  man  and  the  maid :  I 
will  break  in  pieces  with  thee  the  shepherd  and  his  flock  ;  and  with 
thee  will  I  break  in  jiieces  the  husbandman  and  his  yoke  of  oxen  ; 
and  with  thee  will  I  break  in  pieces  captains  and  rulers"  (li.  20-23). 
Here  the  various  particulars  described  signify  the  diversified  prin- 
ciples constituent  of  man's  will  and  understanding,  affections  and 
thoughts,  mind  and  life,  and  are  associated  in  jjairs.    All  kinds  and 


UNION  OF  LOVE  AND  WISDOM  IN  SCRIPTURE. 


135 


degrees  of  evil  in  the  will,  and  of  falsity  in  the  understanding,  must 
be  dispersed,  or  destroyed,  or  subdued,  by  the  power  of  God's  AVord  ; 
and  the  union  of  all  kinds  and  degrees  of  goodness  and  truth  in  the 
heart  and  mind,  the  affections  and  thoughts,  the  inward  motives  and 
the  outward  conduct,  must  be  established  and  confirmed  by  the  Lord, 
in  accordance  with  his  love  and  wisdom,  if  He  is  to  reign  over  us. 
Then,  and  not  till  then,  is  the  divine  declaration  accomplished  in 
Christian  experience,  "  Mercy  and  truth  are  met  together ;  righteous- 
ness and  peace  have  kissed  each  other"  (Ps.  Ixxxv.  10). 

Again :  eating  and  drinking  are  bodily  acts  requisite  to  the  nour- 
ishment and  support  of  the  natural  frame."  There  are,  also,  two 
kinds  of  food  provided  for  man's  support,  liquid  and  solid.  These 
two  operations  and  two  sorts  of  aliment  are  constantly  alluded  to  in 
the  "Word,  and  signify,  in  a  good  sense,  the  two  distinct  kinds  of  spir- 
itual nourishment  required  and  provided  for  the  support  of  the  soul, 
viz.,  goodness  and  virtue  of  various  degrees  for  the  will,  denoted  by 
the  varieties  of  solid  food,  and  Avisdom  and  knowledge  of  various  kinds 
for  the  understanding,  denoted  by  the  varieties  of  liquid  food ;  and 
the  whole  process  of  digestion  is,  in  every  particular,  significative  of 
that  spiritual  process  by  which  the  mind  inwardly  "  leai'ns  and  di- 
gests," or  receives  and  appropriates  that  nourishment  which  recryits 
our  spiritual  strength,  and  more  and  more  perfects  our  growth  in  the 
regenerate  life ;  or,  on  the  contrary,  if  the  will  and  understanding  be 
of  an  infernal  quality,  then  the  food  which  is  desired  for  its  sustenta- 
tion  consists  of  selfish  gratifications  and  erroneous  persuasions,  which 
are  represented  by  unclean  animals  and  noxious  plants,  by  mixed 
bread  and  adulterated  wine,  by  unwholesome  fruit  and  bitter  water, 
and  it  is  said  of  them  "  the  whole  head  is  sick  and  the  whole  heart 
faint"  (Isa.  i.  5). 

To  eat  bread  or  flesh  signifies,  in  a  good  sense,  to  receive  from  the 
Lord,  to  apprehend,  and  spiritually  to  incorporate  celestial  and  vital 
principles  of  love  or  goodness  in  the  will  and  affections  ;  and  to  drink 
wine  or  blood  is  to  imbibe  from  the  same  divine  source,  to  compre- 
hend, and  spiritually  to  appropriate  heavenly  and  living  principles 
of  wisdom  or  truth  in  the  understanding  and  thoughts.    Bread,  in  a 

""The  analogy  between  body  and  mind  [  likewise  did  they  confound  their  sexes, 
is  very  general;  and  the  parallel  will  hold  !  making  some  deities  of  both  sexes.  Hence 
as  to  their  food  as  well  as  any  other  partic-  it  is  that  the  Greeks  nsed  tlie  word  ©eos,  both 
\x\a.T."—Croker's  Life  of  Dr.Johnson,by  Boswelt,  for  gods  and  goddesses;  and  after  the  same 
vol.  i.,  p.  28.  manner  was  the  word  Deus  used  by  the 

"As  the  heathen  made  such  a  multiplicity  Romans." — Dr.  Townley's  Notes  to  the  More 
of  gods  out  of  one  and  the  same  person,  so  Nevochim  of  Maimonidesy  p.  357. 


136 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


good  sense,  always  represents  divine  goodness  or  love,  and  Avine  divine 
wisdom  or  truth ;  for  goodness  and  truth  are  the  spiritual  and  ever- 
lasting substances  which  nourish  the  soul  unto  eternal  life,  precisely 
as  bread  and  wine  support  the  natural  body ;  hence  we  are  taught  to 
pray  for  "our  daily  bread"  (Matt.  vi.  11),  "the  bread  of  heaven" 
(Psalm  cv.  40),  and  "  to  buy  wine  without  money  and  without  price" 
(Isa.  Iv.  1), — the  "  wine  that  maketh  glad  the  heart  of  man,  and 
bread  which  strengtheneth  man's  heart"  (Psalm  civ.  15).  In  the 
opposite  sense  we  read  of  "defiled  bread"  (Ezek.  iv.  13),  and  of 
"  wine  which  is  the  poison  of  dragons  "  (Deut.  xxxii.  33),  where  it  is 
self-evident  that  the  corruption  and  profanation  of  goodness  and  truth, 
or,  what  is  the  same  thing,  the  vile  and  impious  principles  of  evil  and 
falsity  are  described. 

How  plain,  how  interesting,  and  how  edifying  does  even  this  short 
exposition  make  a  multitude  of  otherwise  inexplicable  passages  of  the 
inspired  Scriptures !  I  need  only  refer  to  one  or  two,  and  even  with- 
out a  verbal  explanation  you  will  be  surprised  and  delighted  to  see 
how  much  you  may  understand  respecting  them.  In  John  vi.  51 
the  Lord  said  to  the  Jews  in  the  synagogue  at  Capernaum,  "  I  am 
the  living  bread  which  came  down  from  heaven :  if  any  man  eat  of 
thie  bread  he  shall  live  forever :  and  the  bread  that  I  will  give  is 
my  flesh,  which  I  will  give  for  the  life  of  the  world."  The  Jews,  who 
only  understood  these  Avords  sensually,  asked  in  skeptical  derision, 
"  How  can  this  man  give  us  his  flesh  to  eat  ? "  to  which  the  Lord, 
without  further  explanation,  immediately  replied,  "  Verily,  verily,  I 
say  unto  you.  Except  ye  eat  the  flesh  of  the  Son  of  man,  and  drink 
his  blood,  ye  have  no  life  in  you.  Whoso  eateth  my  flesh,  and  drink- 
eth  my  blood,  hath  eternal  life ;  and  I  will  raise  him  up  at  the  last 
day.  For  my  flesh  is  meat  indeed,  and  my  blood  is  drink  indeed. 
He  that  eateth  my  flesh  and  drinketh  my  blood,  dwelleth  in  me,  and 
I  in  him"  (53-56).  Here  the  Lord's  flesh  signifies  his  divine  love 
or  goodness,  and  his  blood,  called  "  the  blood  of  the  New  Testament " 
or  covenant,  can  signify  nothing  else  than  divine  wisdom  or  truth, 
which  is  ■'  shed  for  many,  for  the  remission  of  sins  "  (Matt.  xxvi.  28). 
This  seems,  also,  to  explain  what  the  Apostle  Paul  means  in  1  Cor. 
V.  7,  where  he  says,  "  For  even  Christ  our  passover  is  sacrificed  for  us." 
The  original  Greek  word,  here  translated  sacrifice,  evidently  means 
"  slain ; "  for  the  passover  was  not  a  sacrifice,  but  was  eaten  by  the 
people.  So,  by  parity  of  reasoning,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  was  ulain, 
or  glorified  kis  humanity,  that  all  Christian  believers,  "  having  their 


UNION  OF  LOVE  AND  WISDOM  IN  SCRIPTURE.  137 


hearts  sprinkled  from  an  evil  conscience"  (Heb.  x.  22),  by  the  blood 
of  the  new  covenant,  or  the  divine  truths  of  the  Word  of  God,  might 
partake  of  his  flesh  and  blood,  his  divine  goodness  and  truth,  and 
incorporate  these  blessed  principles  into  their  very  nature,  or  spiritual 
constitution,  as  the  Lord  said  (John  vi.  57),  "As  the  living  Father 
hath  sent  me,  and  I  live  by  the  Father,  so  he  that  eateth  me,  even  he 
shall  live  by  me." 

It  Avas  to  represent  this  internal  communication  of  sacred  gifts  and 
virtues  by  the  Lord,  and  their  reception  and  appropriation  on  the  part 
of  man,  that  the  Holy  Supper  was  instituted  as  a  perpetual  memorial 
representative  of  the  Lord's  glorification,  and  also  of  man's  regenera- 
tion, and  as  a  powerful  means  of  advancing  it.  For  Swedenborg 
distinctly  and  truly  teaches  that  "  the  greatest  power  inheres  in  cor- 
respondences, because  in  them  heaven  and  the  world,  the  spiritual  and 
the  natural,  are  conjoined,  and  therefore  that  the  Word  is  written 
according  to  mere  [or  pure]  correspondences;  wherefore  it  is  the 
conjunction  of  man  with  heaven,  thus  Avith  the  Lord.  The  Lord,  by 
this  means,  is  in  first  principles,  and  at  the  same  time  in  lasts,  where- 
fore [church]  sacraments  [Avhich  are  the  holiest  forms  of  all  worship, 
and  a  substitute  for  all  the  representative  ceremonies  and  rituals  of 
former  dispensations  of  religion]  are  instituted  on  the  principles  of 
correspondence,  in  which,  accordingly,  a  divine  potency  resides  "  {Sp. 
Diary,  pt.  vii.).  The  Lord  made  his  humanity  Divine,  and  perfectly 
united  it  to  the  indwelling  Father,  by  the  successive  incorporation  of 
infinite  prmciples  of  goodness  and  truth ;  hence  He  says,  "  I  have 
meat  to  eat  that  ye  know  not  of"  (John  iv.  32),  and  this  divinely 
mysterious  process  of  glorification  was  the  exact  pattern  of  man's 
regeneration,  in  which  work  man  becomes,  in  his  finite  degree,  freely 
and  fully  receptive  of  living  principles  of  goodness  and  truth  from 
the  Lord,  which  induce  upon  him  the  divine  likeness,  conjoin  him 
with  the  only  source  of  all  life,  blessedness,  and  power,  and  open  up 
to  him  a  state  of  eternal  advancement  in  wisdom,  love,  and  use. 

Again,  in  Ezekiel  we  read :  "  Thus  saith  the  Lord  God,  Speak  unto 
every  feathered  fowl,  and  to  every  beast  of  the  field.  Assemble  your- 
selves and  come ;  gather  yourselves  on  every  side  to  my  sacrifice  that 
I  do  sacrifice  for  you,  even  a  great  sacrifice  upon  the  mountains  of 
Israel,  that  ye  may  eat  flesh  and  drink  blood.  Ye  shall  eat  the  flesh 
of  the  mighty,  and  drink  the  blood  of  the  princes  of  the  earth,  of 
rams,  of  lambs,  and  of  goats,  of  bullocks,  all  of  them  fatlings  of  Ba- 
shan.  And  ye  shall  eat  fat  till  ye  be  full,  and  drink  blood  till  ye  be 
12* 


138 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


drunken,  of  the  sacrifice  whicli  I  have  sacrificed  fi)r  you.  Thus  ye 
shall  be  filled  at  my  table  with  horses  and  chariots,  with  mighty  men, 
and  with  all  men  of  war,  saith  the  Lord  God  "  (xxxix.  17-20).  And 
similar  descriptions  are  in  the  Rey elation,  where  John  says,  "And  I 
saw  an  angel  standing  in  the  sun ;  and  he  cried  Avith  a  loud  voice, 
saying  to  all  the  fowls  that  fly  in  the  midst  of  heaven,  Come,  and 
gather  yourselves  together  unto  the  supper  of  the  great  God ;  that 
ye  may  eat  the  flesh  of  kings,  and  the  flesh  of  captains,  and  the  flesh 
of  mighty  men,  and  the  flesh  of  horses,  and  of  them  that  sit  on  them, 
and  the  flesh  of  all  men,  both  free  and  bond,  both  small  and  great " 
(xix.  17,  18).  Without  the  inward  life  and  spirit,  how  can  the  divin- 
ity, the  holiness,  the  reasonableness  and  practical  tendency  of  these 
passages  be  comprehended  ?  But  when  that  sense  is  perceived  and 
acknowledged,  and  the  signification  of  eating,  drinking,  and  the  ele- 
ments of  food  is  understood,  they  are  no  longer  mysterious  predic- 
tions, but  teem  with  lessons  of  infinite  intelligence,  are  replete  with 
the  unfoldings  of  unchanging  love,  radiant  with  the  beams  of  sacred 
glory,  and  are  at  once  seen  to  be  truly  worthy  of  their  omniscient 
Author.  In  a  general  sense  we  are  taught  by  those  words  that  the 
Lord  has  provided  richest  feasts  of  purest  and  holiest  blessings  and 
satisfactions  in  his  Word  and  kingdom,  for  all  who  are  prepared  to 
partake  of  and  appropriate  them  by  faith  and  love.  Every  thought 
capable  of  elevation  into  the  atmosphere  of  heaven,  signified  by  the 
feathered  fowls  that  fly  in  the  midst  of  the  firmament,  and  every 
affection  inspired  with  the  life  of  love  and  charity,  signified  by  the 
beasts  of  the  field  that  walk  upon  the  surface  of  the  ground,  are 
freely  and  earnestly  invited  and  entreated,  by  the  yearnings  of  infi- 
nite love  and  compassion,  to  partake  of  all  kinds  and  degrees  of 
spiritual  nourisliment  and  delight  prepared  for  the  understanding  and 
the  heart,  that  man  may  Avorship  the  Lord  in  "  the  beauty  of  holiness," 
and  obey  his  commandments  with  a  cheerful  mind,  and  consequently 
be  replenished,  strengthened,  and  renovated  with  "  feasts  of  fat  things 
and  wines  on  the  lees,"  the  Lord's  "  sacrifice  on  the  mountains  of 
Israel,"  "  the  supper  of  the  great  God ! " 

On  account  of  this  signification  of  two  persons  or  things,  when 
associated  in  the  Word,  the  Lord  sent  forth  the  seventy  disciples  by 
"  two  and  two  "  (Luke  x.  1),  to  preach  the  glad  tidings  of  redemption 
and  salvation  in  his  name.  For  the  whole  essence  of  the  Gospel  may 
be  regarded  as  the  love  and  wisdom  of  the  Lord ;  nor,  unless  these 
divine  principles  are  unitedly  received  in  the  will  and  understanding 


UNION  OF  LOVE  AND  WISDOM  IN  SCRIPTURE. 


139 


of  man,  can  the  Gospel  become  to  him  "  the  power  of  God  unto  sal- 
vation" (Rom.  i.  16)-  There  must  be  a  reciprocity  of  action  and 
reaction  established  between  the  infinite  will  and  the  finite  will,  and 
between  the  infinite  understanding  and  the  finite  understanding  by 
the  process  called  regeneration,  if  the  human  mind  is  to  become  a 
coherent  one,  and  live  forever  in  conjunction  with  its  Maker.  Thus 
both  the  love  and  wisdom  emanating  from  the  Lord  must  be  received, 
and,  as  it  were,  reflected  back  again  to  their  divine  source.  To  receive 
and  retain  a  given  truth  in  the  understanding  only,  is  to  combine  it 
with  erroneous  persuasions  and  with  selfish  affections  in  the  will,  thus 
to  profane  and  defile  it,  and  destroy  its  virtue.  He  who  does  this 
induces  upon  himself  a  state  of  hypocrisy  with  its  direful  torment. 
Hence  such  impure  associations  are  so  strictly  forbidden  in  the  Word 
by  a  variety  of  laws,  made  obligatory  even  in  their  literal  acceptation 
in  the  representative  economy  of  the  Jews,  and  the  infringement  of 
which  subjected  aggressors  to  severest  penalties.  But  in  their  inward 
meaning  these  laws  and  penalties  are  filled  with  instruction  of  the 
most  solemn  import.  Without  some  internal  significancy  and  capacity 
of  application  to  the  human  mind,  such  laws  and  penalties  cannot  be 
seen  in  rational  light  to  yield  any  wisdom  worthy  of  the  supreme 
Lawgiver.*"  Tor  this  reason,  then,  it  is,  that  we  are  forbidden  to  sow 
with  divers  seed,  to  plow  with  an  ox  and  an  ass  together,  or  to  wear 
garments  woven  of  mingled  woollen  and  linen  yarn  (Deut.  xxii.  9- 
11);*'  for  a  truth  received  in  the  intellect  must  be  yoked  or  united 


wQiie  would  imagine  that  no  serious  person 
could  read  the  Mosaic  law,  and  believe  it  to 
be  inspired  of  God,  without  perceiving  that, 
in  every  particular,  it  mi;st  have  been  de- 
signed for  holier  purposes,  and  to  convey  a 
loftier  morality,  than  what  appears  on  the 
surface  of  the  letter ;  and  that  it  could  be 
only  in  its  inward  and  heavenly  sense  that 
the  Lord  Jesus  says  of  it  that  "  no<  one  tittle 
thereof  should  fail"  (Luke  xvi.  17). 

"Moses,"  says  Origen  (Adv.  Cels.,  i.  18), 
"never  wrote  anything  which  had  not  a 
twofold  meaning.  If  in  tliis  spiritual  sense 
we  say  that  God  promulgated  the  law,  then 
it  appears  a  code  worthy  the  Divine  Majesty ; 
but  if  we  rest  in  the  letter,  and  understand 
what  is  written  in  the  law  as  the  Jews  and 
common  people  do,  then  /  blush  to  say  thai 
Ood  gave  such  laios."  "  Nor  was  this  principle, 
that  we  must  put  such  a  sense  upon  the  words 
and  facts  of  Scripture  as  is  worthy  a  divine 
production,  peculiar  to  Origen  only;  but  it 
was  also  adopted  by  Augustine  and  many 
others  of  the  fathers."— iJcetsc/ineidci-'s  Apol- 


ogy for  the  Modern  Theology  of  Protestant  Ger- 
many, by  Evanson,  p.  53. 

In  reference  to  tlie  same  subject,  Origen 
further  says  (in  Levit.,  cap.  vii.,  in  Num.,  cap. 
xvi.,  xxi.,  et  in  Matt.,  cap.  xxiii.)  that "  he  is  a 
high-priest  unto  God  who  holds  the  (spiritual) 
science  of  the  law,  and  understands  tlie  rea- 
sons of  every  mystery,  and  who  is  acquainted 
with  the  law  both  in  the  spiritual  and  literal 
sense ; "  but  that "  all  those  who  literally  ex- 
pound tlie  law  are  vain  preachers."  For  "they 
truly  make  the  law  an  Old  Testament  who 
understand  it  in  a  carnal  manner ;  but  to  us, 
who  understand  and  expound  it  spiritually 
and  in  its  evangelical  sense,it  is  always  New." 

81  Dr.Townley  considers  that  these  heteroge- 
neous mixtures,  whether  of  garments,  seeds, 
or  animals,  were  evidently  forbidden  to  pro- 
vent  idolatry ;  or  according  to  Thomas  Aqui- 
nas (Prim.  Sec.,  qu.  102,  art.  6),  out  of  hatred 
to  idolatry,  because  the  Egj-ptians  made  mix- 
tures of  this  nature,  in  seeds,  animals,  and 
garments,  to  represent  the  different  conjunc- 
tions of  the  planets. 


140 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


to  its  own  proper  and  corresponding  principle  of  goodness  in  the  heart, 
if  it  is  to  be  jjreserved  from  profanation,  and  thus  to  be  successfully 
emploj^ed,  not  only  to  promote  our  usefulness  in  this  world,  but  our 
preparation  for  a  heavenly  state. 

In  order  to  represent  to  us  more  significantly  the  above  twofold 
characteristic  of  the  Lord's  divine  proceeding,  as  consisting  of  infinite 
love  and  infinite  wisdom  in  indissoluble  union,  there  are,  both  in  the 
Old  and  New  Testaments,  two  terms  or  names  conjoined,  as.  Lord  God, 
Jehovah  God,  Jesus  Christ,  the  Lord-God  and  the  Lamb,  the  Father 
and  the  Son,  etc.,  Avhich  names  are  not,  as  might  be  supposed  from  the 
mere  appearance  of  the  letter,  appellations  referable  to  some  distinct 
duality  and  individuality  of  person  in  the  Godhead,  a  supposition 
equivalent  to  the  monstrous  and  intolerable  idea  of  more  gods  than 
one ;  but  they  are  designed  to  mark  the  distinction  recognized  by 
human  thought  in  the  one  true  God,  between  divine  love  and  divine 
wisdom,  or,  what  is  the  same  thing,  between  divine  goodness  and 
divine  truth, — the  two  essential  constituents  of  Godhead  coexistent  in 
the  divine  Mind,  the  ground  of  infinite  perfection,  and  the  abode  and 
source  of  all  the  attributes  of  Deity.  Reason  testifies  that  it  cannot 
be  otherwise.  The  terms  Lord,  or  Jehovah,  Jesus,  and  Father,  gen- 
erally signify,  in  the  Holy  Word,  some  quality  of  the  essential  divine 
principle  of  love  or  goodness ;  and  the  terms  God,  Christ,*^  and  Son, 
for  the  most  part  signifj'  some  characteristic  of  the  other  divine  prin- 
ciple of  wisdom  or  truth,  according  to  the  subject  or  state  under  con- 
sideration. How  immeasurably  above  mere  reasoning  and  views 
which  are  dependent  on  the  bodily  senses  do  such  enlightened  con- 
clusions and  instructions  as  these  elevate  the  soul,  freeing  it  at  once 
from  all  cavil,  doubt,  and  inconsistencj',  directing  its  undivided  ado- 
ration to  the  one  true  and  holy  God  of  heaven  and  earth — the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  in  his  own  glorified  Human ;  and  because  He  is  thus 
infinite  love  or  goodness  itself,  and  infinite  wisdom  or  truth  itself, 
the  apostle  Paul  bears  this  most  explicit  testinumy  respecting  Him, 
that  "  In  Him  [the  Lord  Jesus]  dwelleth  all  the  fulness  of  the  God- 
head bodily."  The  Father  sends  forth  the  Son,  as  heat  sends  forth 
light ;  and  as  heat  and  light  are  one  in  the  sun,  so  love  and  wisdom 
— the  Father  and  the  Son — are  one  in  the  glorious  person  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  "  Sun  of  righteousness." 

82  The  Hebrew  word  Jesus,  when  translated  I  The  Hebrew  word  Messiah  and  the  Greek 
into  English,  means  deliverer  and  saviour.  I  word  Christ  mean  anointed,  and  hence  king. 


CHAPTER  XL 


The  Three  Degrees  of  Life,  the  Trinal  Distinction  in  God,  and  the 
Threefold  Constitution  of  the  Human  Mind  and  the  Holy  Word 
Explained,  and  their  Mutual  Correspondence  Illustrated. 

WE  have  seen,  iu  the  former  chapter,  that  the  will  and  under- 
standing of  man  are  the  two  primary  constituent  powers  of  the 
human  mind.  Yet  man  is  not  a  complete  image  of  his  Creator  until 
he  brings  forth  the  ends  of  his  will  and  the  causes  of  his  understand- 
ing into  their  proper  effects,  namely,  words  and  works ;  these,  there- 
fore, form  a  third  essential  constituent  of  his  nature.  By  virtue  of 
possessing  and  exercising  this  power,  fixity  and  identity  are  imparted 
to  all  the  interior  principles  of  the  mind  and  life.  Now,  the  three 
corresponding  principles  of  the  Divine  Mind  are,  the  infinite  will  of 
God,  comprising  divine  ends,  the  infinite  understanding  of  God,  com- 
prising divine  causes,  and  the  eternal  activity  of  these  two  principles, 
in  perfect  union,  comprising  all  divine  effects.  In  the  Sacred  Scrip- 
tures the  all-begetting  principle  of  love,  proceeding  from  the  divine 
will,  is  designated  "  the  Father ; "  the  all-producing  principle  of  wis- 
dom, proceeding  from  the  divine  understanding,  or  "  the  Word  made 
flesh,"  is  denominated  "  the  Son  ;"  and  the  eternal  energy  and  activity 
of  these  two  principles,  now  proceeding  from  the  Lord's  glorified 
Human  in  perfect  union,  are  called  "  the  Holy  Spirit." Thus 


83  In  Ihe  ethical  philosophy  of  the  ancient 
Egj'ptians,  the  first  principle  of  the  mind  is 
said  to  have  been  intellect,  the  second  luill, 
and  the  third,  which  was  the  joint  efflux  of 
these,  concord,  or  harmony  of  action. — See 
Series  Hor.  Sol,  p.  331. 

"  Plato  had  no  doubt  of  a  great  mystery 
being  concealed  in  Moses'  account  of  the 
three  men  who  appeared  unto  Abraham." 
— De  Sacrificiis  et  de  Abrahamo,  p.  367,  cited 
in  Morhen'a  Notes  to  Cudworth's  Int.  Sys.,  vol. 
ii.,  p.  327. 

"The  three  names  of  the  Deitymentioned  in 
Sacred  Writ,  I  Am  (Jehovah),  God  (Elohim), 
and  Lord  (Adonai),  are  referred  by  Pliilo  to 
the  three  divine  natures  [or  essentials]  into 
which  he  divides  the  Deity."— p.  329. 


"  The  Platonic  hypotheses  seem  to  be  really 
nothing  else  but  infinite  goodness,  infinite 
wisdom,  and  infinite  active  power,  not  as 
mere  qualities  or  accidents,  but  as  substan- 
tial things,  all  concurring  together  to  make 
up  one  Qelov.  or  Divinity."— p.  408. 

The  inscription  on  the  great  obelisk  of  the 
Major  Circus  was,  "the  great  God,  the  Be- 
gotten of  God.  the  All-resplendent." 

Heraclitus  mentions  an  inscription  which 
was  a  triad  :  "  First  God.  then  the  Logos,  and 
the  Spirit  with  them ;  but  all  tliese  united 
Dy  nature  and  uniting  in  unity." 

"The  esse  of  an  angel  is  tliat  which  is 
called  his  soul,  his  existence  is  that  which 
is  called  liis  body,  and  the  proceeding  from 
both  is  that  which  is  called  the  sphere  of 
141 


142 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


divine  love  from  eternity  ■willed,  and  divine  wisdom,  as  a  cause,  oper- 
ated the  work  of  creation,  and  came  forth  in  time  as  the  wisdom,  or 


his  life.  By  tliis  trine  an  angel  is  an  image 
of  God." — Swedenborg,  Allianasian  Creed,  18, 
p.  43. 

"  Father,  Son.  and  Holy  Ghost  are  not  rep- 
resented as  so  many  names,  but  as  one  name; 
the  one  divine  nature  of  God  being  no  more 
divided  by  these  three  than  by  the  single 
name  of  Jehovah  thrice  repeated  in  Num.  vi. 
22-'26."— ir.  /one.?,  nf  Nayland.  on  Ike  Trinity. 

"The  Hebrew  letters  which  compose  the 
tri-syllabic  name  Jehovah,  are  expressive 
of  time  past,  time  present,  and  time  to  come." — 
See  Maimonides  Mor.  Nev. 

"  Of  the  infinite  self-existent  essence  implied 
by  this  name  it  is  impossible  for  us  to  form 
a  full  and  adequate  idea,  becau.se  we,  and 
all  other  creatures,  have  but  a  finite,  deriva- 
tive essence.  .  .  .  The  word  Jah  (as  in  Psalm 
Ixviii.  4)  stands  simply  for  the  divine  essence. 
or  for  Him  icho  is.  and  who  necessarily  mi'.st 
be.  .  .  .  The  term  Eiij.vii  occurs  nowhere  but 
in  Ex.  iii.  14.  and  means  not  only  Him  who 
necessarily  is,  but  who  necessarily  ivill  be.  It 
regards  the  future  eternal,  and  demonstrates 
the  immutability  of  the  divine  existence. 
The  title  Jehovah,  which  contains  the 
other  two,  includes  the  pa.'^t,  the  present,  and 
the  future  Eternal,  that  is,  according  to  our 
conceptions;  for  all  things,  and  every  divi- 
sion of  that  duration  which  we  understand 
by  time,  are  pre.sent  with  Him,  though  suc- 
cessive to  us.  Thus  the  inspired  Apostle 
(finding  no  word  in  Greek  to  represent  the 
idea  of  the  Hel)rew)  uses  periphrasis,  or 
comment  on  the  word,  and  expres.ses  the 
name  Jehovah  by  '  He  that  that  icos,  and 
that  is  to  come'  (Rev.  1.  i)."—Serk's  Hot.  &ol., 
pp.  1-4. 

"Jehovah  descended  to  become  jESfs  for 
their  [his  children's]  sakes.  And  Jescs  is 
Jehovah,  or  He  could  not  be  'the  same 
yesterday  (i.  e.,  from  eternity),  to-day  (i.  e.. 
through  all  time),  and  forever  (i.  e.,  to  eter- 
nitv),  all  which  the  name  Jehovah  implies." 
-lb.,  p.  7. 

"The  three  grand  attril)utcs  of  God:  infi- 
nite iilenitude  of  life,  infinite  knowledge, 
and  infinite  po\\  vr."—Druidical  Triad. 

"Because  goodness,  wisdom,  and  power 
are  the  three  es.sential  divine  attributes, 
therefore  the  Deity  was  originally  rejirc- 
sentcd  l)y  the  ancients  under  three  principal 
forms.  The  principle  of  the  divine  goodness 
was  represented  among  the  Egyptians  by  the 
god  Osiris,  among  the  Greeks  by  Jtipiter,  and 
among  the  Persians  by  Oroniaze.s.  The  di- 
vine wi.sdom,  or  second  principle,  wa.s  rej)- 
resented  by  the  goddess  Jsis  iu  Egypt,  by 


Pallas,  or  Minerva,  in  Greece,  and  by  the 
goddess  My  then  in  Persia.  The  third  prin- 
ciple the  Egyptians  called  Orus,  the  Greeks, 
Apollo  or  Hercules,  and  the  Persians  Mithras. 
This  latter  people,  who  had  neither  temi)les 
nor  statues,  adopted  only  three  principal 
divinities.  Indeed,  Mr.  Ramsay  is  of  the 
opinion  that  all  the  gods  of  the  heathen 
mythology  are  but  different  forms  of  these 
three,  viz.,  'one  supreme  god,  the  principal 
of  all  beings;  a  goddess,  his  wife,  sister,  or 
daughter;  and  a  middle  god,  who  is  his  son, 
his  representative  or  vicegerent.'  This,  with 
some  quahfications.  may  very  probably  be 
true."— Z».  H.  if.,  Am.  New  Jer.  Mag.,  vol. 
xviii.,  p.  374. 

The  oracle  cited  out  of  Damascias  the  phil- 
osopher, by  Patritius,  asserts  that  throughout 
the  world  a  triad  or  trinity  shines  forth, 
which  resolves  itself  into  a  monad,  or  per- 
fect unity ;  and  also  that  this  doctrine  was 
the  fundamental  principle  of  the  Orphic 
philosophy.  Voscius  observes  that  this  idea 
held  a  principal  place  in  the  mythology  of 
the  ancients.— See  Cudworth's  Int.  Sys.,vo\.  1., 
p.  492;  Prichard's  Aiiai.  of  £gyp.  Mythol.,  pp. 
39,  47. 

"Fir.st  God,  then  the  Word  and  Spirit,  all 
uniting  in  One  whose  power  can  never  end." 
— Oracle  of  Serapis,  Suidas;  see  I'ontenelle's 
Ilistm-y  of  Oracles,  1750,  Eng.  ed.,  p.  9. 

The  ancient  Egyptians  believed  in  the 
unity  of  the  godhead,  and  cxpros.scd  his 
attributes  by  triads.  According  to  Pythag- 
oras, the  Samian  philosopher,  the  symbol 
of  all  things,  or  fulness,  was  the  Monad,  or 
active  principle,  or  Father;  the  Duad,  or 
passive  principle,  or  Mother :  and  the  result 
or  operation  of  both  united.  It  is  remark- 
able that  the  ancient  triniticsof  the  Hindoos, 
as  well  as  the  Egyptians,  emblematized  the 
male  or  paternal  principle,  the  female  or 
maternal  principle,  and  the  ofl"spring,  and 
that  this  is  identical  w  ith  the  early  Chinese 
philosophy. 

"Among  the  ancient  Chinese  characters 
which  have  been  prcser\-ed,  we  find  one  like 
the  Greek  delta  (A).  According  to  the  Chinese 
Dictionani,  Kang  hi,  this  character  signifies 
HJiioji.  According  to  Choneouen,  a  celebrated 
work,  A  is  three  nniird  in  one.  The  Liron 
chou  tsing  hncn,  which  is  a  rational  and 
learned  explanation  of  ancient  characters, 
says,  'A  signifies  intimate  union,  harmony, 
tlic  chief  good  of  man,  of  the  heaven  and 
of  the  earth:  it  is  the  union  of  the  three.'" 
— Dr.  A.  Clarke's  0>mm..  John  i. 

Numberless  pantheistic  superstitions,  ab- 


TRINAL  DISTINCTION  IN  GOD  AND  MAN.  143 


Word  incarnate,  in  the  person  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  accomplished  the 
work  of  redemption  and  the  glorification  of  the  assumed  humanity ; 
and  the  Holy  Spirit  is  continually  striving  to  go  forth  in  "  the  spirit 
and  power  "  of  the  Word,  to  effect  human  regeneration  and  salvation. 

Swedenborg,  treating  on  this  momentous  subject,  clearly  and  beau- 
tifully unfolds  it  as  follows :  "  In  every  divine  work  there  is  a  first,  a 
middle,  and  a  last,  and  the  first  passes  through  the  middle  to  the  last, 
and  thereby  exists  and  subsists ;  hence  the  last  is  the  basis.  The  first, 
also,  is  in  the  middle,  and,  by  means  of  the  middle,  in  the  last ;  and 
thus  the  last  is  the  containant.  And  because  the  last  is  the  contain- 
ant  and  basis,  it  is  also  the  firmament.  The  learned  reader  will  be 
able  to  comprehend  the  propriety  of  calling  these  three,  end,  cause, 
and  effect,  and  also  esse  (to  be),  fieri  (to  become),  and  exisfere  (to 
exist).  He  who  comprehends  this  reasoning  will  comprehend,  also, 
that  every  divine  work  is  complete  and  perfect  in  the  last ;  and  like- 
wise that  in  the  last  is  contained  the  whole,  because  the  prior  things 
are  contained  together  in  it.  From  this  ground  it  is,  that  by  the 
number  three,  in  the  Word,  in  its  spiritual  sense,  is  signified  what  is 
complete  and  perfect ;  and  also,  the  all  or  whole  together.  Because 
this  is  the  signification  of  that  number,  therefore  it  is  so  frequently 
applied  in  the  Word,  when  that  signification  is  intended  to  be 
expressed,  as  in  the  following  places :  Isa.  xx.  3 ;  1  Sam.  iii.  1-8, 
XX.  5,  12-42;  1  Kings  xvii.  21,  xvii.  34;  Matt.  xiii.  33,  xxvi.  34; 
John  xxi.  15-17  ;  Jonah  i.  17  ;  John  ii.  19  ;  Matt.  xxvi.  39-44 ;  Luke 
xxiv.  21 ;  besides  many  other  jiassages  where  the  number  three  is 
mentioned.  It  is  mentioned  where  a  work  finished  and  perfect  is  the 
subject  treated  of,  because  such  a  work  is  signified  by  that  number." 
— S.  S.  27-29. 

And  again :  "  From  the  Lord  proceed  these  principles,  the  celestial, 


surd  cosmogonies,  and  confused  notions,  etc.,  ' 
were  founded  on  the  corruptions  of  this  phil- 
osophy as  it  became  more  debased  and  licen- 
tious. 

"  The  number  three  was  held  sacred  by  the 
ancients,  being  thought  the  most  perfect  of  i 
all  numbers,  as  having  regard  to  the  begin- 
ning, middle,  and  end."— X>)-.  Thornton's  Ec- 
logues of  Virgil,  p.  507. 

"  Three  was  a  sacred  and  mystical  number 
among  the  Druids." — Davis's  Mythol.  oj  tlie 
British  Druids,  p.  79. 

"The  Hebrews  expressly  acknowledged 
the  perfecting  property  of  the  number  three; 
for  with  them  the  letter  shin,  a>,  which  is  in 


'  itself  a  trident,  denoted  the  number  three,  or 
the  utmost  perfection  of  everything." — Tripl., 
vol.  i.,  p.  52. 

"  The  great  majority  of  the  Hebrew  roots 
assume  tri-literal  combinations  as  the  aver- 
i  age  form,  and  the  same  number  of  letters 
are,  by  most  philologists,  ascribed  to  the 
original  Greek  roots." — Conybeare's  Leal.,  'id 
ed.,  app.,  pt.  2,  p.  301. 

"  The  ancients  had  a  singular  predilection 
for  the  number  (ftree;  hence  they  took  it  as 
a  divisor  preferable  to  the  more  rational 
mode  of  halves.  Of  this  take  an  instance 
fromLivy:  '  Ejusdem  rei  cansa  ludi  magni 
voti  asris  trecentis,  triginta,  tribus  millibus.' " 


144  THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


the  spiritual,  and  the  natural,  one  after  another.  Whatsoever  proceeds 
from  his  divine  love  is  called  celestial,  and  is  divine  good ;  whatsoever 
proceeds  from  his  divine  wisdom  is  called  spiritual,  and  is  divine 
truth ;  the  natural  partakes  of  both,  and  is  their  complex  in  ultimates. 
The  divine  principle  proceeding  from  the  Lord,  in  its  progress  to  ulti- 
mates, descends  through  three  degrees,  and  is  termed  celestial,  spirit- 
ual, and  natural.  The  divine  principle  which  proceeds  from  the  Lord 
and  descends  to  men,  descends  through  those  three  degrees,  and  when 
it  has  descended,  it  contains  those  three  degrees  in  itself.  Such  is  the 
nature  of  every  divine  principle  proceeding  from  the  Lord ;  where- 
fore, when  it  is  in  its  last  degree,  it  is  in  its  fulness.  Such  is  the  nature 
and  quality  of  the  "Word ;  in  its  last  [or  lowest]  sense  it  is  natural, 
in  its  interior  sense  it  is  spiritual,  and  in  its  inmost  sense  it  is  celestial ; 
and  in  each  sense  it  is  divine.**  The  distinction  between  these  degrees 
cannot  be  known,  except  by  the  knowledge  of  correspondence ;  for 
these  three  degrees  are  altogether  distinct  from  each  other,  like  end, 
cause,  and  effect,  or  like  Avhat  is  prior,  posterior,  and  postreme,  but 
yet  make  one  by  correspondence ;  for  the  natural  degree  or  principle 
corresponds  with  the  spiritual,  and  also  with  the  celestial." — S.  S.  6,  7. 

"  He  who  does  not  know  the  regulations  of  divine  order  with  re- 
spect to  degrees  cannot  comprehend  in  what  manner  the  heavens  are 
distinct  from  each  other,  nor  even  what  is  meant  by  the  internal  and 
external  man.  Most  persons  in  the  world  have  no  other  idea  of  things 
interior  and  exterior,  or  superior  and  inferior,  than  as  of  something 
continuous,  or  cohering  by  continuity,  from  a  purer  state  to  a  grosser ; 
whereas  things  interior  and  exterior  are  not  continuous  with  respect 


M  "  The  celestial  [or  inmost]  sense  of  the 
Word  cannot  easily  be  unfolded,  not  being 
so  much  an  object  of  intellectuiil  thought 
as  of  will-afl'ection.  The  true  ground  and 
reason  why  there  is  in  Uie  Word  a  sense  still 
more  interior,  which  is  called  celestial,  is, 
because  from  the  Lord  proceed  Divine  (!ood 
and  Divine  Truth— Divine  (tood  from  his  Di- 
vine I.nve  and  Divine  Truth  from  his  Divine 
Wisdom ;  eacli  is  in  tlie  Word,  for  the  Word 
is  the  divine  proceeding.  It  is  on  lliis  ac- 
count that  the  Word  imparts  life  to  those 
that  read  it  under  holy  inlluence.  The 
marriage  of  the  Lord  with  the  church,  and 
consequently  a  marriage  of  goodness  and 
truth,  is  contained  in  every  particular  of  the 
Word."— S.  S.,  n.  19. 

'  What  belongs  to  the  spiritual  sense  of 
the  Word  has  more  particular  relation  to 
the  church;  and  wliat  belongs  to  the  celes- 
tial sense,  to  the  Lord  ;  the  contents,  also,  of 


the  spiritual  sense  have  relation  to  Divine 
Truth,  and  the  contents  of  the  celestial  sense 
to  Divine  Good."— S.,  n.  80. 

"IKven]  the  literal  sense  of  the  Word  is 
threefold,  viz.,  historical,  prophetical,  and 
doctrinal,  each  whereof  is  such  that  it  may 
be  apprehended  even  by  those  who  are  in 
e.\tcrnals."— ^.  C,  n.  3-132. 

"  Tlic  Word  contains  in  itself  all  prior  prin- 
ciples, even  from  the  first.orallsupcrior  jn  in- 
ciples,  even  from  the  supreme;  tlie  ultimate 
being  what  includes  and  contains  them. 
Tliis  fulness  of  the  Word  may  be  compared 
with  a  common  vessel  of  marble,  in  which 
are  iuuumeriible  lessor  ves.sels  of  crystal,  and 
in  these  still  more  innumerable  of  precious 
stones,  in  which  and  about  which  are  the 
most  exquisite  delicacies  of  heaven,  which 
are  for  those  who  from  the  Lord  perform 
noble  uses."— ^.  E.  1087. 


TRINAL  DISTINCTION  IN  GOD  AND  MAN. 


145 


to  each  other,  but  discrete.  Degrees  are  of  two  kinds,  there  being 
continuous  degrees  and  degrees  not  continuous.  Continuous  degrees 
are  like  the  degrees  of  light,  decreasing  as  it  recedes  from  flame,  which 
is  its  source,  till  it  is  lost  in  obscurity ;  or  like  the  degrees  of  visual 
clearness,  decreasing  as  the  light  passes  from  the  objects  in  the  light 
to  those  in  the  shade ;  or  like  the  degrees  of  the  purity  of  the  atmo- 
sphere from  its  base  to  its  summit, — these  degrees  being  determined 
by  the  resjjective  distances.  But  degrees  that  are  not  continuous,  but 
discrete,"**  difler  from  each  other  like  what  is  prior  and  what  is  poste- 
rior, like  cause  and  effect,  and  like  that  which  produces  and  that 
which  is  produced.  Whosoever  investigates  this  subject  will  find 
that  in  all  the  objects  of  creation,  both  general  and  particular,  there 
are  such  degrees  of  production  and  composition,  and  that  from  one 
thing  proceeds  another,  and  from  that  a  third,  and  so  on.  He  that 
has  not  acquired  a  clear  apprehension  of  these  degrees  cannot  be 
acquainted  w  ith  the  difference  between  the  various  heavens,  and  be- 
tween the  interior  and  the  exterior  faculties  of  man ;  nor  can  he  be 
acquainted  with  the  difference  between  the  spiritual  world  and  the 
natural,  nor  between  the  spirit  of  man  and  his  body;  nor,  conse- 
quently, can  he  understand  what  correspondences  and  representations 
are,  and  their  origin,  nor  what  is  the  nature  of  influx.  Sensual  men 
cannot  comprehend  these  distinctions,  for  they  suppose  increase  and 
decrease,  even  with  respect  to  these  degrees,  to  be  continuous;  on 
which  account  they  can  form  no  other  conception  of  what  is  spii-itual 
than  as  something  more  purely  natural.   Thus  they  stand,  as  it  were, 


85  "Discrete  is  a  philosophical  term  signi- 
fying separate,  and  is  applied  to  two  or  more 
things  that  do  not  run  into  one  another,  but, 
though  contiguous,  have  each  their  distinct 
boundary." — Noble. 

The  vast  importance  of  this  distinction  of 
degrees  will  be  at  once  perceived,  if  we  con- 
sider that  the  erroneous  assumption  that  all 
beings  and  things  have  proceeded  forth  con- 
tinuously, or  by  degrees  of  continuity,  from 
the  centre  to  the  circumference  of  all  crea- 
tion ;  thus,  that  the  soul  and  the  body,  God 
and  man,  spirit  and  matter,  are  but  various 
gradations,  and  that  God  is  an  all-extended 
substance,  existing  throughout  space,  has 
given  birth,  both  in  ancient  and  modern 
times,  to  every  heterogeneous  system  of  pan- 
theism, materialism,  and  secularism,  which 
infidel  philosopliy,  and  an  erroneous  theoso- 
phy,have  invented.  In  order,  therefore,  fur- 
ther to  assist  the  earnest  and  intelligent  in- 
quirer in  his  search  after  truth,  and  to  enable 
him  more  clearly  to  comprehend  the  great 


doctrine  of  triple  degrees,  which  is  indispen- 
sable to  a  .just  view  of  the  divine  character 
and  existence,  to  a  correct  idea  of  the  nature 
of  the  human  mind,  and  to  the  accurate 
knowledge  of  the  science  of  correspond- 
ences, and  thus  to  a  true  interpretation  of 
the  Word  of  God,  a  few  additional  extracts 
are  given  in  the  Appendix,  from  the  invalu- 
able writings  of  Swedenborg,  who  has  so 
amply  and  so  clearly  unfolded  this  grand 
subject,  on  which,  indeed,  the  laws  of  cor- 
respondences may  be  said  to  rest.  A  few  of 
the  innumerable  confirmations,  and  illustra- 
tions from  other  sources,  are  also  given. 

The  Vestiges  of  Creation,  and  the  specula- 
tions of  Darwin  and  Huxley  on  progress  in 
development,  are  framed  upon  continuous  de- 
grees ;  hence  their  specious  errors,  their  fal- 
lacious reasonings,  their  mistaken  arrange- 
ments of  facts,  and  Iheir  mischievous  con- 
clusions, tending  to  mere  materialism  and 
Atheism,  and  of  necessity  terminating  there. 


13 


K 


146 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


without  the  gate,  far  removed  from  all  that  constitutes  intelligence." — 
H.  H.  38. 

"The  essential  Divine  [principle]  is  in  the  supreme  sense  of  the 
Word,  because  therein  is  the  Lord ;  the  Divine  [principle]  is  also 
in  the  internal  sense,  because  therein  is  the  Lord's  kingdom  in  the 
heavens,  hence  this  sense  is  called  celestial  and  spiritual ;  the  Divine 
[principle]  is  also  in  the  literal  sense  of  the  Word,  because  therein  is 
the  Lord's  kingdom  in  the  earths,  hence  this  sense  is  called  the  exter- 
nal, and  likewise  the  natural  sense,  for  in  it  are  cross  appearances 
more  remote  from  the  Divine  [principle] ;  nevertheless  all  and  singular 
things  therein  are  Divine."  "  The  case,  with  respect  to  these  three 
senses,  is  as  it  was  w  ith  the  tabernacle :  its  inmost,  or  what  was  within 
the  veil,  where  the  ark  was,  containing  the  testimony,  was  most  holy, 
or  the  holy  of  holies  ;  but  its  internal,  or  what  was  immediately  with- 
out the  veil,  where  was  the  golden  table  and  candlestick,  was  holy ; 
the  external,  also,  where  the  court  was,  was  also  holy." — A.  C.  3439. 

In  further  elucidation  of  the  subject  of  degrees,  the  same  enlight- 
ened author  elsewhere  says  :  "  It  is  discovered  by  means  of  the  inves- 
tigation of  causes  from  effects,  that  degrees  are  of  two  kinds,  one  in 
which  are  things  prior  and  posterior,  and  another  in  which  are  things 
greater  and  less.  The  degrees  which  distinguish  things  prior  and 
posterior  are  to  be  called  degrees  of  altitude,  or  discrete  degrees ;  but 
the  degrees  by  which  things  greater  or  less  are  distinguished  from 
each  other  are  to  be  called  degrees  of  latitude,  and  also  continuous 
degrees.  Degrees  of  altitude,  or  discrete  degrees,  are  like  the  genera- 
tions and  compositions  of  one  thing  from  another ;  as,  for  example, 
they  are  like  the  generation  and  composition  of  any  nerve  from  its 
fibres,  or  of  any  fibre  from  its  fibrillje ;  or  of  any  piece  of  wood, 
stone,  or  metal,  from  its  parts,  and  of  any  part  from  its  particles. 
But  degrees  of  latitude,  or  continuous  degrees,  are  like  the  increments 
and  decrements  of  the  same  degree  of  altitude  with  respect  to  breadth, 
length,  height,  and  depth ;  and  as  of  large  and  small  masses  of  wood, 
stone,  or  metal." — I.  S.  B.,  n.  16. 

"  The  science  of  geometry  teaches  that  nothing  can  be  complete, 
or  perfect,  except  it  be  a  trine,  or  a  compound  of  three ;  for  a  geo- 
metric line  is  nothing  unless  it  becomes  an  area,  and  an  area  is  nothing 
unless  it  becomes  a  solid  ;  therefore  the  one  must  be  multiplied  into 
the  other  in  order  to  give  them  existence,  and  in  the  third  they  co- 
exist. As  it  is  in  this  instance,  so  it  is  likewise  in  the  ca.se  of  all  and 
every  created  thing,  they  have  their  limit  and  terniiuatiou  in  a  third. 


TRINAL  DISTINCTION  IN  GOD  AND  MAN. 


147 


Hence  we  see  why  the  number  three  in  the  Word  signifies  what  is 
complete  and  perfect." — T.  C.  R.,  n.  387. 

There  are,  then,  three  degrees  of  life**  in  every  man,  constituting 
man  in  the  image,  and  enabling  him  to  attain  the  likeness,  of  his 
Maker.  These  degrees  are  discrete  or  distinct,  and  are  appropriately 
represented  in  the  well-known  ancient  and  expressive  triad  of  the 
heart,  the  head,  and  the  hand.  The  first  end  is  of  the  will  or  love ; 
the  mediate  end,  or  instrumental  cause,  is  of  the  understanding  or 
wisdom ;  and  the  ultimate  end,  or  effect,  has  respect  to  use  in  the  life. 
These  degrees,  though  they  are  discretely  distinct,  and  exhibit  three 
distinct  classes  of  phenomena,  are,  under  the  influence  of  reason  and 
conscience,  unanimous  in  their  activities  and  conjoined  by  correspond- 
ence. Each  of  these  degrees,  however,  is  capable  of  endless  muta- 
tions in  itself,  which  are  called  continuous  degrees.  These  are  the 
variations  of  intensity  and  density,  or  a  greater  or  less  degree  of 
remoteness  of  state,  as  progressions  from  light  to  shade,  from  heat 
to  cold,  from  soft  to  hard.  But  discrete  degrees  are  distinct,  as  the 
spiritual  world  is  distinct  from  the  natural  world,  or  the  soul  from 
the  body,  or  a  cause  from  the  efiect,  or  the  producer  from  the  thing 
produced ;  and  it  is  only  between  this  latter  kind  of  degrees  that 
correspondence  exists. 

All  things,  however  infinitely  varied,  manifest  in  their  end  and 
essence  the  divine  love,  in  their  form  and  cause  of  existence  the 
divine  wisdom,  and  in  their  operation  and  use  the  divine  power,  or 
the  united  effect  and  energy  of  both  love  and  wisdom.  In  the  Lord 
these  three  essentials  of  deity  "  are  distinctly  one."  That  some  true 
idea  of  this  doctrine  was  explicitly  held  in  the  earlier  periods  of 
Christianity,  we  have  the  most  direct  testimony  in  the  fii-st  epistle 
of  John,  where  it  is  written,  "  There  are  three  that  bear  record  in 
heaven,  the  Father,  the  AVord,  and  the  H4)ly  Ghost :  and  these  three 
are  one.  And  there  are  three  that  bear  witness  in  earth,  the  spirit, 
and  the  water,  and  the  blood :  and  these  three  agree  in  one  "  (v.  7, 8).^' 
Now  there  is  nothing  that  exists  throughout  the  three  kingdoms  of 
nature  but  what,  even  as  to  its  particulars,  bears  witness  to  this  trinity 


««"Isis,  Osiris,  and  Horus  comprise  in 
thought  the  whole  system  of  Egyptian  my- 
thology, with  the  exception,  perhaps,  of  Am- 
mon  and  Kneph,  the  concealed  god  and  the 
creating  power." — Bunsen's  Egypt's  Place  in 
Vnix'.  History,  p.  413. 

What  Bacon  asserts  is  not  a  little  remark- 
able, viz.,  that  •'  in  the  celestial  hierarchy  of 


Dionysius,  the  senator  of  Athens,  the  high- 
est place  or  degree  is  given  to  the  angels  of 
love,  which  are  termed  seraphim ;  the  second 
to  the  angels  of  light,  which  are  termed 
cherubim;  and  the  following  place  to  the 
angels  of  power  and  ministry." 

8'  The  long,  frequent,  and  learned  dispu- 
tations respecting  the  authenticity  and  gen- 


148 


TEE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


in  God,  and  this  triple  life  in  the  soul  as  God's  image.  It  is  revealed 
to  us  that  in  the  spiritual  world  there  are  three  heavens,  Avhich  being 
discretely  distinct  correspond  to  each  other ;  and  there  must  likewise 
be  three  hells  as  their  opposites.*' 

All  outward  nature  is  threefold,  and  this  is  derived  from  correspond- 
ence. There  is  the  great  universal  trine  of  aeriform  fluids,  liquids, 
and  solids,  or  atmosjiheres,  waters,  and  earths.    The  imponderable 


uineness  of  the  seventh  verse,  in  no  way  af- 
fects the  present  argument.  I  may  here  ob- 
serve, that  it  is  now  generally  allowed  to 
have  been  spuriously  introduced  into  the 
Epistle  of  John.  It  exists,  however,  in  one 
of  the  Greek  MSS.  known  by  the  title  of 
"  The  Codex  Montforlii,"  in  Triuitj-  College, 
Dublin,  which  Murtiu  of  Utrecht  considered 
to  be  as  old  as  the  eleventh  century,  but 
which  Dr.  .\.  Clarke  regarded  as  a  produc- 
tion of  about  the  thirteenth.  It  occurs  in 
the  Greek  translation  of  the  Acts  of  tlio  Coun- 
cil of  Latenin,  held  A.i).  1215.  It  is  inserted 
in  the  Latin  Vulgate,  a  valuable  version  made 
by  Jerome  in  the  fourth  century;  it  is  cited 
by  Vigilius  Tapsensis,  a  bishop  and  Latin 
writer  in  tlie  latter  end  of  tlie  fifth ;  and  is 
found  in  Latin  SI.S.S.  as  early  as  the  ninth  or 
tenth.  According  to  Dr.  A.  Clarke,  some  of 
the  Latin  writers  insert  the  i)assagc  thus: 
••  There  are  three  that  bear  record  in  heaven, 
the  Father,  the  Word,  and  the  Holy  Ghost: 
and  these  three  are  one  in  CnitisT  JESIS." 

Tlie  three  degrees  of  initiation  into  the  an- 
cient mysteries  of  Egj'pt,  Greece,  etc.,  were, 
without  doubt,  derived  from  the  above  doc- 
trine of  discrete  degrees.  Among  various 
nations  the  number  three  conveys  the  idea 
of  fulness  and  perfection. 

I  take  the  presentopportunity  of  observing 
that  tlie  signs,  symbols,  and  tliree  degrees  of 
Free-Masonry  are  a  peculiar  compound  of  a 
few  correspondences,  adoi)ted  from  the  an- 
cient cavern  my.sterics,  most  probably  from 
those  of  the  Sun-worship  of  IleliSpolis,  and 
phrases  and  figures  borrowed  from  the  sym- 
bolic sculpture,  painting,  etc..  of  more  mod- 
ern times,  and  incorporated  into  ceremonies 
wliich,  on  mere  a^suuiption,  without  the 
slightest  evidence,  are  siiid  to  have  originated 
with  the  building  of  Solomon's  temple.— See 
the  worlcs  of  Hutchinson,  Preston,  Capt.  G. 
Smith,  Dr.  vVshe,  Dr.  Oliver,  etc.,  on  Free-Ma- 
sonry. 

Tlie  Christian  sjTubols  of  the  middle  ages, 
with  the  exception  of  some  coincidences, 
most  likely  accidental,  were  not  correspond- 
ences at  all,  but  only  enigmatical  compari- 
sons, often  very  obscure.  A  large  proi)ortion 
of  them  were  derived  from  the  heathen  my- 
thologies.   The  remainder  were  founded 


upon  some  fanciful  associations  or  resem- 
blances, which  particular  objects  and  their 
habitudes,  mystic  words  and  signs,  arbitrary 
marks  and  combinations,  the  forms  and 
properties  of  the  vestments,  utensils,  and  in- 
struments connected  with  religious  worship, 
and  the  various  professions  and  trades,  etc., 
were  supposed  to  bear  to  certain  moral  rules 
and  sentiments,  regarded  as  necessary  for  the 
right  direction  and  government  of  the  con- 
duct. This  symbolism  was  further  used  to 
designate  the  presumed  or  admitted  quali- 
ties of  persons ;  or  was  applied  to  distinguish 
them  from  each  other.  It  was  also  employed 
as  a  tropical  vehicle  of  doctrinal  mysteries 
and  monastic  professions,  vows,  charms,  etc., 
and  for  the  purposes  of  secret  association  and 
recognition. — See  Glossary  of  Architecture,  and 
Trofessor  Pugin's  splendid  Glossary  of  Eccle- 
siastical Ornament  and  Costume. 

styles  of  architecture  are  hieroglyph- 
ics upon  a  large  scale:  exhibiting  to  the 
heedful  eye,  forms  of  worship  widely  differ- 
ing from  each  other;  and  proving,  that  in 
almost  every  religion  with  which  we  are  ac- 
quainted, the  form  of  the  temple  was  the 
hicrogram  of  its  god,  or  of  the  peculiar  opin- 
ioiisof  its  votaries." — SardxcelCs  Temples,  p.55. 

"  In  the  most  ancient  monuments  of  India 
and  i^gypt,  as  in  those  of  the  middle  ages, 
architecture,  statuary,  and  jxiinting  are  the 
material  expressions  of  religious  thought" — 
PortaCs  Des  Cmileurs  SymboHqties. 

The  science  of  correspondences  being  lost, 
the  abstract  ethics  of  Christianity  were  thus 
sought  to  be  extensively  imprinted  on  the 
memory  and  conscience.  In  correspondence 
there  is  nothing  arbitrarj-  or  fanciful.  The 
thing  signifietl  must  be  the  proximate  cause 
of  that  to  which  it  corresponds,  and  be  rec- 
ognized in  its  form  and  use.  The  former 
must  live,  so  to  speak,  witliin  the  latter,  as 
the  soul  lives  in  the  body,  or  as  thought  en- 
slirines  itself  in  speech,  or  as  the  intellect 
exists  in  the  eye,  or  as  the  affections  of  the 
heart  animate  the  countenance;  all  which 
act  together  as  cause  and  etfect. 

8»  Deut.  xxxii.  ^2;  1  Kings  viii.  27;  Psalm 
Ixxxvi.  I3,cxv.6,clxxiii.  1;  Mark  i.lO;  Luke 
xii.  33:  Acts  ii.  H,  vii.  56,  2  Cor.  xii.  2;  Beb. 
i  vii.  26. 


TRINAL  DISTINCTION  IN  OOD  AND  MAN.  149 


agents  are  three,  heat,  light,  and  electricity ;  and  the  latter  is  again 
a  trine,  comprising  electricity,  galvanism,  and  magnetism.  The  at- 
mosphere is  threefold,  consisting  of  aura,  ether,  and  air.  The  objects 
of  the  world  are  divided  in  general  into  three  kingdoms,  the  animal, 
the  vegetable,  and  the  mineral.** 

Animals,  again,  subdivide  themselves  into  three  grand  orders, 
beasts  or  terrestrial  animals,  birds  or  aerial  animals,  and  fishes  or 
aquatic  animals,  in  reference  to  the  three  elements  which  they  trav- 
erse. Again,  terrestrial  animals  are  divided  into  three  classes,  cattle, 
wild  beasts,  and  reptiles ;  aerial  animals  are  distinguished  into  birds 
of  the  air,  water-fowl,  and  land-birds.  Clean  animals  are  described 
in  the  ]\Iosaic  law  by  three  characteristics,  as  parting  the  hoof,  cloven- 
footed,  and  chewing  the  cud.  Clean  fishes,*'  with  fins  and  scales,  are 
divided  into  three  kinds,  those  inhabiting  waters  or  oceans,  seas  or 
lakes,  and  rivei-s.  (Lev.  xi.  3,  9.)  Aquatic  animals  are  divided  into 
three  kinds,  animalculie,  amphibiaj,  and  fishes.  Vegetables,  or  the 
productions  of  the  earth,  are  also  divided  in  the  Scriptures  into  three 
classes,  grass,  herbage,  and  trees.  If  we  select  a  tree  as  a  ftirther 
illustration,  in  regard  to  its  general  form  we  have  the  root,  the  trunk, 
and  the  branches,  and  in  reference  to  its  products  we  have  leaves, 
blossoms,  and  fruit.  Even  the  animal  kingdom  comprehends,  as  we 
said,  in  general,  a  ternary  arrangement  of  gaseous,  liquid,  and  solid 
bodies ;  and  the  latter,  again,  into  earths,  stones,  and  metals. 

All  motion  has  been  resolved  into  a  trine.  In  the  mineral  kingdom 
it  is  the  angular,  as  seen  in  the  crystal ;  in  the  animal  kingdom  it  is 
the  circular,  as  seen  in  the  organization  of  the  body  and  the  circula- 
tion of  its  fluids ;  and  in  the  mental  world  it  is  the  spiral,  "the  type 
of  the  spirit  itself,"  ascendnig  in  true  order,  and  an  eternal  system 
of  gyrations,  towards  perfection. 

Throughout  animated  life,  and  even  among  vegetable  forms,  there 
are  the  masculine  principle,  the  feminine  prLncij^le,  and  their  ofispring. 
The  varieties  of  races  among  men  are  threefold — the  Caucasian,  the 
Mongolian,  and  the  Ethiopian.  The  Ethiopian,  again,  presents  three 
perfectly  distinct  species,  viz.,  the  African,  the  Malay,  and  the 
American. 

89  "  xhe  members  of  the  animal  kingdom  i  gree,  because  they  neither  live  nor  grow."— 
are  correspondences  in  the  first  [or  highest]  Swedenborg's  H.  H.,  n.  104. 
degree, because  thcylive;  those  of  the  vegeta-  *>  "Among  the  ancient  Romans,  it  was  not 
ble  kingdom  are  correspondences  in  the  sec-  '  lawful  to  use  fi^k  without  scales  in  the  feasts 
end  [or  middle]  degree,  because  they  only  ,  of  the  gods;  for  which  Pliny,  1.  xxxii.,  c.  ii., 
grow ;  and  those  of  the  mineral  kingdom  are  quotes  a  law  of  iiuma.."— Harris's  Nat.  Hist 
correspondences  in  the  third  [or  lowest]  de-  '  of  the  Bible,  Art.  Fish,  note. 
13* 


150 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPOXDEKCES. 


Like  as  the  mind  is  discriminated,  in  general,  into  three  degrees 
of  life,  natural,  spiritual,  and  celestial,  so  the  faculty  of  the  under- 
standing, in  particular,  comprises  what  is  scientific,  rational,  and 
intellectual,  and  the  will  what  is  of  pleasure,  aflection,  and  love. 
The  duties  of  life  are  also  threefold,  civil,  moral,  and  religious. 
The  human  body  is  the  outward  form  of  the  mind,  and,  from  the 
constitution  of  the  latter,  we  should  at  once  conclude  that  multitudes 
of  trinal  forms  exist  in  the  former.  And  so  it  is.  In  its  general  form 
the  body  is  a  trine,  composed  of  the  head,  the  trunk,  and  the  extrem- 
ities. The  senses  are  threefold,  sight,  hearing,  and  feeling ;  the  latter, 
again,  is  a  trine,  including  smell,  taste,  and  touch." 

Speaking  of  the  interior  constitution  of  the  body,  its  viscera,  etc., 


"  Mythology  asserts  the  triple  origin  of  the 
human  race.  Cuvier  says  that "  all  the  races 
of  mankind,  however  diversified,  are  in- 
cluded under  three  primary  divisions:  1st, 
the  Fair,  or  Caucasian  varieties  [distin- 
guished for  intellectual  powerj ;  2d,  the 
Black,  or  Ethiopian  [remarkable  for  the  ac- 
tivity of  the  will,  or  the  atTections  or  pas- 
sions] ;  and  3d,  the  Yellow,  or  Mongolian 
[whose  chief  characteristics  are  physical  ac- 
tivity]." Pritchard,  also,  classes  the  varie- 
ties of  the  human  race  into  three  sections, 
arranged  according  to  the  prevailing  form 
of  the  cranium,  and  differing  from  Cuvier 
only  in  name. — See  Cuvier,  Pritchard,  Jamcsa, 
and  Triplicity.  Each  of  the  above  races  are, 
in  all  probability,  again  divisible  into  a  sub- 
ordinate trine,  as,  for  instance,  the  Ethio- 
pian, which  Blumenbach  divides  into,  1,  the 
Armenian :  2,  the  Negro:  and  3,  the  Malay. 

Pythagoras  placed  all  perfection  in  the 
number  three— (See  note,  p.  143.)  "  Three  was 
a  number  in  high  estimation  amongst  the 
Greeks,  the  Romans,  and  even  amongst  all 
nations,  civilized  and  barbarous." — Xultall's 
Archscol.  Diet.  Hence  many  of  their  deities 
were  represented  with  three  faces,  or  three 
heads.  The  judgcsof  the  dead,  the  fates,  the 
furies,  and  the  sons  of  Saturn,  among  whom 
the  world  was  divided,  were  three.  "The 
power  of  almost  all  the  gods  is  shown  by  a 
threefold  emblem,  viz.,  Jupiter's  three-forked 
thunder,  Neptune's  trident,  Pluto's  dog  with 
three  heads,  because  all  things  are  contained 
in  the  number  three."— Semus  on  Virgita 
EigtUh  Eclogue. 

"  I  know  that  my  brethren  [the  Jews],  gen- 
erally, object  to  the  idea  of  the  Trinity;  but 
why  should  we  find  any  difficulty  in  receiv- 
ing that  which  the  Scriptures  reveal.  It  is 
a  remarkable  fact,  that,  notwithstanding  the 
objections  of  my  brethren  to  the  Scriptural 


account  of  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Spirit,  they 
have  some  luidefined  idea  of  impoi-tance  at- 
tached to  the  triple  number,  and  they  ob- 
serve many  customs  with  respect  to  it,  with- 
out exactly  knowing  the  reasons  for  such  a 
line  of  conduct.  .  .  .  Man,  in  himself,  is  au 
image  of  the  triune  nature  of  the  Deity,  for 
he  is  triune  in  his  nature  and  character, 
being  compo.sed  of  body,  soul,  and  spirit,  and 
yet  he  is  but  one  man ;  and  in  this  way  I  un- 
derstand that  passage  in  Gen.  i.  27,  'So  God 
created  man  in  his  own  image,  in  the  image 
of  God  created  he  him.'  Signifying  hereby 
a  complete  oneness  or  identity  by  this  mys- 
terious and  incomprehensible  union.  And 
thus  we  correctly  see  something  of  the  triune 
character  of  the  One  Divine,  omnipotent,  in- 
comprehensible Lord  GoA."— Marcus,  Seghle 
Bcatoo,  or  Skill  and  Understanding,  pp.  45,  46. 

The  Pagodas,  or  Pagan  temples  of  India, 
consist  of  three  divisions.   The  first  forms 

I  the  main  body,  answering  to  the  nave  of  our 
cathedrals ;  the  second,  the  sanctuary,  an- 

I  swering  to  the  choir;  and  the  third,  the 

'  chapel,  where  the  sacred  image  is  kept,  an- 
swering to  the  chancel. — See  Bartolomeo,  by 

'  Johnston,  p.  62. 

"Hook  upon  the  Bible  like  the  courts  of  the 
temple.  All  is  alike  sjicred  :  but  it  is  in  the  in- 
most recess — the  Holy  of  Holies— that  God  re- 
sides."— Tucker's  Scripture  Studies,  Prct.,  p.  vi. 
"Do  you  ask  in  what  the  perfection  [of 

I  mind,  or  of  nilelligent  creation]  consists?  I 

I  answer,  in  knowledge,  in  tox'e,  and  in  activity. 

I  That  mind,  which  has  a  wide  range  of 
thought,  knows  much  of  G<xJ  and  of  his  wis- 
dom, and  loves  what  it  knows,— which  is 
bound  by  a  strong  aflection  to  its  Creator 
and  its  fellow-beings,  and  acts  as  well  as 
loves,— which  puts  forth  all  its  powers,  cm- 
ploys  all  its  knowledge  in  the  service  of  God, 
and  in  blessing  his  creatures,- tliat  mind  is 


TRINAL  DISTINCTION  IN  GOD  AND  MAN. 


151 


Swedenborg  thus  writes :  "  No  series  can  be  complete  or  effective 
without  involving  at  least  a  trine,  that  is,  a  first,  a  middle,  and  a 
last.  These  three  must  be  so  ordered  that  the  first  term  disposes  the 
second,  and  disposes  the  ultimate  both  mediately  and  immediately. 
Thus  there  is  a  trine  that  purifies  the  blood,  namely,  the  spleen,  the 
pancreas,  and  the  liver.  A  trine  that  secretes  the  blood  and  serum, 
namely,  the  pancreas,  the  omentum,  and  the  liver.  A  trine  that 
circulates  the  secretions,  namely,  the  pancreatic,  the  hepatic,  and  the 
cystic  ducts.  A  trine  that  prepares  the  chyle,  namely,  the  stomach, 
the  small  intestines,  and  the  large  intestines.  A  trine  also  that  se- 
cretes and  excretes  the  worthless  parts  of  the  serum,  namely,  the 
kidneys,  the  ureters,  and  the  bladder.  .  .  .  Nothing  can  be  bounded, 
completed,  or  perfect  that  is  not  a  trine.  Sometimes  even  a  quadrine 
is  necessary,  or  a  still  more  multiple  series  or  sequence,  exactly  ac- 
cording to  the  ratio  between  the  first  and  the  last  term,  that  is,  to 
their  distance  from  each  other  and  the  nearness  or  remoteness  of  their 
relationship.  Meanwhile,  whatever  be  the  relation,  there  must  be  at 
least  a  trine  to  procure  harmony,  otherwise  no  termination  or  conclu- 
sion is  possible.  To  instance  only  geometry,  arithmetic,  physics, 
rationals,  and  logic.  In  geometry,  two  linear  extensions  alone  take 
in  nothing  and  conclude  nothing ;  a  third  thing  is  respected  as  the 
concluding  agent,  and  therewith  as  the  conclusion,  whether  in  a 
triangle,  a  body  of  trine  dimension,  an  algebraic  equation,  or  any 
other  thing  of  this  class.  In  arithmetic,  two  numbers  form  only  a 
ratio,  but  when  a  third  term  is  added,  or  generated  by  the  two  first, 
we  have  then  an  analogy,  either  conterminous,  or  harmonic,  or  of 


a  perfect  mind;  and  it  is  as  happy  as  it  is 
perfect.  Its  happiness  partakes  of  the  purity 
and  sanctity  of  the  divine  felicity." — Chan- 
ning'i  Memoirs,  vol.  i.,  p.  275. 

Theologians  of  almost  every  creed  have 
adopted  the  number  three  to  denote  fulness 
and  perfection.  The  Chaldeans  respected 
it.  as  being  illustrative  of  figure,  tight,  and 
action :  the  Egyptians,  of  matter,  form,  and 
motion;  the  Persians,  of  past,  present,  and 
future;  Orpheus,  of  light,  life,  and  wisdom; 
the  Greeks,  of  the  god  of  heaven,  the  god  of 
the  earth,  and  the  god  of  the  sea;  the  early 
Cretans,  of  life,  catise,  and  energy;  and  the 
Hindoos,  of  power,  understanding,  and  love. 

"  The  number  three  was  held  sacred  by  the 
ancients,  being  thought  the  most  ptrfect  of 
all  numbers,  as  having  regard  to  the  begin- 
ning, middle,  and  end."— /)r.  Thornton's  Ec- 
logues of  Vir^l,  p.  507. 


"Three  was  a  sacred  and  mystical  number 
amongst  the  Druids."— iJarts's  Myihol.  of  the 
British  I>ruids,  p.  79. 

"  The  Hebrews  expressly  acknowledged 
the  perfecting  property  of  the  number  three; 
for  with  them  the  letter  Shin  (•^),  which  is 
in  itself  a  trident,  denoted  the  number  three, 
or  the  utmost  perfection  of  every  thing." — 
Tripl,  vol.  i.,  p.  52. 

"  The  ancients  had  a  singular  predilection 
for  tlie  number  three,  hence  they  took  it  as  a 
divisor  preferable  to  the  more  natural  mode 
of  halves.  Of  this  take  an  instance  from 
Livy,  '  Ejusdem  rei  causa  ludi  magni  voti 
ajris  trecentis,  triginta,  tribus  millibus  ^Lib. 
xxii.,  c.  10),  trecentis,  triginta,  tribus,  triente : 
pra;teria  bubus  lovi  trecentis.  Tum  lectis- 
ternium  per  tridium  habitem,  decemvoris 
sacrorum  curantibus.' " — Pinkerton' s  Essay  on 
Medals,  vol.  i.,  p.  198. 


152 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


some  other  kind.  In  physics,  two  powers  or  forces  regarded  as  causes 
always  likewise  respect  some  third,  whereby  an  effect  is  produced, 
and  in  this  a  fourth,  or  fifth,  and  so  on.  In  rationals,  nothing  which 
deserves  to  be  called  a  judgment,  such  as  ought  to  exist  in  all  the 
conclusions  and  determinations  of  the  will,  can  possibly  be  formed 
from  two  reasons, — there  must  always  necessarily  be  some  third.  In 
logic,  two  premises  are  requisite  to  constitute  a  lull  syllogistic  form, 
or  a  full  argument ;  more  than  two  in  a  sorites.  What  is  at  last  con- 
cluded from  two  becomes  the  property  of  the  conclusion  itself,  but 
this  it  derives  from  the  premises.  So  in  every  science  and  art,  the 
binary  is  ever  the  imperfect ;  hence  some  third  thing  is  always  in- 
volved, either  tacitly  or  openly.  This  is  universally  the  case  in  the 
anatomy  of  the  body,  which  is  the  mirror,  prototype,  and  complex  of 
all  arts  and  sciences." — An.  Kingdom,  vol.  i.,  p.  315,  n.  229,  and  note. 

And  this  threefold  discrimination,  could  we  extend  our  inquiries, 
might  be  traced,  or  demonstrated  to  exist,  throughout  the  indefinite 
particulars  of  which  the  universe  is  composed.  Thus  every  object 
of  human  thought  appears  under  the  type  of  a  trinity,  emanating 
from  the  very  fundamental  laws  of  all  existence,  and  constituting 
all  finite  forms,  more  or  less  remote,  of  the  infinite  source  of  infinite 
goodness  or  love,  unerring  wisdom  or  truth,  and  almighty  power. 

The  Divine  Word  itself  is,  as  we  have  seen,  adapted  by  a  threefold 
characteristic,  both  as  to  its  inward  sense  and  outward  letter,  to  com- 
municate nutriment  of  goodness  and  truth  in  endless  variety  to  the 
three  great  classes  of  the  human  family,  both  in  heaven  and  upon 
earth ;  viz.,  those  Avho  are  more  distinguished  in  their  mental  char- 
acter for  the  predominance  of  affection,  those  who  are  preeminent  in 
their  intellectual  endowments,  and  such  as  are  remarkable  for  their 
simple  and  child-like  obedience ;  and  also  to  the  three  discrete  degrees 
of  life  in  every  man,  as  they  are  successively  opened  and  brought  into 
activity  by  the  influences  of  heaven.  The  prohibitory  injunctions  of 
the  AVord  enforce  a  threefold  shunning  of  evils  as  sins  against  God, 
evils  of  conduct,  evils  of  thought,  and  evils  of  will ;  so  the  religion 
which  is  further  taught  therein  requires  three  essentials  to  constitute 
it  genuine  in  its  quality  and  saving  in  its  efficacy,  which,  again,  exactly 
correspond  to  man's  threefold  capacity  of  reception.  With  man,  the 
inmost  of  all  things  is  love  in  the  will ;  love  clothes  itself  with  wisdom 
and  power  in  the  understanding ;  and  both  determine  to  deeds  and 
words,  as  the  outward  form  of  their  existence.  In  order,  therefore, 
that  man  may  insure  his  eternal  salvation,  it  is  not  only  necessary  for 


TRINAL  DISTINCTION  IN  GOD  AND  MAN. 


153 


him  to  receive  a  principle  of  love  in  his  heart,  and  of  truth  or  faith 
in  his  intellect,  but  these  princijjles  must  become  fixed  in  the  soul  by 
being  brought  forth  and  made  manifest  in  a  holy  and  righteous  life. 
Hence  it  is  never  taught  that  man  will  be  judged  according  to  his 
faith  or  his  love,  but  in  accordance  with  his  deeds,  for  in  these  only 
have  faith  and  love  any  permanent  existence  Avithin  us.  (Rev.  xxii, 
12 ;  Rom.  ii.  6.)  A  man  may,  indeed,  appear  to  possess  them,  but 
they  are  not  appropriated — not  incorporated  into  his  nature  as  his 
own,  and  in  the  judgment  they  are  dissipated,  agreeably  to  the  Lord's 
own  declaration,  where  He  says  "  Whosoever  hath,  to  him  shall  be 
given ;  and  whosoever  hath  not,  from  him  shall  be  taken  away  even 
that  which  he  seemeth  to  have  "  (Luke  viii.  18). 

This  great  doctrine,  when  applied  to  the  Divine  Word,  will  enable 
us  clearly  to  understand  a  large  portion  of  its  sacred  contents.  Where- 
soever triplicate  expressions  occur,  they  have  an  almost  invariable 
reference,  either  in  a  good  or  evil  sense,  to  this  trine  of  discrete  de- 
grees. Thus,  the  three  essentials  requisite  to  the  existence  of  every 
solid  body,  length,  breadth,  and  thickness,^  precisely  correspond  to 
the  threefold  union  of  love,  truth,  and  their  active  powers,  which  are 
always  requisite  to  the  existence  of  any  spiritual  object.  Hence,  of 
the  Lord's  church  as  being  one  complete  whole,  deriving  a  threefold 
life  of  wisdom,  love,  and  use  from  the  Lord,  it  is  said,  "  the  length, 
and  the  breadth,  and  the  height "  of  the  Holy  City,  described  as  being 
a  cube  of  three  equal  dimensions, "  were  equal "  (Rev.  xxi.  16).  The 
ark,  which,  as  the  apostle  Peter  says,  was  a  type  of  baptism  (1  Epis., 
iii.  21)  or  regeneration,  to  represent  the  triple  constitution  of  the 
human  mind  as  being  an  image  of  the  Divine  Mind,  was  constructed 
with  lower,  second,  and  third  stories  (Gen.  vi.  16) ;  and  the  temple 
at  Jerusalem,  for  a  like  reason,  had  an  outer  court,  an  inner  court 
or  holy  place,  and  the  inmost  chamber  or  holy  of  holies,  with  appro- 
priate fittings  and  furniture,  and  separated  from  the  inner  court  by  a 
veil,  which  none  but  the  high-priest  lifted  and  passed,  and  he  only 
once  a  year,  with  ceremonies  and  incense,  was  the  immediate  dwelling- 
place  of  the  Shekinah,  or  the  Divine  presence.  From  this  the  Lord's 
humanity  is  denominated  the  temple  of  his  body  (John  ii.  21).  And 
as  the  Lord  in  his  divine  humanity  was  the  "  Word  made  flesh,"  so 
the  temple  represented  in  a  subordinate  sense  the  Word  of  God,  con- 
stituted, as  we  have  shown  it  to  be,  of  an  outer,  inner,  and  inmost  sense.*^ 


The  abnegation  or  renunciation  of  self,  i  prudence,  self-intelligence  or  conceit,  and 
in  its  threefold  form  of  self-reasoiiiug  or  |  self-righteousuess  or  vainglory,  is  strikingly 


154 


TEE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


So  in  the  divine  parable  of  the  Lord,  designed  to  represent  the 
threefold  process  of  man's  regeneration,  in  which  divine  truth  is  first 
received  into  the  memory  and  understanding,  in  the  next  place  is 
elevated  into  the  affections  or  will,  and  then  brings  forth  the  fruit 
of  well-doing  in  the  life  and  conduct ;  and,  further,  that  this  is  to  be 
done  by  man  with  the  same  earnestness  as  though  he  did  it  of  himself 
— as  though,  "  working  out  his  salvation  with  fear  and  trembling  " 
(Phil.  ii.  VZ),  all  depended  on  his  own  energies ;  yet  with  the  inmost 
acknowledgment  that  all  power  and  glory  come  from  the  Lord  to 
whom  alone  they  belong,  it  is  said,  "  The  earth  [the  human  mind, 
or  church]  bringeth  forth  fruit  of  itself ;  first  the  blade,  then  the  ear, 
after  that  the  full  corn  in  the  ear  "  (Mark  iv.  28).  The  Lord  has  not 
only  revealed  Himself  to  man  as  a  triune  Deity,  but  his  thrice-holy 
name,  Jehovah  (Isa.  vi.),  is  a  trinal  compound,  expressive  of  the 
character  of  Him  "  who  is,  who  was,  and  who  is  to  come  "  (Rev.  i.  8). 
His  infinite  operations  are  threefold.  He  is  the  Creator  from  eternity, 
the  Redeemer  in  time,  and  the  Regenerator  forevermore;  and  He 
has  assumed  a  threefold  series  of  double  terms,  descriptive  of  the 
infinity  of  his  divine  love,  wisdom,  and  power,  where  He  proclaims 
himself  "  the  Alpha  and  Omega ;  the  beginning  and  the  end ;  the 
first  and  the  last"  (Rev.  xxii.  13). 

The  Lord's  glorification  of  his  humanity,  as  by  temptations  and 
victories  He  removed  from  Himself  all  the  hereditary  tendencies, 
voluntary  and  intellectual,  which  wei-e  entailed  upon  Him  by  being 
"  made  of  a  woman,  made  under  the  law  "  (Rom.  i.  3,  viii.  3 ;  Gal. 
iv.  4;  Heb.  ii.  9-16),  was  a  threefold,  divine  process,  by  which  He 
forever  united  the  indwelling  Divinity  with  his  humanity ;  and  this, 
in  every  particular,  was  representative  of  the  threefold  M  ork  of  human 
regeneration.  Both  these  works  are  treated  of  in  the  Word  at  the 
same  time  and  under  the  same  imagery.  Thus,  "  Behold,  I  cast  out 
devils,  and  I  do  cures  to-day  and  to-morrow,  and  the  third  day  I  shall 
be  perfected"  (Luke  xiii.  32).  To  cast  out  devils  signifies,  in  refer- 
ence to  man's  regeneration,  to  expel  evil  affections  and  false  persua- 
sions from  the  mind  by  the  power  of  divine  truth  ;  to  do  cures  to-day 
and  to-morrow  signifies  to  liberate  man  from  the  infestations  of  hell. 


displnycd  in  the  prophecy  of  Ilosea,  where, 
after  the  inspired  seer  exhort-s  the  back- 
sliding and  rebellious  Israelites  to  return 
unto  the  I-ord,  and  teaches  them  how  to  ap- 
proach Mim  acceptably,  and  plead  with  Him 
in  prayer,  they  are  instructed  further  to  say, 


"  Ashur  shall  not  save  us ;  we  will  not  ride 
upon  horses;  neither  will  we  say  any  more 
to  the  work  of  our  hands,  Ye  are  our  pods: 
for  in  thee  the  fatherless  findeth  mercy" 
(xiv.  3). 


TRINAL  DISTINCTION  IN  GOD  AND  MAN. 


155 


thus  the  restoration  of  the  whole  mind  from  a  state  of  spiritual  disease 
to  a  state  of  spiritual  health ;  and  the  crowning  perfection  of  this 
■work  of  the  Lord  in  the  soul  is  described  as  that  of  the  third  day, 
and  signifies  an  eternal  confirmation  in  goodness  and  truth,  and  an 
everlasting  state  of  conjunction  with  the  Lord  himself,  as  the  result 
and  reward  of  outward  conformity  to  the  inward  dictates  of  charity 
and  faith. 

That  the  gradual  process  by  which  the  Lord  obtained  victory  over 
hell  and  made  his  humanity  divine  was  in  all  respects  similar  in  kind 
to  that  of  man's  regeneration,  He  himself  testifies  where  He  says, 
"  To  him  that  overcometh  will  I  grant  to  sit  with  me  in  my  throne, 
even  as  I  also  overcame,  and  am  set  down  with  my  Father  in  his 
throne"  (Eev.  iii.  21);  with  this  amazing  difference,  however,  in 
degree,  that  in  the  Lord  the  work  was  infinite,  in  man  it  is  finite. 
He  was  indeed  "tempted  like  as  we  are  tempted"  (Heb.  ii.  18 ;  iv.  lo), 
but  unlike  us  in  this,  that  no  man  could  convict  Him  of  sin  (John 
viii.  46).  He,  by  his  own  power,  perfectly  glorified  his  human  nature 
(John  xiv.  30) ;  and  if  we  perpetually  depend  upon  his  restraining 
and  upholding  mercy,  He  will  perfect  our  regeneration  by  a  corre- 
sponding process. 

The  Lord's  divine  purpose  in  this  threefold  work  of  man's  regen- 
eration is  to  secure  the  eternal  happiness  of  his  creatures  by  an  entire 
renewal  and  renovation  of  the  heart,  the  understanding,  and  the  life, 
and  this  change  is  called  in  the  Scriptures  a  new  creation  or  new 
birth ;  for  "  except  a  man  be  born  again  he  cannot  see  the  kingdom 
of  God  "  (Matt.  iii.  4).  It  is  sometimes  described  by  three  terms, 
which,  unless  they  have  a  discriminated  meaning,  bear  the  appear- 
ance of  useless  repetitions,  as  in  the  following  text :  "  Every  one," 
saith  the  Lord,  "  that  is  called  by  my  name,  I  have  created  for  my 
glory ;  I  have  formed  him ;  yea,  I  have  made  him "  (Isa.  xliii.  7). 
All  such  are  again  described  negatively,  where  it  is  written  that  they 
are  "  born,  not  of  blood,  nor  of  the  will  of  the  flesh,  nor  of  the  will 
of  man,  but  of  God  "  (John  i.  13).  Again,  sincere  desires  and  earnest 
efforts,  first  for  the  descent  of  principles  of  heavenly  goodness  from 
the  Lord  into  the  will,  with  their  reception  and  appropriation ; 
secondly,  that  principles  of  spiritual  wisdom  may  be  imparted  to 
the  understanding,  with  their  acceptance  and  adoption ;  and  thirdly, 
that  the  conjunction  and  united  operation  of  such  holy  desires  and 


^  Greek,  born  from  above. 


156 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


heavenly  thoughts  as  are  thus  communicated  and  excited,  may  de- 
termine to  a  life  of  obedience,  which,  under  the  united  influence  of 
patience,  perseverance,  and  watchfulness,  never  fails  of  success,  but 
sooner  or  later  oj^ens  up  an  ever  blessed  state  of  conjunction  with 
the  Lord  and  association  with  the  angels  of  his  kingdom,  is  thus 
impressively  taught  by  the  Lord  himself  in  the  language  of  corre- 
spondence, where  He  says,  "Ask,  and  it  shall  be  given  you ;  seek, 
and  ye  shall  find ;  knock,  and  it  shall  be  opened  unto  you :  for  every 
one  that  asketh  receiveth,  and  he  that  seeketh  findeth,  and  to  him 
that  knocketh  it  shall  be  opened  "  (Matt.  vii.  7,  8).  Here  to  ask  and 
receive  has  respect  to  the  will  or  the  affections  and  goodness ;  to  seek 
and  find  has  reference  to  the  understanding  or  the  thoughts  and  to 
truth ;  and  to  knock  and  have  opened  has  relation  to  the  conjunction 
of  goodness  in  the  will  with  truth  in  the  understanding,  and  to,  their 
activity  in  the  life  and  conduct,  or  words  and  works. 

The  divine  marriage  song  recorded  in  Psalm  xlv.  treats,  in  the 
inward  sense,  of  the  subjugation  of  all  the  enemies  of  the  Lord's 
church,  and  the  complete  and  eternal  union  between  Himself  and 
his  people,  resulting  from  the  outflowings  of  his  infinite  mercy  and 
compassion.  In  a  more  specific  sense  it  treats  of  the  marriage-union 
of  love  and  wisdom,  or  goodness  and  truth,  in  every  faithful  mind, 
together  with  the  endless  and  ineffable  delights  which  are  the  result 
of  the  removal  of  every  obstacle  to  its  completion.  The  threefold 
duties  of  the  nuptial  covenant  of  the  church  towards  her  true  Lord 
and  husband,  on  which,  with  each  member  of  the  church  in  par- 
ticular, the  union  of  love  and  wisdom  in  the  soul  and  the  possession 
and  enjoyment  of  such  beatitudes  depend,  are  thus  described : 
"  Hearken,  O  daughter,  and  consider,  and  incline  thine  ear ;  forget 
also  tliine  own  people  and  thy  father's  house;  so  shall  the  king 
greatly  desire  thy  beauty;  for  He  is  thy  Lord,  and  worship  thou 
Him"  (10,  11).  To  hearken  to  the  Lord  is,  in  the  spiritual  sense, 
to  give  attention  to  divine  instruction  from  the  Word  ;  to  consider  is 
to  digest  such  counsel  in  the  mind,  so  as  to  perceive  its  reasonableness 
and  truth ;  and  to  incline  the  ear  is  to  obey  its  injunctions  without 
reserve.  Thus  we  are  taught  that  to  learn,  to  perceive,  and  to  do 
the  truth,  or,  in  other  words,  to  understand  it  from  enlightened 
thought,  to  perceive  it  from  heavenly  affection,  and  faithfully  to 
perform  the  duties  which  it  makes  obligatory  upon  us,  are  the  means 
of  attaining  a  state  of  eternal  conjunction  with  the  Lord,  and  as  a 
consequence  everlasting  blessedness.    Then,  indeed,  may  it  be  truly 


TRINAL  DISTINCTION  IN  GOD  AND  MAN. 


157 


said  that,  forgetting  our  "  own  people  "  and  our  "  father's  house  " — 
dissolving  and  disowning  all  connection  with  our  inherited  evil  and 
sin,  and  relinquishing  all  association  with  falsity  and  folly,  the  hered- 
itary tendencies,  inclinations  and  jjersuasions  of  the  natural  mind  no 
longer  prevent  the  marriage-union  of  goodness  and  truth  from  being 
consummated  in  the  soul.  When  this  work  is  accomplished,  then 
man  puts  on  that  spiritual  beauty  or  comeliness  of  spirit  which  the 
King  is  said  "  greatly  to  desire ; "  and  in  reference  to  the  full  acknowl- 
edgment of  the  Lord  as  the  only  true  God,  in  his  glorified  Humanity, 
it  is  added,  "  for  He  is  thy  Lord,  and  worship  thou  Him." 

The  same  threefold  connection  of  ideas  occurs  in  other  forms  of 
expression  of  similar  import,  as  where  the  Lord  says, "  Take  ye  heed, 
watch  and  pray  "  (Mark  xiii.  33) ;  and  again,  at  the  conclusion  of 
the  parable  of  the  sower.  He  added,  "  He  that  received  seed  into  the 
good  ground  is  he  that  heareth  the  Word,  and  understandeth  it :  Avho 
also  beareth  fruit,  and  bringeth  forth,  some  an  hundred-fold,  some 
sixty,  some  thirty  "  (Matt.  xiii.  23).  The  sower  is  the  Lord  himself ; 
the  good  ground  is  the  prepared  mind ;  the  seed  is  the  divine  truth 
of  the  Word ;  to  "  hear  the  Word  "  is  to  attend  to  its  divine  teach- 
ing, to  "  understand  it "  is  to  discern  its  truths  and  doctrines,  and  to 
"  bear  fruit "  is  to  regulate  accordingly  the  external  mind  and  outward 
conduct  under  the  combined  influence  of  internal  principles  of  love 
and  wisdom ;  in  Avhich  case  man  is  enabled  to  effectuate  all  kinds  and 
degrees  of  good  works  by  the  Lord's  presence  and  power  in  the  soul, 
the  completeness  of  which  is  represented  by  the  "  hundredfold,  the 
sixty,  and  the  thirty." 

The  motions  and  positions  of  the  human  body'*  are  significant 
when  assumed  as  representations  of  conditions  and  emotions  of  the 
mind  ;  but  when  they  agree  with  the  inward  thoughts  and  affections 
which  prompt  them,  they  are  then  the  corresponding  images  of  mental 
states,  either  progressive  or  fixed.  Wherever  they  are  associated  in 
a  trine,  like  other  triads,  they  refer  to  the  above  degrees  of  the  mind 
and  life.  Thus  in  the  Psalms  it  is  written,  "  Blessed  is  the  man  that 
walketh  not  in  the  counsel  of  the  ungodly,  nor  standeth  in  the  way 
of  sinners,  nor  sitteth  in  the  seat  of  the  scornful "  (i.  1),  where  walk- 
ing denotes  the  activity  or  progression  of  thought  grounded  in  inten- 
tion ;  standing  has  relation  to  the  life  of  intention  grounded  in  the 


M  "  It  may  be  observed  that  all  verbs  of 
posture  or  gesture,  as  to  ?tand,  to  sit,  to  170,  to 
walk,  etc.,  in  good  Greek  writers,  have  the 
14 


signification  of  esse,  or  existere.  to  be." — Mac- 
knight's  Prdim.  Essays,  iv.,  p.  97. 


158 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDEXCES. 


will  and  its  stability ;  and  sitting,  whicli  is  a  position  of  rest,  signifies 
a  conformable  and  determinate  state  of  the  inmost  mind  and  life. 
Hence  it  may  at  once  be  seen  what  is  distinctly  signified  by  "  the 
counsel  of  the  ungodly,"  "  the  way  of  sinners,"  and  "  the  seat  of  the 
scornful,"  namely,  a  confirmed  state  of  error  and  evil,  in  thought, 
intention,  and  will,  thus  a  confirmed  state  of  hatred  against  goodness 
and  truth ;  and  that  true  blessedness  consists  in  nothing  less  than 
bringing  all  the  active  powers  of  the  understanding,  the  will,  and 
their  united  energies,  into  subordination  to  the  sacred  influences  of 
wisdom,  superinducing  an  abhorrence  of  wickedness  and  folly,  and  a 
supreme  love  of  goodness  and  truth.  Again,  when  the  Lord  would 
teach  us  how  they  that  wait  on  Him,  by  worshipping  Him,  and  by 
obeying  his  commands, — thus  consecrating  theii-  whole  souls  to  his 
service,  should  renew  their  strength, — receive  continually  from  Him 
fresh  accessions  of  power  to  elevate  the  understanding  towards  heaven 
and  Himself,  to  enable  the  affections  to  make  unwearied  progress  in 
the  paths  of  goodness,  and  to  give  a  mighty  and  unshrinking  energy 
to  all  the  lower  faculties  of  the  soul,  He  says,  "  They  that  wait  upon 
the  Lord  shall  renew  their  strength ;  they  shall  mount  up  with  wings 
as  eagles ;  they  shall  run,  and  not  be  weary ;  and  they  shall  walk, 
and  not  faint "  (Isa.  xl.  31). 

The  faithful  Christian  receives  from  the  Lord  three  degrees  or  kinds 
of  goodness,  as  the  precious  gifts  of  his  unspeakable  love.  These  are, 
celestial,  spiritual,  and  natural,  and  are  grounded  in  love  to  Him,  in 
charity  towards  the  neighbor,  and  in  the  love  of  moral  and  civil  use- 
fulness and  excellence.  These  degrees  are  above,  or  rather  within, 
each  other,  like  causes  and  their  eflccts,  and  make  one  by  correspond- 
ence. Though  by  birth  every  one  possesses  the  capacity  of  receiving 
these  living  and  life-giving  principles  of  goodness,  still,  man  must 
advance  in  the  regenerate  life,  by  successive  states  of  illumination, 
repentance,  and  obedience,  before  he  is  prepared  to  receive  them.  When 
these  principles  of  heavenly  goodness,  with  the  sacred  truths  which 
they  inspire  from  the  Word,  vivify  all  the  aficctions,  thoughts,  and 
activities  of  the  mind  and  life,  then  man  is  replenished  and  enriched 
with  every  possible  satisfaction  and  delight,  and  is  introduced  into  the 
encircling  spheres  of  heaven.  These  spheres,  in  which  the  fullest  and 
freest  confession  is  made  that  such  ineffable  blessings  can  come  from 
the  Lord  alone,  are  typified  by  the  sweet  fragrance  of  incense  and 
the  ascending  odors  of  sacrifices,  which  God  is  represented  as  perceiv- 
ing, and  with  which  He  is  said  to  be  well  pleased  (Gen.  viii.  21 ; 


TRINAL  DISTINCTION  IN  GOD  AND  MAN. 


159 


Ex.  XXX.  34,  35;  Phil.  iv.  18).  Hence  this  humble,  devout,  aud 
trul}'  just  acknowledgment  is  present  in  all  heartfelt  supplication  for 
divine  mercies,  and  in  Rev.  v.  8  is  called  "  the  golden  vial  full  of 
odors,  which,"  it  is  added,  "  are  the  prayers  of  saints."  When,  there- 
fore, the  Magi,  or  wise  men  from  the  East,  led  by  a  star instructed 


^  "  It  is  singular,"  says  Hutchinson,  "  tliat 
the  JIagi  of  Matt.  ii.  1  is  rendered  by  an 
Irish  version,  jyraoilhe,  the  Druids,  or  the 
true  wise  men.  Magi  in  the  East,  Druid  in 
the  West."— l^ts<.  of  Cumbaland,  vol.  ii.,  p. 
193. 

"The  Persian  Magi,  who  were  best  initi- 
ated into  the  Mithraic  mysteries,  admitted  a 
deity  superior  to  the  sun  as  the  true  Mithras, 
but  looked  upon  the  sun  as  the  most  lively 
image  of  this  deity,  in  which  it  was  wor- 
shipped by  them;  as  they  worshipped  the 
same  deity  symbolically  in  fire,  as  Maxinius 
Tyrius  inforraeth  us  {Diss.  38,  p.  371,  agreea- 
bly to  which  is  that  in  the  Magi  oracles, 
commonly  ascribed,  says  Mosheim,  to  Zo- 
roaster, sec.  2,  V.  29,  p.  1179,  in  Stanley's  His- 
ionj  of  rhilosophij) :  '  All  things  are  the  ofl- 
spring  of  one  fire,'  that  is,  'of  one  supreme 
Deity.'  .  .  .  The  Persian  Mithras  was  com- 
monly called  threefold  or  triple.  Thus  Dio- 
nysius  {Epis.  7  al  Polycarp,  p.  91  to  2  opp.),  the 
Pscudo-^Vreopagite :  'The  Persian  Magi  to 
this  very  day  celebrate  a  festival  solemnity 
in  honor  of  the  Triplasian  (that  is,  the  three- 
fold or  triplicated)  Mithras.  .  .  .  Ilcre  is  ci 
manifest  indication  of  a  trinity  in  the  Persian 
theology,  whose  distinctive  characters  are 
goodness,  wisdom,  and  power.'  .  .  .  And  now 
we  have  proposed  the  three  principal  attri- 
butes of  the  Deity.  The  first  whereof  is  in- 
finite goodness,  with  fecundity ;  the  second, 
infinite  knowledge  and  wisdom ;  and  the 
last,  infinite,  active,  and  perceptive  power. 
From  which  divine  attributes  the  Pythago- 
reans and  Platonists  seemed  to  have  framed 
their  trinitj-  of  archlcal  hypostases,  such  as 
have  the  nature  of  principles  in  the  uni- 
verse, .  .  .  which  Pythagorie  trinity  seems 
to  be  intimated  by  Aristotle  in  these  words : 
'  As  the  Pj-thagorcans  also  say  the  universe 
and  all  things  are  determined  and  contained 
by  three  principles.'  " — CudworllCs  Int.  Sys., 
vol.  I.,  pp.  317,  47,  48. 

Polycarp  says-  "Amongst  the  Persians, 
those  who  were  skilful  in  the  knowledge  of 
the  De\ty,  and  religious  worshippers  of  the 
same,  were  called  Magi."— De  Abst.,  lib.  iv., 
p.  165,  cited  in  CudworCh's  Int.  Sys.,  vol.  i.,  p. 
470. 

Magi.  "All  the  eastern  nations,  the  Per- 
sians, the  Indians,  the  Syrians,  concealed  se- 
cret mysteries  imder  hieroglyphical  symbols 
aud  parables.  The  tiiise  men  of  all  those  re- 


ligions knew  the  sense  and  true  meaning  of 
Uiem,  whilst  the  vulgar  and  uninitiated  went 
no  furtlier  than  the  outward  and  visible  sym- 
bol, and  .so  discerned  only  the  bark  by  which 
they  were  covered."— Origen,  Cont.  Cels.,  1. 1, 
p.  11. 

"  What  the  Magi  were  in  Persia,  the  same 
were  the  Druids  in  Britain.  The  testimony 
of  I'liny  is  conclusive  on  this  point :  '  Why 
should  I  commemorate,'  says  he,  'these  things 
with  regard  to  an  art  which  has  passed  over 
the  seas,  and  reached  the  bounds  of  nature? 
Britain,  even  at  this  time,  celebrates  Druid- 
ism  with  so  many  wonderful  ceremonies, 
that  she  seems  to  have  taught  it  to  the  Per- 
sians, and  not  the  Persians  to  the  Britons ' 
(lib.  xxii.).  The  Druids  were  the  Magi  of  the 
Britons,  and  had  a  gi-eat  number  of  rites  in 
common  with  the  Persians :  the  term  Magus, 
among  the  ancients,  did  not  signify  a  ma- 
gician in  the  modern  sense,  but  a  superin- 
tendent of  sacred  and  natural  knowledge." 
— BorlcLse' s  Anliq.  of  Cornwall,  cxxi.,  p.  138. 

"Among  the  Persians,"  writes  Porphyry, 
"those  Wise  persons  who  were  employed  in 
worship  were  called  Magi." — Univ.  Hist.,  vol. 
v.,  p.  163. 

"Magi  among  the  Persians  answers  to  o-oi^oi, 
or  <f)iAo(TO(#)oi,  among  the  Greeks ;  Sapientes, 
among  the  Latins ;  Druids,  among  the  Gauls ; 
Gymnosophists,  among  the  Indians;  and 
Priests,  among  the  Egyptians."—/.  S.  F.,  De- 
monol.,  p.  96. 

Moore,  in  his  History  of  Ireland,  derives  the 
word  Druid  from  Draoid,  in  Irish  signifying 
a  cunning  or  wise  man.  The  "  Magicians  of 
Egypt"  is  rendered  in  the  Irish  version, 
"The  Druids  of  Egypt." 

"  The  science  of  correspondences  and  rep- 
resentations was  the  principal  science  of 
those  times  amongst  the  Arabians,  the  Ethi- 
opians, and  others  in  the  East.  Wherefore, 
also,  in  the  Word,  by  Arabia,  Ethiopia,  and 
the  sons  of  the  East,  in  the  internal  sense,  are 
meant  they  who  are  in  the  knowledges  of 
heavenly  things.  But  this  science  in  time 
perished,  inasmuch  as  when  the  good  of  life 
ceased,  it  was  turned  into  magic.  It  was  first 
obliterated  amongst  the  Israelitish  nation, 
and  afterwards  amongst  the  rest ;  and  at  this 
day  it  is  obliterated  to  such  a  degree,  that  it 
is  not  even  known  that  such  a  science  ex- 
ists; insomuch  that,  in  the  Christian  world, 
if  it  be  said  that  all  and  singular  things  of  the 


160 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


by  the  light  of  heavenly  knowledge,  derived  from  ancient  revelation, 
of  which  that  star  was  a  true  figure, — went  to  Bethlehem  for  the  pur- 
pose of  worshipping  the  new-born  Saviour,  we  read  that  they  brought 
and  opened  and  presented  to  Him  three  kinds  of  costly  gifts,  "  gold, 
and  frankincense,  and  myrrh"  (Matt.  ii.  11).^  This  homage  and 
these  gifts  represented  the  adoration  and  free-will  worship  which  the 
truly  wise  and  humble  Christian  presents  to  the  Lord  Avhen,  so  to 
speak,  He  is  spiritually  born  and  makes  Himself  divinely  manifest  in 
the  regenerating  soul,  prepared  to  receive  Him  in  sincerity  and  ac- 
knowledge Him  in  truth.  He  comes  in  lowly  guise  as  the  Word,  or 
Son  of  Man,  shrouded  in  the  appearances  of  the  literal  sense.  He 
discloses  Himself  to  the  interior  natural  affections,  in  that  state  rep- 
resented by  Bethlehem."  The  bright  star  of  heavenly  knowledge 
precedes  and  betokens  His  presence.  The  pure  and  precious  gold, 
more  ductile  and  less  susceptible  of  corrosion  than  the  other  ordinary 
metals,  the  odorous  and  costly  frankincense,  from  the  earliest  ages 
dedicated  to  spontaneous  worship,  and  the  fragrant  myrrh,  used  in  the 
process  of  embalming,  and  distinguished  for  its  antiseptic  and  pre- 
servative qualities,  represent  the  free-will  offerings  of  the  heart  and 
mind  from  the  good  principles  of  holy  love  and  charity,  signified  by 
gold  (Rev.  iii.  18) ;  from  a  living  and  enlightened  faith  in  the  instruc-' 
tions  of  the  Word,  signified  by  frankincense  (Rev.  v.  8) ;  and  from 
both  love  and  faith  preserved  in  the  adoration  of  grateful  worship 
and  devout  external  obedience  in  the  life,  signified  by  myrrh  (Psalm 
xlv.  8).  The  perfumes  exhaled  from  these  aromatic  gums  (Mai.  i.  11) 
denote  the  acceptableness  of  such  worship,  because  they  correspond 
to  the  heavenly  spheres  emanating  from  such  blessed  principles ;  and 
■which,  like  the  odor  of  Mary's  precious  ointment  of  spikenard,  fill 


Word  in  the  sense  of  the  letter,  from  corre- 
spondences signify  celestial  thinss,  and  that 
hence  is  its  internal  sense,  it  is  not  known 
what  this  means."— ^1.  C,  n.  102.-)2.  (The  first 
volume  of  this  great  work  was  published  in 
the  year  1749.) 

"  The  orientals  were  expecting  the  Lord's 
advent,  from  the  representatives  of  worship 
and  of  statutes  which  remained  with  them;  | 
and  being  acquainted  with  the  knowledges  of 
good  and  truth,  were,  on  that  account,  called  [ 
'  men  of  the  East.'  That  the  Arabians  were 
so  called,  appears  from  what  is  said  in  Jere- 
miah concerning  Kedar  and  the  kingdoms 
of  Hazar  (xlix.  28);  and  that  Job  was  the 
greatest  of  all  the  men  of  the  East  is  erident 
from  what  is  said  of  him"  (i.  Z).—A.  E.,  n.  422. 


"  Inasmuch  as  the  ancients  were  in  repre- 
sentatives and  significatives  of  the  Lord's 
kingdom,  In  which  kingdom  is  nothing  but 
celestial  and  spiritual  love,  they  had  also 
doctrinals,  which  treated  solely  concerning 
love  to  God  and  cliarities  towards  the  neigh- 
bor, from  which  doctrinals  they  were  called 
wise."— ^1.  C.  »419. 

5*  In  Arabia  there  was  abundance  of  gold, 
frankincense,  and  myrrh.— Wn.  HiM.  Sat.  1, 
\\.,  c.  28.  Gold  was  the  most  precious  metal 
then  known:  and  "frankincense,"  says  Beloe, 
"was  of  all  perfumes  the  most  esteemed 
by  the  ancients."— iJfrorf.  Tfuil.,  cvii.,  note 

"  Heb.  House  of  bread. 


TRINAL  DISTfiXCTIOy  IN  GOD  AND  MAN. 


161 


or  pervade  the  whole  house  or  mind  -where  the  Lord  is  present,  affect- 
ing with  inmost  joy  and  gladness  all  in  heaven  or  on  earth  who  are 
within  their  exhilarating  influence  (John  xii.  3).  On  account  of  this 
signification  of  gold  and  spices,  it  is  recorded  that  the  Queen  of  Sheba 
also  presented  them  to  Solomon,  when  she  came  from  a  far  Gentile 
country  to  hear  his  wisdom  and  behold  his  glory,  because,  in  a  good 
representative  character,  Solomon  was  an  eminent  type  of  the  Lord 
Himself  (1  Kings  x.  2). 

Sometimes  (as  above.  Psalm  i.  1)  a  trinal  connection  of  ideas  occurs 
in  an  opposite  sense  and  application,  in  reference  to  the  perverted 
will,  understanding,  and  life  of  the  unregenerate  man.  Thus,  three 
degrees  of  malignity  against  our  neighbor,  and  abstractedly  from 
persons,  all  degrees  of  opposition  to  the  heavenly  principles  of  charity, 
or  brotherly  love,  signified,  in  a  good  sense,  by  neighbor,  may  be 
described  as  hatred  from  corrupt  thought,  from  evil  intention,  and 
from  a  confirmed  state  of  depravity  in  the  will.  These  three  degrees 
of  hatred  are  said  to  be  followed  by  three  corresponding  degrees  of 
chastisement,  for,  according  to  the  unchangeable  law  of  eternal  order, 
every  evil  bears  its  own  punishment :  "  But  I  say  unto  you,"  saith 
the  Lord,  "that  whosoever  is  angry  with  his  brother  without  a 
cause,  shall  be  in  danger  of  the  judgment :  and  whosoever  shall  say 
to  his  brother,  Raca,  shall  be  in  danger  of  the  council :  but  whoso- 
ever shall  say,  Thou  fool,  shall  be  in  danger  of  hell  fire  "  (Matt.  v. 
22). 

Again,  the  threefold  effects  or  states  of  inward  tribulation  and  dis- 
tress, arising  from  the  deprivation  of  truth  in  each  of  the  three  de- 
grees of  the  mind  and  life,  are  described  by  the  three  distinct  expres- 
sions of  "lamentation,  and  mourning,  and  woe"  (Matt.  ii.  18),  where, 
if  these  terms  were  to  be  regarded  as  mere  repetitions  of  the  same 
idea,  and  of  no  further  use  than  to  increase  its  intensity,  they  would 
be  utterly  unworthy  of  a  place  in  a  divinely  inspired  book. 

Wherever,  therefore,  the  names  of  persons  and  places,  nations  and 
countries,  occur  in  the  historical  portions  of  the  divine  Word,  they 
are  not  mentioned  in  reference  only  to  individual  men  or  specific 
nations,  or  particular  localities  on  the  earth,  but  in  respect  of  then- 
spiritual  signification,  and  hence,  also,  they  are  often  associated  in 
triple  order."*    Thus,  though  the  three  patriarchs,  Abraham,  Isaac, 

»8  Hermes  Trismefjistiis  taught  that  "  the  Su-  different  names,  according  to  his  properties 

preme  God— the  fountain  and  original  of  anA  operations."— See  Ramsay's  Theology  aTid 

every  thing,  the  first  principle  of  all  things,  Mythology  of  the  Par/ans. 

the  spirit  which  produces  all  things, — has  Plato  denominated  the  trinal  essentials 


162 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


and  Jacob,  -were  real  persons,  whose  posterity  constituted  the  Jewish 
church,  yet  they,  as  well  as  all  other  persons  and  things  spoken  of  in 
relation  to  that  people,  bore  a  representative  character,  varying  ac- 
cording to  the  circumstances  predicated,  but  having  constant  relation 
to  the  church  on  earth  and  in  heaven,  yea,  to  the  Lord  Himself.  For 
this  reason  are  these  patriarchs  so  often  mentioned  in  the  Word,  and 
even  among  his  most  splendid  appellations  the  Lord  assumes  the  sig- 
nificative title  of  "the  God  of  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob." In 
the  inmost  sense  these  names  relate  to  the  Lord  Himself,  as  to  the 
assumption  and  glorification  of  his  Humanity,  the  degrees  of  life 
received  from  Him  in  the  heavens,  and  his  threefold  operation  for  our 
redemption  and  salvation :  Abraham  signifying  his  supreme  or  essen- 
tial divine  principle ;  Isaac,  his  divine  rational  principle ;  and  Jacob, 
the  divine  natural,  or,  so  to  speak,  the  last  and  lowest  principle  of  his 


of  Deity,  " '  Ayoflo?  "  [the  Good], "  Aoyot "  [the 
Word  or  Truth],  and  "  ■ivxn"  [the  Spirit].— 16. 

"  Names  in  Scripture  are  express  designa- 
tions of  natures,  attributes,  qualities,  con- 
ditions, eXc."—BoUoway's  Letter  and  Spirit, 
vol.  i.,  p.  2&>. 

Where  the  name  Lord  is  printed  in  the 
authorized  version  of  the  Bible  in  capital 
letters,  the  reader  should  remember  that  in 
the  original  Hebrew  it  is  Jehov.^h  ;  and 
when  the  Hebrew  word  Adonai  is  also  trans- 
lated Lord  (as  in  Ps.  ex.  1),  it  stands  in  com- 
mon characters.  Jehovah  Adonai  is  fre- 
quently translated  Lord  Qod  (as  in  Gen.  xv.  1 ). 

Jo,  Jaw,  and  Jove  were  heathen  appella- 
tions, supposed  to  have  been  derived  from 
the  sacred  trisyllabic  name,  which  has  been 
vario\Lsly  pronounced  by  different  nations. 

The  original  meaning  of  Adonai  is  a  ruler, 
or  disposer,  or  a  basis  and  support.  Our  Eng- 
lish word  Lord  ha.s  a  similar  signification, 
ha\nng  been  derived  from  an  old  Saxon 
word,  Lnford,  which  is  by  interpretation  a 
bread  giver,  or  sustainer. 

The  Hebrew  El  means  power,  and  its  plu- 
ral Etohim,  all  power  or  omnipotence. 

"  Abram  and  Abraham  mean  in  English, 
o  high  father,  and  /other  of  a  great  multitude. 
The  aspirate,  or  letter  h.  thus  added  to  the 
name  marks  the  distinction  between  the 
Lord's  Human  Essence  and  his  Divine  Es- 
sence :  and  in  reference  to  man,  the  state  be- 
fore and  the  state  after  regeneration.  Isaac 
means  laughter;  denoting  the  affection  of 
truth,  and  its  interior  delight;  and  Jacob 
means  a  supplanter,  and  the  heel,  which  is  the 
lowest  part  of  the  body,  afterwards  changed, 
by  divine  authority,  to  Israel,  meaning  a 
prince  of  Qod ;  or,  prevailing  with  God. 


Jerome  observes  that "  the  frequent  repe- 
tition of '  I  am  the  God  of  Abraham,  the  God 
of  Isaac,  and  the  God  of  Jacob,'  is  not  with- 
out its  meaning." — Eieron.  Com.  in  Marc. 
xii.  26. 

"  St.  Ignatius,  in  his  Epistle  to  the  Magne- 
aians,  says,  'The  most  divine  prophets  lived 
according  to  Christ  Jesus,  that  is,  they,  in 
their  persons  and  lives,  represented  what 
Christ  Jesus  was  to  be,  and  to  do.'  "—Hollo- 
way's  Letter  and  Spirit,  vol.  i..  Int.,  p.  xxviii. 

"That  the  prophets  represented  the  state 
of  the  Church  to  which  they  belonged,  with 
respect  to  doctrine  derived  from  the  Word, 
and  with  respect  to  life  according  to  such 
doctrine,  is  very  evident  from  what  is  said  of 
them,  as  Isa.  xx.  2,  3;  Ez.  xii.  3-7, 11;  Hosea 
i.  2-9,  iii.  2,  3;  1  Kings  xx.  :3.')-38;  Ez.  iv.  1-17. 
In  all  these,  and  other  passages,  they  '  6ore,' 
by  representation, '  the  iniquities  of  the  house 
of  Israel,  and  the  house  of  Judah,'  and  thus 
pointed  them  out,  but  without  expiating 
them ;  and  the  very  same  is  taught  at  the 
Lord  our  Saviour,  when  it  is  said, '  Surely  He 
hath  borne  our  griefs,  and  carried  our  sor- 
rows'  (Isa.  liii.  1-121,  and  which  prediction 
Is  declared  in  the  Go-spel  to  have  been  ac- 
complished, where  it  is  written, '  When  the 
even  was  come,  they  brought  unto  Jesus 
many  that  were  possessed  with  devils;  and 
He  cast  out  the  spirits  with  his  word,  and 
healed  all  that  were  sick :  that  it  might  be 
fulfilled  which  was  spoken  by  Esaias  the 
prophet,  saying,  '  Himself  took  our  infirmi- 
ties, and  bare  our  sicknesses'  (Matt.  viii.  10, 
17),  for  He  endured  the  assaults  of  hell,  that 
He  might  open  up  a  way  of  salvation  to  all 
believers."—!'.  C.  R.  251. 


TRINAL  DISTINCTION  IN  GOD  AND  MAN. 


163 


divine  Humanity.  This  may  be  confirmed  by  the  literal  meaning  of 
the  names,  and  by  reference  to  the  numerous  passages  of  the  Word 
in  which  they  are  mentioned.  In  a  respective  sense,  these  three  pa- 
triarchs signify  what  is  celestial,  spiritual,  and  natural,  in  regard  to 
man,  thus  they  represent  the  Lord's  church  on  earth  ;  and,  in  a  par- 
ticular sense,  all  those  who  are  receptive  of  his  divine  love  in  their 
hearts,  of  his  divine  wisdom  to  enlighten  their  reason,  and  who  per- 
mit the  united  influences  of  both  to  descend  into  and  regulate  the 
lowest  principles  of  their  minds  and  lives.  These,  as  to  their  exter- 
nals, their  internals,  and  their  inmost  principles,  are  the  true  followers 
of  the  Lamb,  who  is  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  his  glorified  Humanity, 
or,  in  other  words,  they  have  attained  his  likeness.  They  are  grounded 
in  the  love  of  obedience  to  his  truth,  in  the  love  of  their  neighbor, 
and  in  the  love  of  Him  above  all  things.  It  is  consequently  said  of 
them  that  they  are  "  with  Him,  and  are  the  called,  and  the  chosen 
and  faithful "  (Rev.  xvii.  14).  The  Lord's  covenant,  or  everlasting 
state  of  conjunction  with  all  such  faithful  believers,  and  its  irrever- 
sible confirmation,  is  therefore  signified  by  the  covenant  of  an  oath, 
which  he  declared  to  have  "  sworn  with  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob." 

That  the  angelic  heavens  in  general,  as  well  as  the  regenerate  human 
mind  in  particular,  together  with  the  infinite  and  unutterable  joys 
and  delights  derived  immediately  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord,  are 
also  represented  by  those  three  distinguished  personages,  is  evident 
from  the  Lord's  words,  where  He  calls  heaven  "  Abraham's  bosom  " 
(Luke  xvi.  22)  ;  and  still  further  where  He  says  that  "  Many  shall 
come  from  the  east  and  west,  and  shall  sit  down  with  Abraham,  and 
Isaac,  and  Jacob,  in  the  kingdom  of  God"  (Matt.  viii.  11);  and  in 
Luke  it  is  said  that  "  They  shall  come  from  the  east,  and  from  the 
west,  and  from  the  north,  and  from  the  south,  and  shall  sit  down  in 
the  kingdom  of  God  "  (xiii.  28,  29).  These  divine  forms  of  expres- 
sion serve  to  designate  and  comprehend  all  the  sacred  principles  of 
goodness,  wisdom,  and  intelligence,  with  their  perceptions,  delights, 
and  joys,  which  constitute  the  felicity  of  the  angels,  and  of  conse- 
quence universally  prevail  throughout  the  three  orders  of  life  into 
which  the  heavens  are  arranged.  In  their  inmost  sense  these  patri- 
archs signify  the  Lord  Himself,  from  whom  alone,  as  their  divine 
source,  all  degrees  of  blessedness  and  satisfaction  proceed.  The  four 
cardinal  points  of  the  heavens,  or  the  quarters  of  the  world,  from 
whence  those  are  said  to  come  who  are  prepared  to  enter  into  the 
kingdom  of  God,  signify,  in  a  good  sense,  the  various  states  of  spiritual 


164 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


life.  The  east,  being  that  portion  of  the  heavens  in  which  the  sun 
appears  to  rise,  signifies  tlie  highest  degree  of  celestial  love  and  wis- 
dom, in  which  the  Lord  reveals  his  glorious  presence  to  the  inmost 
perceptions  of  the  soul,  and,  in  its  supreme  sense,  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  as  to  the  primary  operations  of  his  love  and  wisdom  on  the 
mind,  for  the  promotion  of  man's  salvation.'™  Thus  in  Ezekiel's 
magnificent  vision  of  the  temple  in  heaven,  we  read  that  "  the  glory 
of  the  God  of  Israel  came  from  the  way  of  the  east "  (sliii.  2) ;  and 
hence  arose  the  ancient  significative  practice  of  worshipping  with  the 
face  towards  the  east,  which  was  even  continued  under  the  Christian 
dispensation.""  The  west,  being  the  extreme  point  of  the  heavens 
over  against  the  east,  where  the  sun  appears  to  set,  signifies  the  infe- 
rior state  of  charity  and  faith.  The  south,  in  which  quarter  the  sun 
attains  his  meridian  power  and  splendor,  signifies  the  highest  state  of 
intelligence ;  and  the  north,  which  is  over  against  it,  a  state  of  obscure 
knowledge, — a  feeble  state  of  heavenly  life.  In  the  inward  sense  of 
these  passages,  therefore,  we  are  mercifully  taught  that  all  who  are 
in  any  degree  principled  in  love  and  wisdom,  or  charity  and  faith, 
will  be  admitted  into  the  kingdom  of  God.  To  sit  down  there  with 
Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  denotes  a  blessed  state  of  confirmation, 
an  eternal  conjunction  with  the  Lord,  an  everlasting  association  with 
"  the  spirits  of  the  just  made  perfect,"  an  endless  condition  of  rest, 
and  peace,  and  joy. 

To  represent  the  fulness  and  perfection  of  such  beatitudes  as  are 
the  invariable  results  of  a  righteous  life, — and  to  signify  the  free 
access  thereto  through  the  pearly  gates  of  spiritual  knowledge  and 
obedience  adapted  to  all,  and  which  all  are  invited  to  enter, — the 
Holy  City,  New  Jerusalem,  which  signifies  heaven  and  the  church,  is 
described  as  having  "  on  the  east  three  gates ;  on  the  north  three 
gates ;  on  the  south  three  gates ;  and  on  the  west  three  gates.  And 
the  gates  of  it,"  it  is  said,  "  shall  not  be  shut  at  all  by  day :  for  there 
shall  be  no  night  there  "  (Rev.  xxi.  13,  25).  In  the  opposite  sense, 
by  the  east  will  be  denoted  the  love  of  self,  which  is  opposed  to  the 
love  of  God  ;  by  the  west,  the  love  of  the  world  ;  by  the  south,  self- 
derived  intelligence ;  and  by  the  north,  a  state  of  falsity  and  evil 
(Isa.  ii.  6  ;  Ezek.  viii.  6  ;  Psalm  Ixxv.  6  ;  Hos.  xi.  10;  Jer.  i.  14,  vi.  1). 


lo"  In  Luke  i.  "8,  the  Lord  Jesus,  as  the  Sa- 
viour, is  called  the  "Day-spring,"  literally,  the 
€a»?,— the  r!>tn<7  of  the  Sim. — "Oriens,"  Vul- 
gate Vrrnitm,  and  Vauvon's  Lericon, — "  Ok- 
Tus,"  Swedenborg.  Sec  Mul.  iv.  2. 


101  Pee  Ambrose,  Dionyintis  Areop.,  Origen.  in 
lib.  jVinn..  hnm.h,  Epiplianiiis  Arlx.  0,<».,  Pro- 
chorous  in  viL,  John,  c.  5,  Clement  Strom.,  vii , 
p.  523. 


TRINAL  DISTINCTWN  LV  GOD  AND  MAN. 


165 


It  was  on  account  of  the  above  spiritual  signification  of  persons 
that  the  Lord,  while  He  sojourned  on  the  earth,  selected  as  his  more 
immediate  and  constant  followers  the  three  disciples,  Peter,  James, 
and  John.  At  the  time  of  his  transfiguration  on  Mount  Tabor  (Matt, 
xvii.  1-8),  in  his  agonizing  visit  to  the  garden  of  Gethsemane  (Matt, 
xxvi.  37),  and  when  He  entered  into  the  house  of  Jairus,  the  ruler  of 
the  synagogue,  to  raise  his  daughter  from  the  dead  (Mark  v.  37  ;  Luke 
viii.  51),  "  He  suffered  no  man  to  follow  Him,  save  Peter,  and  James, 
and  John."  If  we  exclude  the  idea  that  this  selection  was  grounded 
in  the  representative  character  of  those  distinguished  apostles,  no  sat- 
isfactory reason  can  possibly  be  assigned  for  it,  and  the  evident  signi- 
fication of  the  act,  deduced  from  its  frequent  occurrence,  is  entirely 
lost.  The  twelve  apostles,  like  the  twelve  patriarchs  of  the  preceding 
dispensation,  represented  and  signified  all  the  heavenly  principles 
constituent  of  the  Lord's  church,  both  universal  and  particular,  and 
sometimes  their  contraries,  and  each  apostle  in  particular  represented 
and  signified  some  specific  grace,  or  its  perverted  opposite.  Thus, 
Peter  is  a  Greek  word  for  a  rock  or  stone ;  he  was  also  called  Cephas, 
or  Kephas,  which  is  a  Syriac  M'ord  with  the  same  meaning,  and  Simon, 
or  Simeon,  which  is  a  Hebrew  word  for  hearing,  and  is  always  first 
mentioned  when  the  names  of  the  apostles  are  given.  From  these 
particulars  it  may  be  gathered  that  Peter  signifies  the  Lord  as  to 
divine  truth,  and  abstractly  a  principle  of  faith ;  faith  alone,  or  sep- 
arated from  the  Lord  and  from  charity — which  is  a  perverted  faith, 
when  he  tempted  and  denied  his  Lord  and  Saviour ;  but  on  the  con- 
trary, faith  springing  from  love,  and  conjoining  him  to  the  Lord, 
when  he  confessed  his  divinity,  and  accompanied  Him  with  James 
and  John.  Of  a  perverted  and  delusive  fiiith,  which  enlightens  the 
understanding,  but  leaves  the  heart  unchanged,  the  Lord  spake  when 
He  addressed  Peter,  and  said  unto  him,  "  Get  thee  behind  me,  Satan ; 
for  thou  art  an  offence  unto  me"  (Matt.  xvi.  23;  Mark  viii.  23; 
Luke  iv.  8).'"^  To  a  sincere  and  devout  faith  in  the  Lord,  and  confi- 
dence in  his  Word,  "the  kerjs  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven"  are  always 
given  (Matt.  xvi.  19)  ;  that  is,  power  to  open  the  soul  to  an  influx 
of  the  principles  and  life  of  heaven.  On  the  confession  of  this  glo- 
rious faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  church  is  erected  as  upon  a 
rock,  and  defies  the  omnipotent  boasts  of  her  angry  assailants. 

James  and  John  were  brothers,  the  sons  of  Zebedee.    Like  Peter, 


'™  In  the  original,  the  word  translated  Satan  means  an  adversary;  such  is  the  character 
of  failh  alone,  or  a  mere  penuasive  faith. 


166 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


who  sometimes  represents  faith  alone,  and  a  boasting  self-confidence, 
so  these  two  disciples  are  at  times  spoken  of  in  a  low  sense,  as  repre- 
sentative of  mistaken  zeal,  and  its  claims  to  undue  authority ;  or 
external  charity  and  good  works,  with  the  arrogation  of  self-merit, 
proceeding  from  the  promptings  of  self-love  (Matt.  xx.  20-28 ;  Luke 
ix.  53,  54).  In  a  good  sense,  however,  James  was  a  type  of  the  Lord's 
love,  or,  abstractly,  of  the  principle  of  charity,  or  faith  grounded  in 
affection  ;  and  John  was  a  type  of  the  Lord's  operation,  or  the  works 
of  charity,  or  faith  deriving  ardor  and  activity  from  the  pure  love  of 
God,  and  made  manifest  in  humility,  gentleness,  benevolence,  and  all 
kinds  of  good  and  useful  deeds  and  words.''"  The  specific  signification 
of  the  apostle  John  may  be  abundantly  proved  from  his  pereonal  his- 
tory, as  recorded  in  the  Scriptures.  He  had  the  privilege  of  leaning 
on  the  Lord's  bosom  at  the  institution  of  the  Holy  Supper  (John  xiii. 
23) ;  he  was  pre-eminently  distinguished  as  "  that  disciple  whom  Jesus 
loved  "  (John  xix.  26 ;  xx.  2 ;  xxi.  7,  20,  24) ;  and  to  him,  more  than 
to  others,  revelations  were  vouchsafed  respecting  the  church  in  heaven 
and  upon  earth.  These  remarkable  circumstances  and  characteristics 
serve  to  confirm  the  signification  given  as  genuine,  for  all  such  as 
manifest  their  faith  and  affection  by  a  good  life,  are  truly  the  beloved 
of  the  Lord.  James,  his  brother,  therefore,  must  be  a  type  of  spirit- 
ual charity,  or  of  faith  received  in  the  heart.  In  the  regeneration, 
this  principle  supplants  and  expels  all  selfish  feeling.  Faith  in  the 
heart  and  faith  in  the  life,  or  charity  and  good  Avorks,  are  brethren  ; 
they  spring  from  the  same  divine  origin.  The  selection,  then,  of  these 
three  apostles  by  our  blessed  Lord,  on  such  frequent  and  memorable 
occasions,  teaches  us,  in  the  internal  sense,  most  edifying,  invaluable 
lessons  of  divine  wisdom  ;  for  these  disciples  represented  the  perfect 
union  of  divine  love,  wisdom,  and  their  resulting  life,  in  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ — thus  that  He  was  God  in  human  form.  They  also  rep- 
resented every  regenerating  man,  and  teach  us  that,  unless  the  essen- 
tial principles  of  the  regenerate  life,  represented  by  Peter,  James,  and 
John,  are  present  in  the  soul,  and  accompany  the  divine  energies,  we 
can  receive  no  spiritual  blessing.  Faith  must  be  imparted  to  the 
understanding,  faith  must  be  implanted  in  the  will,  and  faith  nmst 
become  active  in  a  good  and  obedient  life ;  or,  in  other  words,  faith, 
charity,  and  good  works,  the  three  constituents  of  heaven  and  religion, 
must  be  engrafted  in  the  soul  and  manifested  in  the  life  and  conduct. 


'<»  James  means  in  English  n  sxtpplauter  or  mainlainer;  John,  the  gift  o]  God,  uud  mociful 
or  gracious ;  and  Zebedee,  a  dowry. 


TRINAL  DISTINCTION  IN  GOD  AND  MAN. 


167 


or  the  Lord  can  do  few  or  none  of  those  mighty  works  in  our  behalf, 
on  the  accomplishment  of  which  our  eternal  salvation  depends  (Matt, 
xiii.  .58 ;  Mark  vi.  5).  Moreover,  to  represent  to  us  the  energy  and 
zeal  of  truth,  when  it  proceeds  fi-om  a  principle  of  celestial  charity, 
and  is  grounded  in  goodness  of  life,  James  and  John  were  surnaraed 
by  the  Lord,  "BoaJierges,  which  is,  The  sons  of  thunder"  (Mark  iii.  17). 

I  have  already  remarked,  that  the  human  understanding,  when 
individually  considered,  is  found  to  be  discriminated,  like  the  other 
faculties  of  the  soul,  into  three  degrees  of  intellectual  power  and 
excellence.  The  lowest  of  these  is  the  scientific  principle,  or  the  power 
of  acquiring  and  retaining  worldly  knowledge ;  the  next  above  is  the 
rational  principle,  or  the  power  of  discernment  and  discrimination, 
as  between  various  kinds  of  truth,  and  between  truth  and  error ;  and 
the  highest  degree  of  intellectual  power  is  that  Avhich  enables  man  to 
receive  spiritual  intelligence,  or  wisdom  and  its  perceptions. 

These  three  degrees  succeed  each  other,  or  are  successively  opened, 
by  an  orderly  arrangement  in  the  work  of  regeneration  ;  for  man  is 
first  natural,  then  he  becomes  rational,  and  afterwards  spiritual. 
Without  this  trinal  intellectual  capacity,  man  could  not  be  elevated 
above  the  science  of  the  world.  Hence,  speaking  of  the  church  and 
of  each  regenerating  member,  in  order  to  portray  the  threefold  bless- 
ings which  would  attend  such  a  union  and  subordination  of  the  intel- 
lectual faculties  as  would  prepare  man  to  receive  the  light  of  heaven, 
to  irradiate  the  whole  mind,  the  Lord  says  by  the  mouth  of  his 
prophet,  "  In  that  day  there  shall  be  a  highway  out  of  Egypt  to  As- 
syria, and  the  Assyrian  shall  come  into  Egypt,  and  the  Egyptian  into 
Assyria,  and  the  Egyptians  shall  serve  with  the  Assyrians.  In  that 
day  shall  Israel  be  third  with  Egypt  and  with  Assyria,  even  a  bless- 
ing in  the  midst  of  the  land ;  whom  the  Lord  of  hosts  shall  bless, 
saying.  Blessed  be  Egypt  my  people,  and  Assyria  the  work  of  my 
hands,  and  Israel  mine  inheritance "  (Isa.  xix.  23-25).  By  Egypt, 
that  land  of  mysterious  wisdom,  where  knowledge  was  so  extensively 
cultivated  that  it  was  frequented  by  the  sages  of  all  nations  for  the 
acquisition  of  science,  is  signified  the  scientific  principle  itself,  together 
with  all  external  or  natural  truths."*    Egypt  has  either  a  good  or  a 

104 "  Herodotus  describes  the  inhabitants  of  i  "  AssjTia  is  that  false  state  of  seeming  hap- 
the  cultivated  portions  of  Eg:>-pt  as  the  best  piness,  and  power  pf  wickedness,  which  is 
informed,  or  most  learned,  of  mankind.  In  called  the  kingdom  of  darkness.  And  this 
one  of  his  last  works  Theophrastus  used  the  [  is  the  most  noble  object  of  fortitude,  to  de- 
samc  expression." — Bunsen's  Egypt's  Place  in  \  stroy  the  power  of  this  kingdom  within  our- 
Univ.  Hist.,  pp.  1,  2.  1  selves."— .Vore's  Dep.  of  Cabala,  p  168. 


168 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


bad  signification  in  the  Word,  as  sucli  knowledge  is  said  to  have  been 
applied  to  useful  ends,  or  perverted  to  idolatrous  and  magical  pur- 
poses. Assyria,  from  its  relative  position  to  Egypt,  and  from  the 
tendency  of  its  inhabitants  to  metaphysical  speculation,  denotes  the 
rational  principle,  the  reasonings  of  which  are  either  true  or  false,  as 
the  reason  is  enlightened  from  heaven,  or  draws  its  subtle  conclusions 
from  the  fallacies  of  the  world  and  the  senses ;  for  the  reason  is  an 
intermediate  and  conjunctive  principle  between  what  is  natural  and 
spiritual,  and,  according  to  man's  state,  partakes  of  the  quality  of 
both.  By  Israel  in  the  midst  is  signified  the  spiritual  principle,  or 
the  internal  of  the  understanding,  gifled  with  genuine  intelligence 
and  wisdom ;  and  in  an  opposite  sense,  the  profanation  of  the  intel- 
lectual faculties,  and  the  truths  they  receive,  to  the  vile  objects  of 
self-derived  prudence,  commingling  them  with  the  deceitful  and  lurid 
glimmerings  of  self-love.  In  the  passage  I  have  quoted  these  terms 
are  all  used  in  a  good  sense,  and  by  a  highway,  which  serves  to  con- 
nect distant  countries  and  places,  is  signified  the  orderlj^  arrangement 
and  subordination  which  unites  by  correspondence  every  degree  of 
intellectual  excellence.  Thus  the  mind  is  gradually  prepared  for  the 
reception  of  those  celestial  and  spiritual  influences  which  illustrate 
and  govern  the  perceptions,  reasonings,  and  thoughts,  and  make  man 
the  work  and  inheritance  of  Jehovah  Zebaoth, — the  Lord  of  Hosts. 

In  an  opposite  sense,  by  Egypt  is  signified  sensual  knowledge,  and 
by  Assyria  carnal  reasoning.  These  give  birth  to  false  principles  in 
extremes,  which,  like  flics,  spring  from  the  river's  corrupting  filth, 
and  become  a  tormenting  plague ;  and  also  to  false  reasonings  theuce 
derived,  which,  like  bees,  when  spoken  of  in  a  bad  sense,  suck  their 
stores,  indeed,  from  rich  and  favorite  flowers,  and  find  sensual  pleasure 
therein,  denoted  by  their  honey-stores,  but  carry  with  them  venom 
and  a  sting.  When  these  principles  are  permitted  to  insinuate  them- 
selves into  the  church  or  the  human  mind,  they  bring  with  them  cer- 
tain desolation  and  inevitable  misery.  They  are  the  result  of  the 
falsification  and  profanation  of  truth  and  knowledge  in  the  soul,  and 
the  abuse  or  perversion  of  the  intellectual  and  rational  faculties. 
Hence,  to  describe  such  an  awful  state,  and  the  complete  and  grievous 
desolation  which  necessarily  succeeds,  the  Lord  says,  "  It  shall  come 
to  pass  in  that  day,  that  the  Lord  shall  hiss  for  the  fly  that  is  in  tlie 

In  the  history  of  the  descendants  of  the  I  common  name  of  the  kings  of  Efrj'pt  up  to 
patriarchs,  that  of  Egypt  is  always  more  or  the  final  destniotion  of  the  monarchy  by 
less  closely  interwoven.   Pharaoh  was  the  Alexander  the  Great. 


TRINAL  DISTINCTION  IN  GOD  AND  MAN. 


169 


uttermost  part  of  the  rivers  of  Egypt,  and  for  the  bee  that  m  iu  the 
land  of  Assyria.  And  they  shall  come,  and  shall  rest  all  of  them  in 
the  desolate  valleys,  and  in  the  holes  of  the  rocks  and  upon  all  thorns, 
and  upon  all  bushes"  (Isa.  vii.  18,  19).'°^ 

The  vast  importance  of  this  distinction  of  degrees  will  be  at  once 
perceived,  if  we  consider  that  the  erroneous  assumption  that  all  beings 
and  things  have  proceeded  forth  continuously,  or  by  degrees  of  con- 
tinuity, from  the  centre  to  the  circumference  of  all  creation ;  thus, 
that  the  soul  and  the  body,  God  and  man,  spirit  and  matter,  are  but 
various  gradations,  and  that  God  is  an  all-extended  substance  existing 
throughout  space,  has  given  birth,  both  in  ancient  and  modern  times, 
to  every  heterogeneous  system  of  pantheism,  materialism,  and  secu- 
larism which  infidel  philosophy  and  an  erroneous  theology  have 
invented.  In  order,  therefore,  further  to  assist  the  earnest  and  intel- 
ligent inquirer  in  his  research  after  truth,  and  to  enable  him  more 
clearly  to  comprehend  this  great  doctrine  of  triple  degrees,  which  is 
indispensable  to  a  just  view  of  the  Divine  character  and  existence, 
to  a  correct  idea  of  the  nature  of  the  human  mind,  and  to  an  accu- 
rate knowledge  of  the  science  of  correspondences,  and  thus  to  a  true 
interpretation  of  the  Word  of  God,  a  few  additional  extracts  are 
given  in  the  Appendix,  from  the  invaluable  writings  of  Swedenborg, 
who  has  so  amply  and  so  clearly  unfolded  this  grand  subject,  on  which, 
indeed,  the  laws  of  correspondence  may  be  said  to  rest,  and  also  a  few 
of  the  innumerable  confirmations  and  illustrations  from  other  sources. 


iti5  See  ScMegd,  Phil,  of  Hist,  vol.  1.,  and  Ap- 
pendix, "on  the  Hieroglyphics  of  Egypt. " 

"Every  one  may  see  that  the  historical 
relations  of  the  patriarchs  are  such  that  they 
may  indeed  be  serviceable  in  regard  to  the 
ecclesiastical  history  of  that  time,  but  that 
they  are  very  little  serviceable  in  regard  to 
spiritual  life,  which  nevertheless  is  the  end 
which  the  Word  was  intended  to  promote. 
Add  to  this,  that  in  some  places  we  meet 
with  nothing  but  mere  names,  as  of  the  pos- 
terity of  Esau  (Gen.  xx.xvi.),  and  so  in  other 
chapters,  in  which,  so  far  as  regards  the 
mere  historical  relations,  there  is  so  little  of 
anything  divine,  that  it  can  in  nowi.se  be 
said  that  it  is  the  Word  of  the  Lord,  divinely 
inspired  as  to  every  particular  expression, 
and  even  as  to  every  dot  and  tittle,  that  is, 
that  it  was  sent  down  from  the  Lord  tli rough 
heaven  to  man,  by  whom  those  relations 
were  written  ;  for  what  was  sent  down  from 
the  Lord  must  need  be  divine  in  all  and 
singular  things,  thus  not  as  to  historicals,  as 
being  the  transactions  of  men,  but  only  by 
15 


virtue  of  those  things  which  lie  deeply  hid 
and  concealed  therein,  all  and  singular  of 
which  treat  of  the  Lord  and  of  his  kingdom ; 
the  historicals  of  the  Word  are  iu  this  par- 
ticular distinguished  above  all  other  histori- 
cals in  the  universe,  that  they  involve  in 
them  such  hidden  contents.  If  the  Word 
was  the  Word  merely  as  to  historicals,  that 
is,  as  to  the  external  or  literal  sense,  then  all 
the  historicals  which  are  therein  would  be 
holy;  and  what  is  more,  several  persons  who 
are  spoken  of  therein  would  be  esteemed  as 
saints,  and  it  would  come  to  pass,  as  in  the 
case  with  many,  that  they  w'ould  be  wor- 
shipped as  gods,  because  they  are  treated  of 
in  the  most  holy  of  all  writings;  when,  nev- 
ertheless, all  these  were  men,  and  some  of 
them  were  little  solicitous  about  divine  wor- 
ship, and  had  nothing  about  them  above  the 
common  lot  of  men.  Hence,  then,  it  may 
plainly  appear,  that  the  external  or  literal 
sense  is  the  Word  only  by  virtue  of  the  in- 
ternal or  spiritual  sense,  which  is  in  it,  and 
from  which  it  is."— A.  C.  3228,  3229. 


CHAPTEE  XII. 


Colors,  Numbers,  Weights,  Measures,  Musical  Instruments,  etc. 

"  rriHE  Bible,"  or  Word  of  God,  in  the  just  and  forcible  language 
JL  of  Professor  Bush,  "  rises  under  the  application  of  a  laiv  as 
fixed  and  invariable  as  the  law  of  creation  itself,  with  which,  in  fact, 
it  becomes  almost  identical,  into  a  new  revelation,  clothed  with  a  sub- 
limity, sanctity,  and  divinity  of  which  we  had  not  prevnously  the 
remotest  conception.  It  stands  before  us  the  living  Oracle  of  Truth, 
which  we  no  longer  separate  from  the  very  being  of  its  Author.  He 
is  Himself  in  his  own  truth.  New  treasures  of  wisdom  gleam  forth 
from  its  pages,  and  the  most  barren  details  of  histor}',  the  recorded 
rounds  of  obsolete  rituals,'"*  the  driest  catalogues  of  names,  the  most 


106  "  Heraldry  is,  in  fact,  the  last  remnant 
of  the  ancient  symbolism,  and  a  legitimate 
branch  of  Christian  art;  the  griffins  and 
unicorns,  fesses  and  chevrons,  the  very  mic- 
tures  or  cloins,  are  all  symboliciil, — each  has 
its  mystic  meaning,  singly  and  in  combina- 
tion, and  thus  every  genuine  old  coat-of-arms 
preaches  a  lesson  of  chivalric  honor  and 
Christian  principle  to  those  that  inherit  it 
—truths  little  suspected  nowadays  in  our 
heralds'  offices." — Lord  Lindsay,  on  Christian 
Art,  ii.,  p.  49. 

The  rich  color  of  gold  is  that  of  heat,  the 
color  of  silver  is  that  of  light;  the  former  is 
applied  to  the  splendor  of  the  sun,  the  latter 
to  the  light  reflected  by  the  moon.  Polished 
brass  resembles  gold,  and  polished  iron  re- 
sembles silver. — Sec  Isa. 

"  Celestial  rosy  red,  love's  proper  hue." 

Milton's  I^radise  Lost. 

Yellow  was  in  high  esteem  among  the  an- 
cient Indians;  red,  among  the  Egyptians; 
purple,  among  the  Syrians  and  Romans; 
and  white,  among  the  Jews. 

"Colors  had  the  same  signification  amongst 
all  the  people  of  high  antiquity.  This  con- 
fonnity  indicates  a  common  origin,  which  at- 
taches itself  to  the  cradle  of  the  human  race, 
and  finds  its  greatest  energ)',  or  active  life, 
in  the  religion  of  I'ersia.  The  dualism  of 
light  and  darkness  offers,  indeed,  the  two 


types  of  the  colors,  which  became  the  sym- 
bols of  the  two  principles,  the  benevolent 
and  malevolent.  The  ancients  only  admit- 
ted two  primitive  colors,  white  and  black, 
from  which  all  others  were  derived ;  in  like 
manner,  the  divinities  of  paganism  were  the 
emanations  from  the  good  and  the  evil  prin- 
ciples. 

"The  language  of  colors,  which  is  inti- 
mately connected  with  religion,  passed  from 
India,  China,  Egypt. and  Greece  to  Rome;  it 
was  again  revived  in  the  middle  ages:  and 
the  painted  windows  of  the  Gothic  cathe- 
drals find  their  explication  in  the  books  of 
the  Zend,  the  Vedas,  and  the  paintings  in 
Egyptian  temples. 

"  The  identity  of  the  symbols  supposes  the 
identity  of  the  primitive  ciwds.  In  propor- 
tion as  a  religion  is  removed  from  its  princi- 
ple, it  degrades  and  materializes  itself;  it 
forgets  the  signification  of  colors,  and  this 
mysterious  language  reappears  with  the  res- 
toration of  religious  truth. 

"In  mythology.  Iris  was  the  messenger  of 
the  gods  and  of  good  tidings,  and  the  colors 
of  the  girdle  of  Iris,  the  rainbow,  are  the  sym- 
bols of  regenenition,  W'hich  is  the  covenant 
or  conjunction  between  God  and  man.  In 
Egypt,  the  robe  of  Isis  sparkles  with  all  col- 
ors, and  with  all  the  hues  which  shine  in 
nature.  Osiris,  the  all-powerful  god,  gives 
light  to  Isis,  who  modilies  it,  and  transmits 
170 


COLORS,  NUMBERS,  MUSICAL  INSTRUMENTS,  ETC.  171 


trivial  specifications  of  dates,  places,  and  enactments,  once  touched 
with  the  mystic  wand  of  the  spiritual  sense,  teem  with  the  riches  of 
angelic  conceptions.  The  cosmogony  of  Genesis  becomes  the  birth- 
register  of  the  new-born  soul.  The  garden  of  Eden  smiles  in  every 
renovated  mind  in  the  intelligence  and  affection  emblemed  in  its  trees 
and  fruits  and  flowers.  The  watering  streams  are  the  fructifying 
knowledges  and  truths  of  wisdom  which  make  increase  of  the  spiritual 
man.  The  Tree  of  Knowledge,  the  Tree  of  Life,  the  wily  serpent, 
are  all  within  us  and  within  us  all.  The  scenes  transacted  in  the 
paradisiac  purlieus  are  more  or  less  the  scenes  of  our  own  individual 
experience,  and  the  narrative  ceases  to  be  looked  upon  merely  as  the 
chronicle  of  events  that  transpired  thousands  of  years  before  we  were 
born." — Reply  to  Dr.  Woods,  p.  66. 

The  prismatic  rays  of  the  sun  are  clearly  divisible  into  a  trine,  for 
there  are  the  calorific  rays,  the  colorific,  and  the  chemical,  having 
relation  to  love,  wisdom,  and  usa  Colors,  as  well  as  all  other  phe- 
nomena and  appearances  of  nature  mentioned  in  the  Word,  are  rep- 
resentative, and  allusions  to  them  are  very  frequent.  They  derive 
their  innumerable  tints  and  hues  from  the  refractions  and  reflections 
of  the  rays  of  heat  and  light  from  the  sun,  in  various  degrees  of  in- 
tensity, combined  more  or  less  with  darkness,  or  blackness,  and  shade. 
A  beam  of  light  refracted  and  reflected  by  a  prism  on  a  dark 
screen,  or  by  drops  of  water  descending  from  a  dark  cloud,  at  a  known 
angle,  will  exhibit  an  appearance  of  seven  distinct  hues,  as  in  the 
rainbow.  There  are,  however,  but  two  fundamental  elements  of 
color, — red,  which  is  derived  from  the  flaming  light  proceeding  from 
the  heat,  and  white  from  light.    All  colors  are  modifications  of  these 


it  by  reflection  to  men.  Isis  is  the  earth,  and 
her  symbolic  robe  was  the  hieroglyphic  of 
the  material  and  of  the  spiritual  worlds. 

"  The  painted  windows  of  Christian 
churches,  like  the  paintings  of  Egypt,  have 
a  double  signification,  apparent  and  hid- 
den :  the  one  is  for  the  multitude,  and  the 
other  is  addressed  to  mystic  creeds. 

"  Symbolic  science,  banished  from  the 
church,  takes  refuge  in  the  court;  disdained 
by  painting,  we  find  it  again  in  heraldry. 
The  origin  of  armorial  bearings  is  lost  in  an- 
tiquity, and  appears  to  have  originated  with 
the  first  elements  of  writing :  the  Egyptian 
hieroglyphics,  like  the  Aztec  paintings,  indi- 
cated the  signification  of  a  subject  by  speak- 
ing emblems  or  arms.  It  is  sufficient  to  con- 
sider the  Mexican  pibtures.  and  the  explana- 
tion of  them  which  has  been  preserved,  to 


banish  all  doubt  on  this  subject." — See  JJeeati/ 
de  Thevenot. 

"  The  selam,  or  nosegay  of  the  Arabs,  ap- 
pears to  have  borrowed  its  emblems  from  the 
language  of  colors  ;  the  Koran  gives  the  mys- 
tic reason  of  it.  'The  colors,'  says  Mahomet, 
'  which  the  earth  displays  to  our  eyes,  are 
manifest  signs  for  those  who  think.' — Koran, 
chap.  xvi.  This  remarkable  passage  explains 
the  chequered  robe  which  Isis,  or  Nature, 
wore,  conceived  as  a  vast  hieroglyphic.  The 
colors  which  appear  on  the  earth,  correspond 
to  the  colors  which  the  seer  beholds  in  the 
world  of  spirits,  where  everything  is  spirit- 
ual and,  consequently,  significative.  Such 
is,  at  least,  the  origin  of  the  symbolical  mean- 
ing of  colors  in  the  books  of  the  prophets  and 
the  Apocalypse."-— Portai's  des  Oouleurs  Sym- 
boliques. 


172 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


with  obscurity  or  blackness."'  Colors,  then,  represent  the  modifica- 
tions of  the  intermingling  rays  of  spiritual  heat  and  light  by  those 
principles  and  things  which  have  resj^ect  to  the  natural  mind.  They 
denote  the  varied  qualities  of  the  respective  principles  treated  of,  both 
as  to  the  intellect  and  the  will,  the  thoughts  and  the  affections.  The 
irradiations  of  wisdom  and  truth  in  the  dark  clouds  and  appearances 
of  the  literal  sense  of  the  Word  are  the  reflections  of  heaven's  own 
splendors, — adaptations  of  the  beams  proceeding  from  the  Sun  of 
Righteousness  to  the  ever-changing  states  of  the  human  mind  in  the 
process  of  regeneration.  In  the  time  of  trial  and  temptation  they 
are  "  the  bow  round  the  Almighty's  throne "  (Rev.  iv.  3),  and  the 
"  bow  in  the  cloud  "  (Gen.  ix.  13), — a  token  of  God's  eternal  covenant 
with  his  faithful  children,  a  memorial  in  the  clouds  of  ignorance  and 
error,  in  the  mere  appearances  of  truth,  and  in  the  dense  vapors  w'hich 
sorrow  and  suffering  cast  over  the  natural  mind,  of  his  unchanging 


w  The  three  primitive  colors,  derived  from 
the  light  and  heat  of  the  sun,  are  red,  blue, 
and  yellow.  From  them,  and  their  inter- 
mingling and  diversified  shades,  are  pro- 
duced the  beautiful,  brilliant,  and  ever- 
changing  colors  we  behold,  whether  in  the 
indefinitely  varied  and  harmonious  hues  of 
the  three  kingdoms  of  nature,  and  in  the 
clouds  of  the  atmosphere,  or  as  exhibited  in 
the  splendid  tints  of  the  rainbow. 

The  Trinity  of  Light. — In  light  we  have 
a  most  remarkable  illustration  of  the  doc- 
trine of  the  Holy  Trinity,  which  is  an  article 
of  faith  with  many,  of  doubt  with  .some,  and 
of  disbelief  with  others ;  but  if  we  can  prove 
by  ocular  demonstration  that  there  exists  in 
nature  a  trinity  in  unity  and  an  unity  in 
trinity  quite  as  marvellous,  it  ought  to  con- 
firm the  faithful,  convince  the  doubtful,  and 
overthrow  the  sophistry  of  the  unbeliever. 
An  investigation  into  the  laws  and  pro])er- 
ties  of  light  will  enable  us  to  do  so.  Light  is 
easily  separated  into  its  component  colors, 
by  transmitting  it  through  a  glass  prism, 
where  it  is  resolved  into  red,  orange,  yellow, 
green,  blue,  indigo,  and  violet,  which  con- 
stitute, when  combined,  white  or  ordinary 
light.  This  band  of  colors  is  called  the  pris- 
matic spectrum.  Now  it  will  be  perceived 
that  red,  yellow,  and  blue  are  its  i)rimary  or 
essential  colors,  the  others  being  merely  pro- 
duced by  the  admixture  or  overlapping  of 
two  adjoining  primary  colors:  thus,  orange 
is  found  between  the  red  and  yellow,  green 
between  the  yellow  and  blue;  so  that,  in 
fact,  we  have  only  the  three  primary  colors 
to  deal  with,  each  of  which  has  its  peculiar 
properties  and  attributes  distinct  from  the 


]  others:  thus,  the  red  is  the  calorific  or  heat- 
ing principle ;  the  yellow  is  the  luminous  or 
light-giving  principle;  while  it  is  in  the  blue 
ray  that  the  power  of  actinism,  or  chemical 
action,  is  found.  Now  it  is  this  trinity  of 
red,  yellow,  and  blue  which  constitutes, 
when  combined,  the  unity  of  ordinary  or 
white  light.  When  separated,  this  unity  of 
light  is  divided  into  the  trinity  of  colors. 
Although  one  and  the  same,  neither  can  ex- 
ist without  the  other:  the  three  are  one,  the 
one  is  three.  Thus  we  have  a  unity  in  trinity, 
and  a  trinity  in  unity,  exemplified  in  light 
itself;  and  "God  is  light."  Plants  will  live 
and  grow  luxuriantly  under  the  influence 
of  the  red  and  yellow  rays;  but,  however 
promising  the  appearance,  the  blo.ssom  dies, 
I  and  no  fruit  can  be  produced  without  the  en- 
I  livening  power  of  the  blue  rays.  When  this 
invisible  action  is  wanting,  the  trinity  in 
tniity  is  incomplete ;  life  is  unproductive  un- 
til the  three,  united  in  one,  bring  all  things 
to  perfection.  Tlius  each  member  of  the 
trinity  in  unity  of  light  has  its  especial  duty 
to  perform,  and  is  in  constant  operation,  vis- 
ibly or  invisibly,  although  only  one  power. 
Even  far  beyond  the  visible  violet  ray  of  the 
prismatic  spectrum  the  spirit  of  actinism  pre- 
vails; its  chemical  influence  can  be  proved 
to  extend  beyond  the  limits  of  our  vision. 
Thus  there  is  in  light  an  invisible  agency 
always  in  action;  and  the  more  the  subject 
is  investigated,  the  more  striking  is  the  illus- 
tration between  the  Holy  Spirit  of  GckI  made 
manifest,  and  the  wonderful  properties  of 
light  which  have  been  gradually  unfolded 
l)y  the  researches  of  man. — From  TempU  Bar, 
for  January. 


COLORS,  NUMBERS,  MUSICAL  INSTRUMENTS,  ETC. 


173 


loving-kindness  and  faithfulness,  bringing  hope  and  consolation  to  the 
human  heart.  Colors,  in  general,  signify  truths  derived  from  good- 
ness, and  their  various  modifications ;  or,  on  the  contrary,  different 
fallacious  appearances  of  evil  and  error,  in  the  constantly  varying 
states  of  mental  perception  both  as  it  respects  the  intellect  and  the 
will."*  They  consequently  denote  the  quality  or  state  of  which  they 
are  predicated.  So  far  as  they  partake  of  red,  they  denote  the  quality 
of  a  thing  or  state,  as  to  good,  or  love,  or  to  its  opposite,  the  obscu- 
rity of  evil,  and  have  an  immediate  reference  to  the  will ;  and  so  far 
as  they  partake  of  white,  they  signify  truth  in  its  purity,  and  its  puri- 
fying influences,  resjjlendent  from  good  ;  and,  in  the  opposite  sense, 
truth  without  goodness,  or  faith  alone,  and  have  more  immediate  rela- 
tion to  the  understanding.  (See  Isa.  i.  18.)  But  it  will  be  at  once  seen 
that  all  shades  of  black,  on  which  the  variegations  of  obscurity  de- 
pend, denote  qualities  originating  in  evil  and  falsity.  Hence  heaven 
is  represented  as  an  eternal  state  of  day, — for  "there  is  no  night 


108  "Colors  have  an  influence  on  the  pas-  \ 
sions,  and  they,  as  well  as  their  harmonies, 
have  relation  to  moral  and  spiritual  aflfec- 
tions." — St.  Pierre's  Stud,  of  Nat.,  p.  176. 

Swedenborg  illustrates  this  recondite  sub- 
ject as  follows :  "  In  order  to  the  existence 
of  color,  there  must  be  some  substance  dark- 
ish and  brightish,  or  black  and  white,  on 
which,  when  the  rays  from  the  sun  fall,  there 
exist,  according  to  tlie  various  tempering 
of  the  darkish  and  brightish,  or  black  and 
white,  from  the  modification  of  the  influent 
rays  of  light,  colors,  some  of  which  take 
more  or  less  from  tlie  darkish  and  black 
property,  some  more  or  less  from  the  bright- 
ish or  white,  and  hence  arises  their  diver- 
sity. A  resemblance  of  this  exists  in  spirit- 
ual things.  There  the  darkish  property  is 
the  intellectual  proprium  of  man,  or  the 
false ;  and  the  black  property  is  the  will 
proprium,  or  evil,  which  absorbs  and  extin- 
guishes the  rays  of  light ;  but  the  briglitish 
and  white  property  is  the  truth  and  good 
which  man  thinks  he  does  of  himself,  which 
reflects  and  throws  back  from  itself  the  rays 
of  light.  The  rays  of  light  which  fall  on  and 
modify  these  are  from  the  Lord,  as  from  the 
sun  of  wisdom  and  intelligence,  for  such  are 
the  rays  of  spiritual  light,  and  they  are  from 
no  other  source."— ^1.  C.  1042-3. 

"  Black  and  white  being  variously  tem- 
pered by  the  rays  of  light,  are  changed  into 
beautiful  colors,  as  into  blue,  yellow,  ptirple, 
and  the  like,  by  which,  according  to  their 
arrangement,  as  in  flowers,  divers  forms 
of  beauty  and  agreeableness  are  exhibited, 
16* 


I  whilst  the  black  and  white,  as  to  their  root 
and  ground,  still  remain." — A.  C.  731. 

"Between  the  tropics,where  there  is  scarce- 
ly any  horizontal  refraction,  the  solar  light, 
as  viewed  in  the  heavens,  displays  in  a  serene 
morning  five  primordial  colors.  In  the  hori- 
zon, where  the  sun  is  just  going  to  exhibit 
his  disc,  a  dazzling  white  is  visible ;  a  pure 
white  at  an  elevation  of  forty-five  degrees; 
a  fire  color  in  the  zenith ;  a  pure  blue  forty- 
five  degrees  below  toward  the  west ;  and  in 
the  very  west  the  dark  veil  of  light  still  linger- 
ing in  the  horizon.  You  tliere  see  those  five 
colors,  with  tlieir  intermediate  shades  gener- 
ating each  other.  Each  of  those  colors  seems 
to  be  only  a  strong  tint  of  that  which  pre- 
cedes it,  and  a  faint  tint  of  that  which  follows, 
though  the  whole  together  appear  to  be  only 
modulations  of  a  progression  of  which  white 
is  the  first  term,  red  the  middle,  and  black  the 
last.''— S«.  Pierre's  Stud,  of  Nat.,  ii.,  pp.  108-112. 

"  Inasmuch  as  red  signifies  the  quality  of 
a  thing  as  to  good,  therefore,  also,  names, 
and  things  which  are  named  from  the  same 
expression  in  the  original  tongue,  signify  the 
good  in  which  they  originate.  Thus  red,  in 
the  original  tongue,  is  called  Adam,  whence 
is  derived  the  name  Adam,  and  also  the 
name  Edom ;  and  lience,  also,  man  is  called 
Adam,  and  the  ground  Adama,  and  the  ruby 
Odam;  thus  these  names  and  these  things 
are  from  red.  .  .  .  That  Edom  was  so  called 
from  red,  see  Gen.  xxv.  30.  .  .  .  That  the  ruby 
or  carbuncle  is  also  so  called  from  red,  see 
Ex.  xxviii.  17 ;  xxxix.  10 ;  Ez.  xxviii.  13." — 
A.  E.  Z&i. 


17-i  THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


there  "  (Rev.  xxi.  25), — proceeding  from  celestial  fire  or  love,  -which 
vivifies  the  inmost  of  the  soul ;  while  its  inhabitants  are  described  as 
"  clothed  in  white "  (Rev.  vii.  9).  But,  on  the  other  hand,  hell  is 
described  as  an  everlasting  state  of  darkness  and  sorrow  and  terror, 
proceeding  from  infernal  fire,  or  that  unchanging  state  of  malice  and 
hatred  which  torments. 

On  this  ground  of  the  representative  meaning  of  colors,  they  are 
often  mentioned  in  the  Word,  in  both  senses,  and  are  sometimes  ar- 
ranged in  a  trine.  Three  of  the  most  splendid  and  expensive  colors 
•were  commanded  by  the  Lord  to  be  used  in  the  construction  and 
embellishment  of  the  Tabernacle, — "  Blue,  and  purple,  and  scarlet " 
(Ex.  XXV.  4,  5 ;  xxvi.  1,  etc.).  These  three  colors  serve  most  accu- 
rately to  discriminate  the  threefold  quality  of  the  sincere  worshipper, 
whose  mind  is  represented  by  the  Tabernacle  and  its  beautiful  furni- 
ture. Blue  is  descriptive  of  the  quality  of  celestial  light  or  truth, 
and  its  splendor  as  seen  in  the  firmament  of  the  intellect ;  purple,  the 
quality  and  brilliancy  of  celestial  heat  or  love  in  the  affections  of  the 
wdll ;  and  scarlet  denotes  the  quality  and  warmth  of  enlightened  faith 
and  mutual  charity  reflected  in  the  outward  life.  The  brilliant  colors 
of  the  costly  gems  set  in  the  breastplate  of  Aaron  (Ex.  xxviii.  30), 
and  of  the  precious  stones  which  formed  the  foundations  of  the  Holy 
City  (Rev.  xxi.  19,  20),  signify  the  indefinitely  varied  modifications 
and  qualities  of  heavenly  w'isdom  and  intelligence,  beaming  forth 
from  the  Word  of  God,  translucent  and  shining  with  the  celestial  and 
spiritual  resplendencies  of  heaven,  signified  by  the  precious  gems. 
These  bright  and  priceless  truths  of  the  Holy  Word  are  the  source 
of  all  just  judgment,  and  are,  also,  the  firm  and  glorious  founda- 
tions on  which  the  church  is  erected.'"* 


109  The  twelve  stones  in  the  urim  and  tlium- 
mim  arc  representative  of  all  tlie  varieties  of 
divine  truth  in  the  Holy  Word,  which  shine 
with  sucli  beauty  and  glory  in  the  minds 
of  the  faithful,— brilliant,  transparent,  spar- 
kling, glowing  with  inward  radiant  princi- 
ples of  love,  charity,  goodness,  and  benevo- 
lence, of  which  they  are  but  the  outward 
forms.  They  were  ordered  by  express  Divine 
command  to  be  arranged  in  trincs,  and  worn 
on  the  breast,  or  over  the  heart,  of  the  high- 
priest  when  he  entered  tlie  tabernacle.  Tliey 


were  worn  upon  the  heart  to  signify  that  the 
corresponding  principles  must  be  regarded 
with  inmost  afteetion.  They  were  divided 
into  four  orders  of  trines,  distinctly  siguili- 
cative  of  the  twofold  constitution  of  the  in- 
ternal and  external  man ;  each  trine  having 
especial  relation  to  the  three  degrees  of  the 
mind  and  tlie  life,  and  the  signification  of 
each  stone  being  determined  by  its  color  and 
its  place.  This  may  be  seen  more  clearly  from 
the  following  arrangement  (see  Gen.  xxix., 
XXX.,  XXXV.) : 


1st  row.   Sardius,    Topaz,      carbuncle,  fsiK'"'">''"K'>n'l '^P'"«-'«'»ttngthethreedegrees 
Reuben,   Simeon,    Levi,         1      celestial  goodness  in  the  internal  will, 
'■with  their  purity  and  burning  brilliancy. 
I  signifying  and  representing  the  three  degrees 
2d  row.    Emerald,  Sapphire,  Diamond,  J  of  celestial  wisdom  in  the  internal  uiider- 
Judah,     Dan,         Naphtali,    1  standing,  with  their  transparent  and  spar- 
I,  kling  lustre. 


COLORS,  NUMBERS,  MUSICAL  INSTRUMENTS,  ETC.  175 


The  literal  sense,  in  many  historical  particulars,  especially  in  figures 
or  numbers,  weights  and  measures,  has  been  made  to  give  way  for  the 
spiritual  sense,  or  has  been  arranged  without  any  other  definite  idea 
than  what  seems  the  purpose  of  the  inner  life,  or  Divine  mind.  This 
will  fully  account  for  the  apparent  breaks,  inconsistencies,  and  con- 
tradictions which  learned  commentators  have  professed  to  discover  in 
the  historical  narratives, — such  as  the  number  of  the  Israelites  Avho 
left  Egypt,  the  time  of  their  sojourn  there,  the  arts  and  sciences 
among  them,  and  many  incidents  in  the  wilderness, — all  of  which  are 
of  little  or  no  importance  when  we  consider  the  divine  and  internal 
object  which  the  Lord  had  in  view  by  the  inspiration  of  his  Word. 

Of  the  Lord,  it  is  intimated  by  the  prophet  that  He  alone  is  all- 
wise,  all-good,  and  all-powerful,  but  that  man  is  "  less  than  nothing, 
and  vanity."  And,  in  a  lofty  and  sublime  strain  of  inspiration,  asks, 
"  Who  hath  measured  the  waters  in  the  hollow  of  his  hand,  and  meted 
out  heaven  with  a  span,  and  comprehended  the  dust  of  the  earth  in  a 
measure,  and  weighed  the  mountains  in  scales,  and  the  hills  in  a  bal- 
ance"?  (Isa.  xl.  12,  17).  Nor  is  this  said  merely  in  oriental  phrase, 
of  that  divine  and  overruling  intelligence  and  goodness  which  have 
so  mysteriously  and  with  only  perfect  order  arranged  the  atoms  and 
directed  the  combinations  of  those  elemental  substances  of  which  the 
material  globe  is  composed.  Far  higher  was  the  design,  which  was 
to  call  forth  our  unquestioned  faith  and  gratitude  for  eternal  mercies, 
for  the  overrulement  of  every  moment  and  event,  by  the  secret  oper- 
ation of  his  ever-present  and  ever-wakeful  providence,  to  advance 
our  preparation  for  happiness  and  heaven.  To  this  end  the  Lord,  in 
the  wonderfiil  process  of  regeneration,  Himself  arranges  and  subor- 
dinates, in  true  order,  the  affections  and  thoughts,  and  the  goodness 
and  truth  which  they  receive,  so  as  to  constitute  the  heavens  of  the 
internal  mind  as  his  own  peculiar  dwelling-place,  and  also  the  earth 
of  the  external  mind  as  his  glorious  footstool.  The  mountains  are 
the  exalted  principles  of  love  to  the  Lord ;  the  hills  are  the  less  ele- 
vated principles  of  charity  towards  the  neighbor ;  the  waters  are  the 

f  signifying  and  representing  the  three  degrees 
3d  row.    Ligure,     Agate,      Amethyst,  I  of  spiritual  love  or  charity  which  are  active 
Gad,        Asher,      Issachar,     |  in  the  external  will,  but  modified  in  brU- 
I  liancy. 

I  signifying  and  representing  the  three  degrees 
4th  row.  Beryl,      Onyx,       Jasper,       J  of  faith  or  knowledge  in  the  external  under- 
Zebulon,  Joseph,     Benjamin,  1  standing,  less  transparent  and  more  opaque 
[than  the  three  degrees  of  internal  wisdom. 

Similar  things  are  signified  in  the  order  of  the  stones  in  the  foundations  of  the  New  Je- 
rusalem.—See  Rev.  xxi. 


176 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


divine  truths  of  his  Word,  which,  by  the  activity  of  his  power  and 
love,  He  makes  the  instrument  of  his  will  in  the  accomplishment  of 
his  work.  This  just  and  accurate  equilibrium,  subordination,  and 
complete  arrangement  of  all  things  in  relation  to  the  order  of  man's 
regeneration  and  salvation,  are  signified  by  his  being  represented  as 
measuring  the  waters  in  the  hollow  of  his  hand,  meting  out  heaven 
with  a  span,  comprehending  the  dust  of  the  earth  in  a  measure,  weigh- 
ing the  mountains  in  scales,  and  the  hills  in  a  balance ;  for  to  Him, 
and  to  Him  alone,  the  exact  measure  and  degree,  the  quantitative  and 
qualitative  analysis  of  every  state  of  his  regenerate  children  is  dis- 
tinctly known,  both  in  time  and  in  eternity.  "  O  the  depth  of  the 
riches  both  of  the  w^isdom  and  knowledge  of  God !  How  unsearch- 
able are  his  judgments,  and  his  ways  past  finding  out"  (Rom.  xi. 
33). 

Numbers,""  weights,  and  measures  have  their  spiritual  signification 


no  "There  are  simple  numbers  which  are 
significative  above  all  others,  and  from  which 
the  greater  numbers  derive  their  significa- 
tions, viz.,  the  numbers,  two,  three,  five,  and 
seven.  The  number  two  signifies  union,  and 
is  predicated  of  good  ;  the  number  three  sig- 
nifies what  is  full,  and  is  predicated  of  truths . 
the  number  five  signifies  what  is  holy ;  from 
the  number  two  arise  4,  8,  16,  400,  800,  ICOO, 
4000,  SOOO,  16,000,  which  numbers  have  the 
same  signification  as  two  has,  because  thoy 
arise  from  the  simple  number  multiplied 
into  itself,  and  by  multiplication  with  ten: 
from  the  number  three  arise  6,  12,  24,  72,  144, 
1440,  144,000,  which  numbers  also  have  the 
same  signification  as  the  number  three  has, 
because  they  arise  from  this  .simple  number 
by  multiplication;  from  the  number  five  arise 
10,  .50, 100. 1000, 10,000, 100,000,  which  numbers 
have  the  same  signification  as  the  number 
five  has,  because  they  arise  thence  by  multi- 
plication; from  the  number  seven  arise  14, 
70,  7l0,  7000,  70,(XX),  which  also,  as  arising 
thence,  have  a  similar  signification.  Inas- 
much as  the  number  three  signifies  what  is 
full,  and  what  is  full  denotes  all,  hence  the 
number  twelve  derives  its  signification  of 
all  things  and  all  persons;  the  reason  of  its 
being  predicated  of  truths  derived  from  good 
is,  because  it  arises  out  of  three  multiplied 
into  four,  and  the  number  three  is  predi- 
cated of  truths,  and  four  of  good,  as  was  said 
above."— ^.  E.  430. 

"  By  every  number  in  the  Word  is  signified 
somewhat  of  thing  or  state,  and  the  quality 
thereof  is  determined  by  the  numbers  which 
are  affixed.  The  greater  and  compound 
numbers  signify  the  same  with  the  lesser 


and  simple  from  which  they  arise  by  multi- 
plication."—^. E.  817,  506. 

"  Philo  observes  that  the  number /our  con- 
tains the  most  perfect  proportions  in  musical 
sj-mphonies,  viz. :  DiaXcssaron,  diapenle,  dia- 
pason, and  disdiapason.  For  the  proportion 
of  diatessaron  is  as  four  to  three ;  of  diapente, 
lis  three  to  two ;  of  diapason,  as  two  to  one, 
or  four  to  two;  of  disdiapason,  as  four  to 
one."— /f.  More's  Def.  of  Cabala,  p.  153. 

"All  numbers  are  contained  in  four,  virtu- 
ally ;  by  all  numbers  is  meant  ten ;  for  when 
we  come  to  ten  we  go  back  again."— /().,  p. 
153. 

"  In  the  constant  recurrence  of  the  num- 
ber seven  in  connection  with  the  rites  of 
these  Indians,  they  ofierod  a  curious  paral- 
lelism with  the  Hindus.  In  all  that  relates 
to  Agni,  the  specific  impersonation  of  fire, 
the  mystical  number  sei'cn  is  always  used. 
In  ofl'ering  an  oblation  by  fire,  the  Hindu 
priest  uttered  this  prayer:  'Fire I  seven  are 
!  thy  fuels ;  seven  thy  tongues :  seven  thy  holy 
sages ;  seven  thy  beloved  ab-xles ;  seven  ways 
do  seven  sacrifices  worship  thee ;  thy  sources 
are  seven;  may  this  oblation  be  efficacious !' " 
— dolman's  Hind.  Myth.,  p.  110 ;  Sqtiiers.  p.  117. 

'■Our  word  seven,"  says  A.,  in  a  paper  on 
the  Sabbath,  "carries  the  mind  back  to  the 
origin  of  the  human  language.  Eliding  the 
en,  which  is  merely  a  termination,  we  have 
set',  as  the  body  of  the  word.  Now,  according 
to  the  recognized  laws  of  philology,  sei'may 
exi.st  in  different  dialects  or  languages  in 
different  forms.  Ser',  for  instance,  may  be- 
come seb,  the  root  of  the  German  or  Teutonic 
sieb  (en\  seven.  It  is  easy  to  see  how  the  6 
may  soften  into  p.  Then  we  have  sep,  the 


COLORS,  NUMBERS,  MUSICAL  INSTRUMENTS,  ETC.  177 


in  the  Word  of  God.  This  is  the  reason  why  they  are  so  often  era- 
ployed,  and  why  such  frequent  and  solemn  mention  is  made  of  num- 
bering, telling,  counting,  weighing,  and  measuring.  Unless  such  a 
spiritual  signification  be  annexed  to  these  terms,  numerous  passages 
will,  in  the  literal  sense,  be  obscure  and  unintelligible.    They  are 


root  of  tlie  Latin  septem  (seven).  In  the  Cel- 
tic sah  we  have  the  Sanscrit  sap  (the  Hebrew 
Sabbath),  with  a  slight  vowel  change,  and 
the  Greek  in  {hep),  with  a  change  in  the  as- 
pirate. Here  then  we  find  the  word  sep,  or 
seven,  diffused  over  the  entire  circle  of  an- 
cient and  modem  civilization.  Over  the 
same  circle,  let  it  be  added,  the  seven-day 
worship  is  diffused.  Obviously,  the  one  is 
bound  up  with  the  other."— Sa66att  Leisure, 
p.  3. 

"Of  the  seven  chief  luminaries  of  the 
heavens  (visible  to  the  unassisted  eye),  the 
moon  is  not  only  the  nearest,  but  the  most 
closely  connected  with  the  earth,  round 
which  it  revolves  in  a  period  of  about  eight 
and  twenty  days.  In  so  revolving,  the  moon 
undergoes  lour  marked  changes.  There  is. 
first,  from  the  new  moon  to  the  half  moon ; 
secondly,  from  the  half  moon  to  the  full 
moon:  thirdly,  from  the  full  moon  to  the 
half  moon  ;  and,  fourthly,  from  the  half 
moon  to  the  new  moon.  The  entire  revolu- 
tion is  thus  divided  into  four  distinct  parts. 
But  the  fourth  of  twenty-eight  is  seven,  and 
so  we  come  again  upon  the  number  seven 
as  a  fixed,  and  not  a  fixed  only,  but  a  sacred 
number.  Hence  an  influence  to  strengthen 
the  reverence  for  the  number  seven,  which 
arose  from  the  number  of  (what  were  con- 
sidered to  be)  the  celestial  rulers.  But  the 
four  phases  of  the  moon  suggested  similar 
divisions  of  time.  Lunar  weeks  ensued,  and 
from  lunar  weeks  came  lunar  years.  Again 
seven  is  consecrated  as  a  sacred  number." — 
lb.,  p.  3. 

"  The  ecclesiastical  year  of  the  Hebrews  is 
a  lunar  year;  it  is  laid  out,  so  to  say,  in  sev- 
ens. The  seven  became  in  Israel  a  sacred 
multiple— seven  days;  seven  weeks;  seven 
times  seven  weeks,  or  the  year;  seven  years, 
or  the  Sabbatical  year;  seven  times  seven 
years,  or  the  year  of  jubilee.  Every  stage 
was  marked  and  celebrated  with  worship. 
The  septennial  year,  in  all  its  parts  and 
numbers,  was  a  year  of  wor.ship.  The  entire 
year  of  worship  finished  every  fifty  years, 
but  finished  only  to  begin  again,  with  all  its 
astronomical  divisions,  its  religious  rites, 
and  its  social  observances.  But  Israel  was 
the  [representative]  channel  for  conveying 
God's  best  blessing  to  the  world.  It  is,  there- 
fore, to  the  Divine  Providence  that  this  cycle 


of  worship  is  to  be  traced  [it  is  the  language 
of  correspondences,  grounded  in  appear- 
ances, significative  of  realities];  and  it  is 
this  Heavenly  Father  that  ought  to  receive 
our  thankful  acknowledgments." — lb.,  pp. 
3,  4. 

Twelve  is  a  compound  number,  being  the 
product  of  three  multiplied  by  four.  By 
three  is  signified,  as  we  have  seen,  all.  or 
that  which  is  full  and  complete,  applied  to 
truths  and  doctrines;  and  by  four  is  signified 
conjunction,  as  applied  to  all  principles  of 
goodness,  internal  and  external.  Hence  the 
number  twelve  signifies  the  whole  complex 
of  the  doctrines  of  truth  and  goodness,  or  of 
faith  and  charity  united,— the  reception  uf 
all  of  which  constitutes  the  Church.  It  was 
to  represent  this  that  the  twelve  patriarchs 
and  twelve  tribes  of  Israel  constituted  the 
Jewish  Church ;  and  that  at  the  commence- 
ment of  the  Christian  Church  twelve  apos- 
tles were  selected  as  the  Lord's  immediate 
disciples;  while  the  city  New  Jerusalem, 
the  church  to  be  established  in  the  days  of 
the  Lord's  second  advent,  is  represented  as 
having  twelve  foundations  and  twelve  gates. 

"  If  we  consider  that  the  waters  of  the  del- 
uge were  forty  days  and  forty  nights  coming 
on  the  earth ;  that  for  forty  years  the  Israel- 
ites did  penance  in  the  wilderness ;  that  forty 
stripes  were  the  appointed  punishment  of 
malefactors;  that /orij/dayswere allowed  the 
Ninevites  to  repent;  that  Moses,  Elijah,  and 
[our  blessed  Lord)  Jesus  Christ  fasted  each 
forty  days  and  forty  nights,  we  must  admire 
the  uniformity  of  the  divine  economy,  and 
believe  that  the  period  was  not  without  rea- 
son so  singularly  distinguished." — Bishop  De- 
hon's  Sermons,  vol.  i.,  p.  366. 

"  Forty  was  a  round  number,  and  is  slUl 
employed  as  such  in  the  East,  to  express  an 
indefinite  quantity." — Von  Bohlen's  Intro,  to 
Gen.,  vol.  i.,  p.  8'2. 

"According  to  the  ingenious  remark  of 
St.  Jerome,  the  number  forty  [in  the  Word] 
seems  to  be  consecrated  to  tribulation ;  the 
Hebrew  people  sojourned  in  Egypt  ten  times 
forty  years :  Moses,  Elias,  and  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  fasted  forty  days;  the  Hebrew  peo- 
ple remained  forty  years  in  the  desert;  the 
prophet  Ezekiel  lay  for  forty  days  on  his 
right  side."— Oi/i«7i,  iv.,  p.  158 ;  note  on  Num. 
xxiii.  1. 


M 


178 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


used  in  all  their  relations,  whether  simple  or  compound,  to  express 
the  various  qualities  of  things  in  a  combined  form,  and  the  various 
states  of  the  church  and  her  members,  either  in  a  genuine  or  in  an 
opposite  sense.  The  relations  which  number  and  order  bear  to  the 
things  and  objects  of  the  natural  world  are  of  precisely  the  same 
nature  as  are  the  relations  and  arrangements  as  to  the  quality  of  the 
things  of  the  spu'itual  world  and  the  human  mind.  "We  have  already 
seen  that  the  number  three  signifies  fulness  or  perfection,  and  denotes 
a  complete  state,  comprising  the  discrete  degrees  of  life  from  begin- 
ning to  end.  It  is  generally  predicated  of  truth,  or  of  its  opposite, 
falsity, — of  what  is  sacred,  or  what  is  polluted.  Thus,  in  addition  to 
the  instances  already  given,  the  divine  command  to  "  keep  a  feast 
unto  the  Lord  three  times  in  the  year"  (Ex.  xxiii.  14-17),  signifies 
fulness  and  perpetuity  of  the  worship  of  the  Lord  from  a  cheerful 
and  grateful  heart.  These  three  festivals  of  unleavened  bread,  or 
the  passover ;  of  the  first-fruits  of  the  harvest,  or  the  feast  of  weeks ; 
and  of  the  ingathermg,  or  feast  of  tabernacles,  were  designed  to  rep- 
resent man's  complete  spii'itual  deliverance  from  the  thraldom  of 
falsity,  and  his  purification  by  successive  trials  and  victories. — the 
insemination  of  truth  in  a  tender  state  of  heavenly  aflfection,  and  the 
implantation  of  goodness  in  the  will.  Multiples  of  the  same  number 
have,  for  the  most  part,  a  similar  signification  with  the  simple  num- 
ber, but  one  that  is  more  complex  and  extensive.  Thus,  the  number 
six,  like  three,  denotes  what  is  full  and  complete ;  but  in  a  greater 
or  fuller  degree,  all  states  of  labor  preceding  a  flill  state  of  heavenly 
rest.  Sometimes  both  simple  and  compound  numbers  are  mentioned 
in  a  subordinate  relation  to  other  numbers,  and  then  the  signification 
is  somewhat  varied :  thus,  nine  in  relation  to  ten,  and  ninety-nine  in 
relation  to  one  hundred,  denote  fulness  of  a  former  state,  previous  to 
entering  upon  a  new  one.  The  number  seven,  again,  refers  in  general 
to  what  is  holy  and  inviolable,  and,  in  an  opposite  sense,  to  what  is 
profane :  thus,  a  hallowed  and  enduring  state  of  rest  and  peace,  alter 
the  labors  and  conflicts  of  temptation,  was  represented  by  the  Sab- 
bath, which,  under  the  Jewish  dispensation,  succeeded  six  days  of 
toil,  and  was  kept  inviolate. 

But  these  states  of  returning  trial  and  rest  not  only  involved  sub- 
jects of  a  particular  kind,  but  those  of  general  and  universal  order ; 
hence,  the  Jews  were  commanded  not  only  to  keep  the  seventh  day 
holy,  but  the  seventh  year  was  commanded  to  be  a  sabbath  of  rest ; 
and  the  end  of  seven  times  seven  years,  or  seven  sabbaths  of  years,  a 


COLORS,  NUMBERS,  MUSICAL  INSTRUMENTS,  ETC. 


179 


jubilee  was  to  be  proclaimed  by  sound  of  trumpets,  slaves  were  man- 
umitted or  set  at  liberty,  alienated  property  was  restored  to  the  origi- 
nal possessor  or  his  descendants,  and  the  uncultivated  ground  yielded 
a  miraculous  increase,  equivalent  to  three  harvests  (Lev.  xxv.). 
"  Seven  times  a  day  do  I  praise  thee,"  said  the  Psalmist  (cxix.  164), 
to  signify  that  the  sweet  incense  of  praise,  to  be  acceptable  to  the 
Lord,  must  perpetually  arise  from  a  holy,  undivided  heart.  To  teach 
us  that  Christian  forgiveness  towards  an  otfending  brother  must  be 
full,  plenary,  and  holy,  we  are  divinely  enjoined  to  forgive  him  "  not 
seven  times,  but  seventy  times  seven  "  (Matt,  xviii.  21,  22) ;  and  to 
denote  a  holy  state  of  complete  purification,  out  of  Mary  Magdalene 
"  was  cast  seven  devils  "  (Mark  xvi.  9.)  In  this  pure  and  holy  state 
of  mind  and  life  signified  by  the  number  seven  we  have  conjunction 
with  divine  omnipotence,  and  thence  we  are  supplied,  through  the 
Word,  with  superhuman  strength  against  our  spiritual  adversaries. 
To  represent  this  to  the  very  life,  we  read  that,  at  the  siege  of  Jericho, 
seven  priests  were  commanded  to  bear  seven  trumpets  of  rams'  horns, 
and  the  ark  of  God,  and,  followed  by  all  the  people,  were  to  make  a 
circuit  around  the  walls  of  the  city  on  seven  successive  days ;  but  on 
the  seventh  day  they  were  to  compass  the  city  seven  times.  Then  the 
walls  thereof  fell,  and  the  city  and  its  inhabitants  were  destroyed 
(Josh.  vi.). 

Grievous  temptations,  and  their  duration, — or  full  states  of  trial 
and  suffering, — are  usually  signified  by  the  number  forty,  which  is  a 
compound  of  four  multiplied  by  ten,  denoting  fulness  and  conjunc- 
tion ;  for,  by  the  endurance  of  temptations,  goodness  and  truth  are 
conjoined  in  the  soul.  The  same  is  signified  by  twice  forty,  or  eighty, 
and,  in  a  greater  degree,  by  four  hundred,  which  is  a  compound  of 
forty  multiplied  by  ten.  Thus,  to  represent  the  trials  and  temptations 
which  the  Christian  wUl  experience  in  the  course  of  his  regeneration, 
the  children  of  Israel  were  miraculously  led  forty  years  through  the 
wilderness  (Deut.  viii.  4).  Similar  states  of  afflicting  trial  were  sig- 
nified by  the  solemn  fast  of  Moses  on  Mount  Sinai  for  forty  days  and 
forty  nights  (Deut  ix.  9 ;  x.  10) ;  by  the  forty  days  of  suffering  en- 
dured by  Elijah ;  by  the  forty  days  in  which  the  prophet  Ezekiel  was 
commanded  to  bear,  representatively,  the  iniquities  of  the  house  of 
Israel  (Ezek.  iv.  6) ;  and,  lastly,  by  the  forty  days  in  which  the  Lord 
endured  his  grievous  temptations  in  the  wilderness  (Matt.  iv.  2).  The 
strength  of  "  fourscore  years  "  is,  therefore,  described  as  being  "  labor 
and  sorrow"  (Ps.  xc.  10) ;  and  the  children  of  Israel  are,  from  this 


180 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


signification,  said  to  have  been  afflicted  in  Egypt  "  four  hundred 
years  "  (Gen.  xv.  13 ;  Acts  vii.  6). 

Weights  and  measures  are  employed  in  the  Word  of  God  to  signify 
quantity  and  quality  as  to  the  subjects  of  which  they  are  predicated, 
or  to  denote  the  estimation  in  which  they  are  held.  In  general, 
weight  has  relation  to  good and  its  quality,  and,  in  an  opposite  sense, 
to  evil, — thus  to  states  of  things  in  reference  to  the  will ;  and  measure 
has  relation  to  truth  and  its  quality,  and,  in  an  opposite  sense,  to 
falsity, — thus  to  states  of  things  in  reference  to  the  understanding. 
This  brief  signification  of  weights  and  measures,  and  their  applica- 
tion, will  at  once  enable  us  to  perceive  some  of  the  deepest  lessons  of 
divine  wisdom  contained  in  the  Word. 

By  weights  and  measures  are  signified,  in  reference  to  the  soul,  rules 
and  explorations,  and  just  judgment  as  to  the  quality  and  character 
of  the  mind  and  life.  Thus  in  Leviticus,  among  other  divine  laws, 
we  are  supplied,  in  the  spiritual  sense  of  the  Word,  with  a  divine  rule 
for  self-examination,  which,  if  any  one  conscientiously  applies  to  the 
inward  states  of  his  soul,  will  bring  down  the  strictest  justice  and 
judgment  into  all  his  words  and  works.  Nothing  is  so  common  as 
for  men  to  deceive  themselves  in  regard  to  this  important  duty.  It 
is  seldom  performed  as  it  ought  to  be,  and  is  often  substituted  by  vain 
and  powerless  acknowledgments  of  sinfulness,  uttered,  perhaps,  in 
words  of  Holy  Writ,  but  unfelt,  as  not  being  the  result  of  practical 
acquaintance  with  the  inward  states  of  the  heart.  If  sins  are  to  be 
remitted,  however,  they  must  be  put  away  by  repentance ;  and  how 
can  they  be  removed  unless  they  are  seen  ?  We  are  too  frequently 
self-satisfied  with  the  delusive  and  dangerous  notion  that  we  are  no 
worse  than  others,  while  the  evils  within  us  are  only  concealed  by  a 
fair  exterior, — honest  before  men,  but  unjust  in  the  sight  of  God, — 
outwardly  "  whited  sepulchres,  but  inwardly  filled  with  dead  men's 
bones  and  all  uncleanness  "  (Matt,  xxiii.  27).  How  important,  there- 
fore, when  considered  in  its  eternal  meaning,  is  the  di%nne  law  of 
mental  introspection  to  which  we  have  alluded,  and  in  which  the 
Lord  solemnly  warns  and  exhorts  us  as  follows :  "  Ye  shall  do  no 
unrighteousness  in  judgment,  in  mete-yard,  in  weight,  or  in  measure. 
Just  balances,  just  weights,  a  just  ephali,  and  a  just  hin  shall  ye  have" 
(xix.  35,  36).  Instructing  us  that  if,  without  self-deception,  we  would 


"  In  Eto'P*.  the  vessel  of  clay  weighed 
upon  the  balance  of  the  judgment  of  souls 
represents  the  deceased's  ^l»le  nf  good,  of 
love,  and  of  piety;  as  is  proved  by  the  in- 


scription of  the  manuscript  of  Tentamoun." — 
Portal.  See  Brit.  Mag.,  vol.  x.xi.,  p.  520.  See 
Appendix,  Egyptian  Hieroglyphics. 


COLORS,  NUMBERS,  MUSICAL  INSTRUMENTS,  ETC.  181 


attain  the  just  measure  or  quality  of  an  angel,  and  the  standard 
weight  of  the  balance  of  the  sanctuary,  we  must  not  only  examine 
the  quality  of  our  words  and  deeds,  but  of  our  desires  and  thoughts, 
our  persuasions  and  intentions,  our  motives  and  ends  of  life.  The 
exploration  of  the  church  in  general,  so  as  to  ascertain  the  quantity 
and  quality  of  truth  and  goodness  therein,  and  thence  to  examine 
the  inward  states  of  the  worshippers,  and  the  intrinsic  value  of  their 
worship,  in  order  that  revelation  might  be  made,  is  also  described  as 
follows :  "  I  lifted  up  mine  eyes  again,  and  looked,  and  behold  a  man 
with  a  measuring  line  in  his  hand.  Then  said  I,  "Whither  goest  thou  ? 
And  he  said  unto  me,  To  measure  Jerusalem,  to  see  what  is  the  breadth 
thereof,  and  what  is  the  length  thereof"  (Zech.  ii.  1,  2).  And  the 
same  things  are  signified  by  these  words  in  the  Revelation,  "And 
there  was  given  unto  me  a  reed  like  unto  a  rod :  and  the  angel  stood, 
saying.  Rise,  and  measure  the  temple  of  God,  and  the  altar,  and  them 
that  worship  therein"  (xi.  1).  This  measuring-line  and  reed  serve 
likewise  to  point  out  our  own  individual  duties,  and  the  means  of 
performing  them,  whether  they  are  moral  or  religious.  By  those 
heart-searching  truths  of  the  Holy  Word,  which  exhibit  to  us  our 
inward  character,  we  can  try  our  thoughts,  explore  our  motives,  and 
analyze  our  affections,  and  thus  discover  with  certainty  the  external 
character  of  our  words  and  works.  When,  therefore,  the  church  was 
brought  to  its  consummation  or  end,  by  the  profanation  of  all  the 
heavenly  principles  of  goodness  and  truth  ;  all  the  holy  things  of  the 
Word,  signified  by  the  consecrated  vessels  of  the  Temple,  being  ap- 
plied to  evil  purposes,  Belshazzar  is  described  at  his  impious  feast 
polluting  the  golden  vessels,  and  then,  it  is  said,  there  "  came  forth 
fingers  of  a  man's  hand,  and  wrote  upon  the  plaister  of  the  wall  of 
the  king's  palace,"  to  represent  the  divine  exploration  and  judgment, 
as  revealed  in  the  very  letter  of  God's  Word ;  while,  to  signify  that 
the  external  church  was  totally  destroyed,  because  that  within  it  all 
truth  and  goodness  had  been  profaned  and  adulterated,  and  its  quality 
in  the  divine  sight  was  only  that  of  falsity  and  evil,  in  all  the  various 
degrees  of  the  minds  of  its  professors,  "  this  was  the  writing  that  was 
written,  mexe,  mene,  tekel,  upharsin"  (Dan.  v.  25-27),  num- 
bered, weighed,  divided.  Numbered  as  to  truth,  which  was  found  to 
be  awfully  corrupted ;  weighed  as  to  goodness,  which  was  discovered 
to  be  hypocritical  and  defiled ;  divided  or  disjoined  from  the  Lord 
and  heaven,  because  faith  and  charity  were  separated,  and  about  to 
perish,  in  which  case  the  church  must  cease  to  exist  on  earth.  And 
16 


182 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


such  must  be  the  awful  and  miserable  doom  which,  after  death,  will 
most  assuredly  be  pronounced  upon  all  spiritual  idolaters  who,  from 
the  inward  love  of  evil,  had  profaned  the  holy  truths  of  religion,  and 
had  impiously  applied  them  to  their  own  sensual  and  selfish  purposes, 
and  had  likewise  defiled  and  perverted  every  principle  of  goodness, 
love,  and  charity, — those  golden  vessels  of  the  Lord's  sanctuary, — by 
hypocrisy,  deceit,  ambition,  and  pride. 

Mention  is  often  made  in  the  Word  of  musical  instruments,  in  con- 
sequence of  their  correspondence,  which  depends  upon  the  difierence 
in  their  sounds.'"  These  are  of  two  kinds,  namely,  stringed  instru- 
ments, the  solid  parts  of  which  are  composed  of  soft  wood,  as  the 
harp,  psaltery,  lyre,  etc.,  and  wind  instruments  made  of  metals,  as 
the  trumpet,  cymbal,  etc. ;  of  animals'  horns,  as  the  horn,  and  of 
hollow  wood  and  reeds,  as  the  pipe ;  together  with  those  in  which  the 
sound  is  produced  by  vibratory  membei-s  being  stretched  over  hollow 
cylinders  or  circles,  as  the  tabret,  the  drum,  and  the  timbrel.  In 
stringed  instruments  the  sounds  are  produced  by  discrete  or  perfectly 
distinct  movements,  and  are  more  particularly  predicated  of  the  un- 
derstanding, or,  rather,  of  the  distinct  degrees  of  spii-itual  aflection, 
and  such  discrete  sounds  excite  within  us  the  affections  of  truth ;  but 
wind  or  breathing  instruments,  being  capable  of  a  continuous  pro- 


112  That  various  passions,  emotions,  and  af- 
fections are  more  or  less  excited  into  activ- 
ity, by  different  and  corresponding  sounds, 
is  the  experience  of  all.  Dean  Sherlock  has 
advanced  an  idea  in  accordance  with  this 
view : 

"A  diversity  of  sounds,"  he  says,  "is  fitted 
by  nature  to  express  and  to  excite  very  dif- 
ferent passions.  Love,  joy,  admiration,  de- 
sire, fear,  sorrow,  indignation,  give  some  dis- 
tinguishing notes  and  accents  to  the  very 
voice.  And  such  different  notes  will  also  as 
forcibly  imprint  such  passions  on  our  mind 
as  they  naturally  represent,  and  that  many 
times,  whether  we  will  or  no;  which  is  a 
great  secret  in  nature,  and  shows  an  unac- 
countable sympathy  between  sounds  and 
passions." — i.,  p.  :>')!. 

Sound  is  internal  to  language,  just  as  affec- 
tion is  internal  to  thought.  Hence  tone, 
which  originat<>s  in  them  the  affections  of 
Uie  will,  alters  the  sense  of  words.  How  dif- 
ferent, again,  are  mn.sculine  tones  from  fem- 
inine tones;  the  former  indicate  the  harsh- 
ness of  the  intellect,  for  which  man  Is  pecu- 
liarly distinguished,— the  latter,  the  softness 
of  affection,  which  is  characteristic  of  wo- 
man. 

"The  Almighty  has  adapted  many  sul> 


stances  to  the  production  of  pleasing  sounds; 
the  air  which  ever  surrounds  us  is  capable 
of  conveying  those  sounds,  inspired,  indeed, 
in  power,  but  unaltered  in  quality;  while 
to  man  is  given  a  set  of  faculties  in  nothing 
more  delightfully  exercised  than  in  their 
reception  and  appreciation,  together  with 
j  the  power,  by  skilfully  arranging  and  com- 
I  bining  them,  to  produce  an  endless  and 
charming  variety  of  melody  and  harmony. 
Man's  heart  is  strong  with  sympathetic  cords, 
which  vibrate  in  iniison  with  the  several 
combinations  of  musical  sounds ;  nor  is  the 
j  effect  thus  produced  accidental  or  anoma- 
lous, the  same  feelings  are  always  excited  by 
I  the  same  combinatioivs.   Chromatic  music, 
or  a  succession  of  semitones,  soothes  and  re- 
laxes the  spirit ;  a  succession  of  chords,  as 
j  in  martial  music,  rouses  the  soul  even  to 
\  active  exertion :  plaintive  and  melancholy 
'  feelings  are  awakened  by  the  minor  mode ; 
I  the  major  mode  and  the  diatonic  scale,  the 
simplest  arrangements  of  musical  sounds, 
assume  an  endless  variety  of  expression, 
and,  like  the  natural  modulation  of  the  hu- 
man voice,  excite  various  emotions,  but  most 
usually  inspire  joy  and  gladness."— J?eftei», 
Public  Opinion. 


COLORS,  NUMBERS,  MUSICAL  INSTRUMENTS,  ETC.  183 


longation  of  sound,  have  a  more  specific  reference  to  the  will,  or, 
rather,  to  the  various  degrees  of  celestial  affection,  such  continuous 
sounds  being  those  which  more  particularly  excite  within  us  the  affec- 
tions of  goodness  and  charit)'.  Perfect  harmony  depends  upon  the 
skilful  union  of  both  these  kinds  of  instruments,  and  their  association 
with  the  human  voice,  and  is  representative  of  the  harmonic  union  of 
the  will,  understanding,  and  life, — of  spiritual  and  celestial  affections, 
when  receptive  of  goodness  and  truth,  together  Avith  the  iuAvard  ex- 
ultation, delight,  and  desires  thence  resulting.  And  with  these,  for 
the  same  reason,  because  representative  of  inward  states  of  delight 
and  joy,  singing  and  dancing  are  frequently  united.  Thus,  in  Psalm 
cl.  we  read,  "  Praise  ye  the  Lord.  Praise  God  in  his  sanctuary :  praise 
Him  in  the  firmament  of  his  power.  Praise  Him  for  his  mighty  acts : 
praise  Him  according  to  his  excellent  greatness.  Praise  Him  with 
the  sound  of  the  trumpet :  praise  Him  with  the  psaltery  and  harp. 
Praise  Him  with  the  timbrel  and  pipe :  praise  Him  with  stringed 
instruments  and  organs.  Praise  Him  upon  the  loud  cymbals :  praise 
Him  upon  the  high  souAding  cymbals.  Let  every  thing  that  hath 
breath  praise  the  Lord.  Praise  ye  the  Lord."  In  this  divine  Psalm 
Ave  are  exhorted,  in  the  spiritual  sense,  to  render  praise  to  the  Lord, 
not  only  with  the  holy  thoughts  of  the  understanding,  but  Avith  all 
the  pure  and  fervent  affections  of  the  will  united  in  one  harmonious 
concord.  We  are  to  praise  Him  Avith  all  our  poAvers  for  his  Avonder- 
ful  Avorks  of  creation,  redemption,  regeneration,  and  salvation,  and 
for  the  glorious  attributes  by  AA'hich  they  Avere  and  still  are  accom- 
plished. To  praise  Him  Avith  Avind  instruments  is  to  celebrate  Him 
from  the  inmost  or  celestial  afiections  of  love  and  goodness  in  the 
heart ;  and  to  praise  Him  Avith  stringed  instruments  and  cymbals,  is 
to  exalt  Him  from  spiritual  affections  of  Avisdom  and  truth  in  the 
understanding,  thus  to  delight  in  the  Lord,  and  to  Avorship  and  ser\'e 
Him  from  the  harmonious  agreement  and  concord  of  the  Avhole  mind. 
For  let  man,  as  to  the  complex  faculties  of  his  intellect  and  reason, 
be  contemplated  as  like  a  stringed  instrument,  as  the  psaltery,  and, 
as  to  his  voluntary  principles,  like  a  Avind  instrument,  as  the  organ, 
every  note,  by  virtue  of  his  hereditary  tendencies  to  evil  and  error, 
may  be  said,  before  regeneration,  to  be  deranged  and  discordant. 
What,  then,  is  the  process  of  regeneration  but  the  attuning  of  all  the 
affections  and  thoughts,  AA'ords  and  works,  so  that  every  string  and 
pipe  gives  forth  its  appropriate  sound,  and  combines  Avith  all  the  rest 
in  perfect  unity,  uttering  in  harmonious  notes  and  melodious  tones 


184 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


songs  of  adoration,  gratitude,  and  praise,  and  giving  suitable  expres- 
sion to  the  inmost  delights  of  the  soul. 

Sometimes  stringed  instruments  or  wind  instruments  are  spoken  of 
by  themselves,  as  when  deliverance  or  redemj^tion  by  the  power  of 
divine  truth  is  treated  of,  where  we  read,  "  The  Lord  was  ready  to 
save  me :  therefore  we  will  sing  my  songs  to  the  stringed  instruments 
all  the  days  of  our  life,  in  the  house  of  the  Lord"  (Isa.  xxxviii.  20). 
That  to  sing  to  the  Lord  denotes  to  praise  and  glorify  Him  is  self- 
evident  ;  and  to  do  this  with  a  timbrel,  as  Miriam  did,  after  the  won- 
derful passage  and  deliverance  from  the  Red  Sea  (Ex.  xv.  20),  sig- 
nifies to  perform  this  great  duty  of  thanksgiving  to  the  Lord  for  his 
abounding  mercies,  from  an  inward  ground  of  heartfelt  confidence 
and  gratitude."' 

On  account  of  this  signification  of  musical  instruments,  and  their 
distinction  into  two  classes,  several  Psalms,  which  have  relation  to 
the  spiritual  affections  of  wisdom  or  truth,  were  directed  to  be  sung 
in  the  representative  worship  of  the  Jewish  Temple,  accompanied  by 
neginoth  or  gittith,  which  were  stringed  iiistruments  (Ps.  iv.,  liv.) ; 
while  others,  which  have  more  immediate  reference  to  the  celestial 
aflTections  of  love  or  goodness,  and  faith  thence  derived,  were  required 
to  be  sung  upon  nehiloth,  or  upon  wind  instruments  (Ps.  v.,  viii. ; 
Hab.  iii.  19)."*    Sometimes  instruments  of  music  are  spoken  of  in  an 


See  for  illustrations :  Lam.  v.  14,  15 ;  1 
Cor.  xiv.  15;  Eph.  v.  19;  Ps.  xxx.  11,  xxxiii. 
1-5,  Ixviii.  25,  Ixxxi.  H.  Ixxxvii.  7,  cxliv.  9, 
cxlix.  1-4 ;  Isa.  xxxi.  3, 4,  li. 11 ;  2  Sam.  xxi. 
11;  Luke  vii.  32,  xv.  25;  Matt.  xi.  1". 

1'*  Xcginolh,  Heb.,  literally  pulsations,  from 
a  verb  which  signifies  to  stril^e  the  strings 
of  a  musical  instrument,  cither  with  the 
fingers,  or  with  a  plectrum,— a  quill,  or  bow. 

Nehiloth.  or  more  correctly,  yechilolh.  or 
Hannechiloth,  is  derived  from  a  root  which 
signifies  to  bore  or  perforate,  doubtleso  sig- 
nifying wind  instruments  of  some  kind,  all 
of  which  are  formed  of  hollow  tubes.— See 
Oowe's  Tramldtions  of  the  Psalmi',  pp.  24,  27. 

Neginoth,  Hashcminith,  a  harp  with  eight 
strings.  Haggittith,  the  harp  of  Gath. 

Shigonoth,  a  concert  of  various  stringed 
instruments. 

Shoshannino.  a  six-stringed  instrument. 

Shushan-eduth,  a  six-stringed  lute. 

Some  psahus  are  directed  to  be  sung  by 
virgins,  with  the  rc-sponsee  of  a  youth ;  oth- 
ers by  alternate  choruses ;  otliers  by  voices 
and  instrnmenLs  of  the  treble  pitch ;  and 
others  were  to  be  accompanied  with  tim- 
brel, harp,  psaltery,  cymbals,  and  trumpets. 


All  have  their  peculiar  and  spiritual  signifi- 
cance.—See  Ps.  Ixviii.  25,  Ivii.  8,  xlix.  4.  Ixxi. 
22,  cl.  3,  Ixxxi.  2,  3 ;  Ez.  xxxiii.  3 ;  Rev.  i.  10, 
j  xiv.  2,  xviii.  18;  Num.  x.  2. 

Musical  tones  and  instruments  are  often 
I  referred  to  by  Swedenborg,  as  presenting  dif- 
j  ferent  correspondences,  according  to  their 
distinct  correspondences. — See  A.  C.  8337. 

Berlioz,  in  his  work  On  the  Orchestra,  says 
that  "the  quality  of  the  tone  of  the  trumpet 
is  noble  and  brilliant;  it  suits  warlike  ideas, 
as  also  songs  of  triumph.  It  lends  itself  to 
the  exprciision  of  all  energetic,  lofty,  and 
grand  sentiments." 

"  Tlie  fable  of  Orpheus,  ■who  is  said  to 
have  charmed  all  creation,  monsters,  rocks 
and  trees,  heaven  and  hell,  was  most  prob- 
ably at  first  a  simple  allegory,  denoting 
and  describing  the  orderly  effects  of  instruc- 
tion in  wisdom  and  philosophy,  in  morality 
and  civil  discipline,  and  among  all  degrees 
of  man,  barbarous  and  civilized.  Tliat  when 
prompted  by  love,  it  is  all-powerful,  and  in- 
troduces harmony  and  concord  into  all  the 
alTairs  of  the  world,  mental  and  matenal." 
— See  I.rmpricre's  Clas.  IHct.,  and  Bacon's  Wis- 
dom ojlhe  Awienls,  Art.  Orpheus. 


COLORS,  NUMBERS,  MUSICAL  INSTRUMENTS,  ETC.  185 

opposite  sense,  to  denote  the  sinful  delight  which  the  unregenerate 
take  in  what  is  evil  and  false.  Such  insane  pleasures,  originating  in 
self-homage,  together  with  its  enchanting  persuasions,  are  signified 
by  the  worship  of  Nebuchadnezzar's  golden  image,  which  was  accom- 
panied with  all  kinds  of  music  (Dan.  iii.).  And  it  is  to  such  evil  and 
impure  pleasures,  especially  Avlien  they  arise  from  the  profanation  of 
what  is  good  and  true,  that  the  Lord  alludes,  where  He  says,  "  Take 
thou  away  from  me  the  noise  of  thy  songs ;  for  I  will  not  hear  the 
melody  of  thy  viols.  Woe  to  them  that  are  at  ease  in  Zion,  and  trust 
in  the  mountain  of  Samaria.  That  chant  to  the  sound  of  the  viol, 
and  invent  to  themselves  instruments  of  music,  like  David"  (Amos  v. 
23  ;  vi.  1,  5).  And,  again,  speaking  of  the  self-intelligent,  who  despise 
the  instructions  of  the  Divine  Word,  it  is  said,  "  The  harp,  and  the 
viol,  the  tabret,  and  pipe,  and  wine,  are  in  theii-  [polluted]  feasts ; 
but  they  regard  not  the  work  of  the  Lord,  neither  consider  the  oper- 
ation of  his  hands"  (Isa.  v.  12). 

The  harp  is  a  well  known  stringed  instrument,  often  mentioned  in 
the  Word,  and  signifies,  in  the  internal  sense,  the  voice  of  praise  from 
spiritual  truth,  and  thence  confession,  from  sincere  joy  of  heart,  that 
all  deliverance  from  sin  is  effected  by  the  power  of  divine  truth  pro- 
ceeding from  divine  mercy.  Hence,  in  praising  and  blessing  God  for 
victorious  deliverance  from  all  spiritual  enemies  and  troubles,  and  the 
consequent  elevation  of  the  mind,  together  with  the  gladness  and 
comfort  of  soul  thence  derived,  the  inspired  penman  writes :  "  I  will 
also  praise  thee  with  the  psaltery,  even  thy  truth,  O  my  God ;  unto 
thee  will  I  sing  with  the  harp,  O  thou  Holy  One  of  Israel "  (Ps.  Ixxi. 
22).  This  is  the  reason  why  angels  are  represented  as  having  "  the 
harps  of  God"  (Rev.  v.  8);  for  thus  all  confess  Him  with  one  accord, 
and  from  inmost  delight.  To  represent  the  soul-enchanting  harmony 
of  such  acknowledgment  and  its  attendant  joys  among  the  inhabit- 
ants of  heaven,  the  apostle  says,  "  I  heard  a  voice  from  heaven,  as  the 
voice  of  many  waters,  and  as  the  voice  of  a  great  thunder :  and  I 
heard  the  voice  of  harpers  harping  with  their  harps  "  (Rev.  xiv.  2). 
With  this  signification  of  the  harp  before  us,  how  beautiful  and  in- 
structive is  the  account  we  have  of  Saul  and  David,  where  we  read, 
that  in  consequence  of  obstinate  disobedience  "  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord 
departed  from  Saul,"  and  an  evil  spirit  was  permitted  to  trouble 
him ;  but  he  commanded  his  servants  to  provide  him  a  man  who 
could  play  skilfully  upon  the  harp.  And  David  was  brought  before 
him,  "And  it  came  to  pass,"  it  is  said,  that  "  when  the  evil  spirit  from 
16* 


186 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


God  M  as  upon  Saul,  that  David  took  a  harp,  and  played  with  his 
hand ;  so  Saul  "was  refreshed  and  was  well,  and  the  evil  spirit  de- 
parted from  him  "  (1  Sam.  x\'i.  14-23).  The  sphere  of  such  confes- 
sion, arising  from  the  harp  of  truth  being  melodiously  attuned  to  our 
states  by  the  Lord's  presence  and  providence,  is  truly  angelic,  and 
full  of  power.  Evil  spirits,  who  can  live  and  rejoice  only  in  scenes 
of  jarring  discord,  are  expelled  from  communion  with  the  soul, 
turbulent  passions  are  calmed,  reason  resumes  the  sceptre,  polluted 
aflections  and  thoughts  are  di-iven  away,  despair  and  grief  are  dissi- 
pated,— so  that  the  blessed  angels  can  draw  near  to  minister  to  man's 
consolation  and  joy,  and  restore  him,  if  he  will,  to  iimocence,  intelli- 
gence, and  felicity. 

On  this  subject  Swedenborg's  remarks  are  numerous,  interesting, 
and  most  edifying.  Thus,  in  one  place,  he  says,  "  Formerly,  in  divine 
worship,  several  kinds  of  musical  instruments  were  applied,  but  Avith 
much  distinction ;  in  general,  by  the  wind  instruments  were  expressed 
the  affections  of  good,  and  by  the  stringed  instruments  the  affections 
of  truth,  and  this  from  the  correspondence  of  everything  sonorous 
with  the  affections.  It  is  a  known  thing  that  b)^  some  kinds  of  mu- 
sical instruments  are  expressed  natural  affections  of  one  quality,  by 
some  natural  affections  of  another  quality,  and,  when  suitable  har- 
mony conspires,  that  they  actually  call  forth  those  affections.  They 
who  are  skilled  in  music  are  aware  of  this,  and  also  act  accordingly 
in  applying  the  several  instruments  to  the  purpose  intended.  This 
circumstance  has  its  ground  in  the  very  nature  of  sounds,  and  of  their 
agreement  witli  the  affections.  ]\Ian  learnt  this,  at  first,  not  from 
science  and  art,  but  from  the  hearing  and  its  exquisite  sense.  Hence 
it  is  plain  that  it  does  not  originate  in  the  natural  world,  but  in  the 
spiritual,  and  in  this  case  is  derived  from  the  correspondence  of 
things  which  flow  from  order  in  the  natural  world  with  things  in  the 
spiritual  world.  Harmonious  sound  and  its  varieties  in  the  natural 
world  correspond  to  states  of  joy  and  gladness  in  the  spiritual,  aud 
states  of  joy  and  gladness  in  the  spiritual  world  exist  from  affections, 
which,  in  that  world,  are  the  affections  of  good  and  truth ;  hence, 
now  it  may  be  manifest  that  musical  instruments  correspond  to  the 
delights  and  pleasantnesses  of  spiritual  and  celestial  affection.s,  aud 
that  some  instruments  correspond  to  the  latter  affections,  some  to  the 
former."— A.  C.  8337. 

"  As  things  celestial  are  the  holy  things  of  love,  and  the  good  things 
thence  derived,  so  things  spiritual  are  the  truths  and  good  things  of 


COLORS,  NUMBERS,  MUSICAL  INSTRUMENTS,  ETC.  187 


faith  ;  for  it  is  the  part  of  faith  to  understand  not  only  what  is  true, 
but  also  what  is  good,  the  knowledges  of  faith  implying  both ;  but  to 
be  such  as  faith  teacheth,  is  the  part  of  the  celestial  [principle].  In- 
asmuch as  faith  implieth  the  knowledge  both  of  goodness  and  truth, 
they  are  signified  by  two  instruments,  the  harp  and  the  organ.  The 
harp  is  a  stringed  instrument,  as  every  one  knows,  and  therefore  sig- 
nifies spiritual  truth ;  but  the  organ  is  between  a  stringed  instrument 
and  a  wind  instrument,  and  therefore  signifies  spiritual  good. 

"  In  the  Word  mention  is  made  of  various  instruments,  and  each 
has  its  particular  signification,  as  will  be  shown,  by  the  divine  mercy 
of  the  Lord,  in  its  proper  place.  At  present  we  shall  only  adduce 
some  passages  from  David  in  relation  thereto,  as,  for  instance,  '  I  will 
olfer  in  the  tent  of  Jehovah  sacrifices  of  shouting,  I  will  sing  and  play 
to  Jehovah '  (Psalm  xxvii.  6).  Where  by  tent  is  expressed  what  is 
celestial,  and  by  shouting,  singing,  and  playing,  what  is  spiritual. 
Again,  'Sing  to  Jehovah,  ye  just,  for  his  praise  is  comely  for  the 
upright ;  confess  to  Jehovah  on  the  harp,  play  unto  Him  on  the  psal- 
tery, an  instrument  of  ten  strings ;  sing  unto  Him  a  new  song,  j^lay 
skilfully  with  a  loud  noise,  because  the  Word  of  Jehovah  is  right, 
and  all  his  Avork  is  in  truth'  (Ps.  xxxiii.  1-4),  signifying  the  truths 
of  faith,  whereof  such  things  are  predicated.  Things  spiritual,  or 
truths  and  the  good  things  of  faith,  were  celebrated  by  the  harp  and 
psaltery,  by  singing  and  the  like ;  whereas  things  holy,  or  the  celestial 
things  of  faith,  were  celebrated  by  wind  instruments,  as  trumpets  and 
the  like ;  hence  so  many  instruments  were  used  about  the  Temple, 
and  it  was  ordained  so  frequently  that  this  or  that  should  be  cele- 
brated with  particular  instruments,  and  this  was  the  reason  why  in- 
struments were  applied  and  understood  to  signify  the  things  them- 
selves which  were  celebrated  by  them,  as  in  the  cases  now  before  us. 
Again,  '  I  will  confess  unto  thee  with  the  instrument  of  psaltery,  thy 
truth,  O  my  God  ;  unto  thee  will  I  play  with  the  harp,  O  thou  Holy 
One  of  Israel ;  my  lips  shall  sing  when  I  play  unto  thee,  and  my  soul 
which  thou  hast  redeemed'  (Ps.  Ixxi.  22,  2-3).  Where,  in  like  man- 
ner, the  truths  of  faith  are  signified.  Again,  'Answer  to  Jehovah 
in  confession,  play  on  the  harp  to  our  God '  (Ps.  cxlvii.  7).  In  which 
passage  confession  has  respect  to  the  celestial  things  of  faith,  and 
therefore  mention  is  made  of  Jehovah ;  whereas,  to  play  on  the  harp 
has  respect  to  the  spiritual  things  of  faith,  and  therefore  mention  is 
made  of  God.  Again,  '  Let  them  praise  the  name  of  Jehovah  in  the 
dance,  let  them  play  unto  Him  with  the  timbrel  and  harp'  (Ps. 


188 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDEXCES. 


cxlix.  3).  The  timbrel  signifies  good,  and  the  harp  truth,  which  they 
praise.  Again,  '  Praise  God  with  the  sound  of  the  trumpet ;  praise 
Him  on  the  psaltery  and  harp;  praise  Him  with  the  timbrel  and 
pipe  ;  praise  Him  on  stringed  instruments  and  organs ;  praise  Him  on 
the  cymbals  of  hearing ;  praise  Him  on  the  cymbals  of  shouting '  (Ps. 
el.  3-5), — signifying  the  good  things  and  truths  of  faith,  which  Avere 
the  ground  of  praise.  Nor  let  any  one  suppose  that  so  many  different 
instruments  would  have  been  here  mentioned,  iinless  they  had  had 
such  spiritual  signification.  Again,  'Send  out  thy  light  and  thy 
truth,  let  them  lead  me ;  let  them  bring  me  unto  the  mountain  of  thy 
holiness,  and  to  thy  habitations,  and  I  will  go  unto  the  altar  of  God, 
unto  the  God  of  the  gladness  of  my  rejoicing,  and  I  will  confess  to 
thee  on  the  harp,  O  God,  my  God '  (Ps.  xliii.  3,  4), — signifying  the 
knowledges  of  goodness  and  truth.  So  in  Isaiah,  'Take  a  harp,  go 
about  the  city,  make  sweet  melody,  sing  many  songs,  that  thou  mayest 
be  remembered'  (xxiii.  16), — signLf\-ing  the  things  respecting  faith, 
and  the  knowledges  thereof.  The  same  is  expressed  still  more  plainly 
in  the  Revelation :  '  The  four  animals  and  the  four  and  twenty  elders 
fell  down  before  the  Lamb,  having  every  one  of  them  harps,  and 
golden  vials  full  of  odoi-s,  which  are  the  prayers  of  the  saints '  (v.  8). 
Where  it  must  be  evident  to  every  one  that  the  animals  and  elders 
had  not  harps,  but  that  by  harps  are  signified  the  truths  of  faith,  as 
by  golden  vials  fuU  of  odors  are  signified  the  good  things  of  faith. 
In  David  they  are  called  praises  and  confessions,  which  were  made 
by  instruments  (Ps.  xlii.  5  ;  Ixix.  31) ;  and  in  another  place,  in  John, 
'  I  heard  a  voice  from  heaven,  as  the  voice  of  many  waters ;  and  I 
heard  the  voice  of  haipers  harping  with  their  harps;  and  they  sun^ 
a  new  song'  (Rev.  xiv.  2).  And  in  another  place,  '  I  saw  them  that 
bad  gotten  the  victory  stand  near  the  sea  of  glass,  having  the  har])s 
of  God '  (Rev.  xv.  2).  It  is  worthy  to  be  remarked,  that  angels  and 
spirits,  according  to  their  differences  with  respect  to  goodness  and 
truth,  distinguish  tones,  and  thb  not  only  in  the  case  of  singing  and 
of  instruments,  but  also  in  the  words  of  speech,  and  admit  only  such 
tones  as  are  in  concord,  so  that  there  is  an  agreement  of  tones,  conse- 
quently of  instruments,  with  the  nature  and  essence  of  goodness  and 
truth.''— A.  C.  419,  420. 

The  Egyptian  priests  appear  to  have  been  their  musicians.  Tlieir 
flute  was  only  a  cow's  horn,  with  three  or  four  perforations  in  it, 
afterwards  imitated  in  metal,  and  even  still  called  horns.  Tlieir  harp 
or  lyre  had  only  three  strings.  The  Grecian  and  Jewish  harp  or  lyre 


COLORS,  NUMBERS,  MUSICAL  INSTRUMENTS,  ETC.  189 


had  seven,  eight,  and  ten  strings,  probably  somewhat  like  a  modern 
guitar  or  lute,  and  was  small,  being  held  in  the  hand.  The  Jewish 
trumpets  were  rams'  horns,  but  afterwards  were  also  made  of  silver 
and  other  metals,  and  were  both  straight  and  bent.  Their  flute 
was  the  same  as  the  Egyptian.  Their  organ  was  an  arrangement 
of  pipes,  similar  to  what  are  called  Pandaean,  or  shepherd's  pipes ; 
and  perforated  pipes,  or  flutes,  sometimes  made  of  reeds,  and  Mere 
both  single  and  double.  The  sackbut  or  psaltery  was,  in  all  proba- 
bility, a  triangular  instrument,  furnished  with  ten  strings,  and  struck 
by  a  rod,  or  by  a  plectrum.  Their  other  musical  instruments  Avere 
those  of  percussion,  as  the  timbrel  or  tabret,  a  kind  of  tambourine ; 
the  triangle,  or  triangular  rods,  in  pairs,  both  plain  and  charged  with 
rings.  The  citherns  of  the  ancients  were  made  of  bronze  or  brass, 
and  were  furnished  with  bars  and  rings.  However  simple  these 
ancient  instruments  were,  they  bear  precisely  the  same  signification 
as  the  more  complicated  and  complete  of  modern  times,  for  all  kinds 
are  equally  divisible  into  the  three  classes  just  mentioned.  Such 
music  as  the  Jews  had  at  their  command,  singing  and  even  dancing, 
appears  to  have  been  interwoven  into  all  their  religious  festivals  and 
ceremonies  of  worship,  and  this  could  only  have  been  from  their  cor- 
respondence. 

Both  cheerful  and  mournful  singing  and  dancing  are  often  spoken 
of  in  the  Word,  to  denote  and  express  inward  joy,  and  its  correspond- 
ing delight,  in  the  external  mind;  for  "joy  of  heart  finds  utterance 
in  singing,  because  when  the  heart  is  full  of  joy,  and  thence  the 
thoughts  also,  it  then  pours  itself  forth  in  singing"  (Ap.  Ex.  326). 
This  gladness  and  joy  are  not  derived  to  man  from  the  natural  world, 
or  from  mere  scientific  skill,  but  from  the  spiritual  world,  by  percep- 
tion or  intuition ;  the  external  sounds  and  their  harmonious  or  melo- 
dious combinations  being  the  corresponding  base  on  which  they  rest, 
and  by  means  of  which  the  afiections  are  brought  forth.  Choirs  for 
conducting  the  praises  of  congregations  in  public  worship,  therefore, 
ought  to  be  pious  and  intelligent  persons,  who,  themselves,  inwardly 
feel  and  respond  to  the  appropriate  tunes  and  melodies  which  they 
introduce ;  and  then  the  congregations  will  be  greatly  aided  in  their 
united  responses  of  satisfaction  and  delight.  Like  the  true  poet,  the 
master  of  music  also  owes  his  peculiar  skill  to  an  inferior  kind  of 
inspiration  or  spiritual  intuition.  The  prophets  frequently  accompa- 
nied their  plenarily-inspu-ed  songs  and  predictions  with  the  melody 
of  musical  instruments. 


CHAPTEE  XIII 


The  Cokeespondence  of  Animals,  Paets  of  Animals,  and  Compound 
AND  Monstrous  Animals,  with  Illustrations. 

ALL  kinds  of  animals  have  their  peculiar  correspondences,  in 
agreement  with  their  forms,  characteristics,  and  uses ;  for  they 
all  derive  their  existence  from  spiritual  causes,  and,  by  virtue  of  their 
instinct,  are  in  momentary  connection  with  the  spiritual  world.  In 
the  Word  of  God  the  beasts  of  the  earth — the  tame  and  useful  as 
well  as  the  wild  and  ferocious,  the  clean  and  the  unclean — correspond, 
in  general,  to  various  good  or  evil  affections,  according  to  their  orders 
and  qualities,  and  the  subject  of  which  they  are  predicated.  The 
birds,  or  winged  tribes  of  animals,  distinguished  by  their  astonishing 
quickness  of  sight, — both  clean  and  unclean, — agreeably  to  their 
respective  genera  and  characters,  and  the  subject  treated  of,  corre- 
spond to  the  various  kinds  and  degrees  of  thought,  reason,  intelli- 
gence, and  the  power  of  understanding,  and  are  predicated  both  of 
what  is  holy  and  what  is  profane.  For  these  faculties  and  their 
attainments  impart  to  man  intellectual  acuteness  and  penetration, 
enabling  him  to  fly,  as  it  were,  with  wings,  and  disport  himself  in  the 
atmosphere  of  knowledge.  The  fishes  and  the  reptiles,  according  to 
their  respective  forms  and  habitudes,  correspond  to  those  low  external 
principles  of  man's  earthly  nature,  which,  before  the  mind  is  regen- 
erated, flit  and  grovel  among  sensual  objects  and  selfish  pursuits. 

In  the  very  characteristics  of  many  animals,  to  say  nothing  of  their 
forms  and  uses,  which  are  both  good  and  evil,  there  is  a  striking  cor- 
respondence which  is  almost  universally  admitted.  Thus,  how  fre- 
quently are  corresponding  qualities  of  the  mind  associated  with  vari- 
ous animals,  or  parts  of  animals.  In  the  ferocity  of  the  tiger,  the 
cunning  of  the  fox,  the  strength  of  the  lion,  the  subtlety  of  the  ser- 
pent, the  filthiness  of  the  swine,  the  innocence  of  the  lamb,  the  cru- 
elty of  the  wolf,  the  voracity  of  the  vulture,  the  nocturnal  propensi- 
ties and  powers  of  the  owl  and  the  bat,  the  soaring  power  of  the 
eagle,  the  rapid  flight  of  the  swallow,  the  affection  of  the  turtle  for 

190 


CORRESPONDENCE  OF  THE  ANIMAL  WORLD.  191 


its  mate,  the  virulent  poison  of  the  asp,  the  deadly  sting  of  the  scor- 
pion, the  destructive  propensities  of  the  caterpillar,  the  treachery  of 
the  spider,  the  instructive  prudence  and  industry  of  the  bee,  etc.,  we 
may  at  once  recognize  the  general  correspondence  of  those  animals.'" 
Who,  if  he  reflects  on  the  subject,  may  not  perceive  that  the  croaking 
of  the  frog  represents  mere  atheistical  reasonings  against  the  truth 
and  authority  of  God's  Word  ?  This  Avas  the  reason  why  among  the 
plagues  of  Egypt  one  was  of  frogs,  which  came  up  and  covered  the 
land  (Ex.  viii.) ;  and  why  "  the  spirits  of  dcAals,  working  miracles, 
and  going  forth  into  the  whole  world,"  are  described  as  "  three  unclean 


"5  The  names  of  most  of  the  animals  in  He- 
brew, and  probably  all,  were  the  roots  known, 
are  expressive  of  some  of  their  leading  qual- 
ities or  characteristics,  and  the  sound  is  de- 
rived from  their  cries. 

"  Clean  and  unclean  beasts  are  introduced 
by  the  sacrsd  writers  to  signify  the  pure  and 
impure  affections  of  the  people ;  agreeably 
with  the  natural  propensities  of  the  animals 
mentioned.  See  Bz.  viii.  10 ;  Rev.  xviii.  2."— 
Bellamy,  Lev.  xix.  31,  note. 

The  word  translated  cockatrice  has  been 
variously  rendered  basilisk,  asp,  viper,  hy- 
dra, etc.  One  of  the  most  venomous  kinds 
of  oviparous  serpents  appears  to  be  meant. 
It  was  thought  by  Dr.  Blaney  to  have  re- 
ceived its  Hebrew  appellation  by  an  onomat- 
opceia,  from  its  hissing. 

"  It  is  well  known  that  the  names  afiRxed  to 
the  different  animals  in  Scripture  always  ex- 
press [in  the  original  language]  some  promi- 
nent feature  and  essential  characteristic  of 
the  creature  to  which  they  are  applied  (Dr. 
A.  Clarke).  It  is  an  interesting  fact,  also,  that 
nearly  all  the  animals  among  the  Hindoos 
have  names  given  to  them  which  either  al- 
lude to  their  shape  or  their  habits."— JSo6- 
erts's  Oriental  lUuslr.,  2d  ed.,  p.  5. 

"  Certain  it  is  that  man  combines  in  him- 
self the  passions  of  all  animals,  and  that 
which  predominates,  whether  from  nature 
or  habit,  becomes  displayed  in  his  physiog- 
nomy by  something  like  the  features  of  the 
animal  which  is  its  characteristic.  In  a 
mixed  assembly,  a  physiognomist  may  fancy 
that  he  traces  the  natures  of  the  most  artful 
and  cruel  animals.  Animals  differ  from  man 
in  this  respect,  inasmuch  as  each  species  may 
be  said  to  possess  only  one  kind  of  expres- 
sion."— St.  Pierre's  Harmonies  of  Nature,  vol. 
ii,  p.  4. 

Among  the  Hindoos,  an  artful,  treacherous 
man  is  called  a  jackal,  an  animal  in  habits 
and  propensities  akin  to  th«  fox,  and  is  sup- 
posed to  be  often  meant  in  the  Word  by  the 
original  term  translated  fox.  See  Roberts's 


Oriental  lUus.,  p.  172,  and  Harris's  Xat.  Hist, 
of  the  Bible,  Art.  Fox. 

"The  Bible,  throughout,  contains  figurative 
representations  of  the  passions  and  affections 
in  man,  by  the  application  of  the  propensities 
and  affections  of  animals.  It  is  a  way  of  car- 
r>ing  information  most  powerfully  illustra- 
tive."— Bellamy,  Gen.  iii.,  note  5. 

"  The  pursuers  of  vain  knowledge  are  like 
owls,— sharp-sighted  in  vanity,  and  blind  at 
the  approach  of  true  light." — Bias. 

"Agens  of  Athens,  according  to  Androlion, 
was  of  the  serpent  breed,  i.  e.,  circtanspect,  or 
prudent,  and  the  first  king  of  the  country 
(Herod.,  1.  viii.,  c.  41),  and  Diodorus  says 
that  this  was  a  circumstance  deemed  by  the 
Athenians  inexplicable;  that  some  had  men- 
tioned conceniing  Cecrops,  that  he  under- 
went a  metamorphosis,  that  he  tens  changed 
from  a  serpent  into  a  man.  That  is,  from  being 
a  sensualist,  like  a  beast,  he  became  virtuous. 
Such  was  the  application  of  the  propensities 
of  animals  to  signify  the  like  propensities  in 
man." — lb..  Lev.  xix.  31,  note.  See  also  Ap- 
pendix, Metempsychosis. 

■'  Men,  left  to  the  corruptions  of  their  own 
hearts,  are  (as  the  Psalmist  says),  'even  as 
beasts  before  God.'  .  .  .  There  w-as  a  moral, 
as  w'ell  as  a  spiritual,  doctrine  implied  in 
the  prohibition  of  certain  animals  under 
the  law.  God's  people  were  not  to  resemble 
in  their  manner  the  predominant  evil  tem- 
pers of  many  beasts,  who,  for  those  e\il  tem- 
pers, were  marked  out  as  vile  and  unclean. 
The  fierceness  of  some,  the  gluttony  of  oth- 
ers, and  the  filthy,  base,  or  savage  dispositions 
of  the  rest,  were  to  be  held  in  greater  abhor- 
rence than  their  mere  flesh,  which,  entering 
the  mouth  as  such,  'could  never  defile  the 
man;'  and  men,  living  under  dominion  of 
those  depravities,  are,  therefore,  more  im- 
pure in  the  sight  of  God  than  those  beasts 
which  are  possessed  of  them  possibly  can  be, 
in  the  sense  of  the  law." — Herle's  Hor.  SoL, 
pp.  246,  247,  and  note. 


192 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


spirits  like  frogs,  [proceeding]  out  of  the  mouth  of  the  dragon,  and 
out  of  the  mouth  of  the  beast,  and  out  of  the  mouth  of  the  false 
prophet"  (Rev.  xvi.  13,  14).  Or,  again,  who  cannot  recognize  a 
horse,  as  descriptive  of  ability  and  poAver  ?  Or,  again,  who  does  not 
see  that  the  eggs  of  that  malignant  reptile  called  a  cockatrice,  basilisk, 
or  asp,  are  corresponding  forms  of  the  germs  of  evil  originating  in 
falsity,  thus  of  sensual  affections  in  the  heart,  which,  if  eaten,  or  in- 
wardly appropriated,  cause  death  ;  or  if  crushed,  or  made  externally 
manifest,  bring  forth  the  poisonous  viper  ?  Or,  that  the  spider  which 
spins  its  gossamer  web  with  which  it  fabricates  its  filmy  covering 
and  snare  from  its  own  bowels,  and  stealthily  watches  to  seize  the 
unwary  victim  entangled  in  its  meshes,  is  a  true  correspondent  of 
those  cunning  arguments  and  contrivances,  grounded  in  treacherous 
falsehood,  which  derive  their  flimsy  substance,  and  weave  a  mysteri- 
ous and  deceitful  texture,  from  man's  own  self-intelligence,  prompted 
by  the  artful  persuasions  of  hell,  and  with  which  weak  minds  are 
successfully  deluded  and  snared  ?  Hence  we  read  in  the  prophet  this 
description  of  so  depraved  a  state  of  the  church  and  the  mind  :  "  None 
calleth  for  justice,  nor  any  pleadeth  for  truth  :  they  trust  in  vanity, 
and  speak  lies ;  they  conceive  mischief,  and  bring  forth  iniquity. 
They  hatch  cockatrice'  eggs,  and  weave  the  spider's  web ;  he  that 
eateth  of  them  dieth,  and  that  which  is  crushed  breaketh  out  into  a 
viper."  And  to  denote  the  frailty,  deceitfulness,  and  unworthiness 
of  such  false  assumptions,  it  is  added  :  "  Their  webs  shall  not  become 
garments,  neither  shall  they  cover  themselves  with  their  works :  their 
works  are  works  of  iniquity,  and  the  act  of  violence  is  in  their  hands  " 
(Isa.  lix.  4-7).  And  Job,  speaking  of  the  weakness  and  instability 
of  self-righteousness,  says,  "  The  hj'pocrite's  hope  shall  perish  :  whose 
hope  shall  be  cut  off  and  whose  trust  shall  be  a  spider's  web.  He 
shall  lean  upon  his  house,  but  it  shall  not  endure"  (viii.  14,  15).  A 
single  touch  of  truth  dissolves  the  elaborate  but  flimsy  fabric  which 
man  contrives  for  the  odious  purpose  of  concealing  his  own  deformi- 
ties and  corruptions,  and  ensnaring  the  innocent,  and  Avhcre  he  reposes 
in  fatal  security ;  but  he  will  perish  in  the  ruins  of  the  deceitful  hab- 
itation he  has  constructed. 

So,  again,  in  a  good  sense,  a  lion at  one  time  signifies  the  omnipo- 
tence of  truth  in  defending  the  Lord's  church,  where  the  motive  is 
good,  as  where  it  is  written,  "  Who  shall  rouse  him  up  ?"  (Gen.  xlix.  9) ; 


"» 111  the  Eg^'ptian  hieroglyphics,  and  the  I  is  evidently  the  svmhol  of  power;  sometimes 
sculptures  of  Nineveh  and  Persepolis,  a  lion  I  lions  are  represented  us  winged  and  horned. 


CORRESPONDENCE  OF  THE  ANIMAL  WORLD.  193 


and  on  this  account  the  Lord  Himself  was  pleased  to  assume  the 
name  of  "  the  Lion  of  the  tribe  of  Judah  "  (Rev.  v.  5).  But  at 
another  time,  a  lion  is  spoken  of  in  an  opposite  or  bad  sense,  to  sig- 
nify the  power  of  infernal  felsity,  actuated  by  a  bad  motive,  which 
desolates  and  tears  and  destroys  goodness  and  truth  in  man,  as  in  the 
Psalms :  "Save  me  from  the  lion's  mouth  "  (xxii.  21).  Among  other 
spiritual  blessings,  therefore,  promised  to  the  members  of  the  Lord's 
true  church,  it  is  said,  "  No  lion  shall  be  there,  nor  any  ravenous 
beast  go  up  thereon ;  it  shall  not  be  found  there  "  (Isa.  xxxv.  9). 

As  a  further  illustration  of  this  part  of  our  subject,  we  will  con- 
sider the  signification  of  the  horse.  This  noble  and  powerful  animal, 
so  graceful  in  symmetry,  so  swift  in  motion,  and  so  eminently  service- 
able to  man,  is  very  frequently  spoken  of  in  the  Word.  When  the 
subject  treats  of  man  in  the  process  of  regeneration,  or  is  predicated 
of  heaven  and  the  Lord,  the  horse  corresponds  to  the  affection  or 
desire  of  understanding  truth  for  the  sake  of  eternal  use,  or  the  fac- 
ulty of  making  progress  in  spiritual  knowledge  rationally  understood ; 
and,  in  an  opposite  sense,  when  the  subject  treats  of  the  unregenerate, 
or  is  predicated  of  hell,  the  horse  corresponds  to  the  desire  of  acquir- 
ing knowledge  for  the  sake  of  self, — the  love  of  self-derived  intelli- 
gence, under  whose  perverted  and  perverting  influence  vain  and  con- 
flicting reasonings  against  truth,  and  in  confirmation  of  falsity,  appear 
to  be  the  result  of  intellectual  inquiry.  Every  just  description  that 
could  be  given  in  regard  to  the  form,  the  physiology,  the  instinct,  and 
the  various  qualities  and  habitudes  of  the  horse,  serves  to  demonstrate 
the  correctness  of  this  signification.  The  strength  of  the  horse  de- 
notes intellectual  power ;  his  fleetness,  quickness  of  intellectual  dis- 
cernment ;  his  form,  intellectual  beauty ;  his  sagacity,  intellectual 
perception ;  his  snorting,  intellectual  reasonings ;  his  aptitude  for  the 
battle,  and  his  fierceness  in  the  encounter,  intellectual  skill  and  con- 
tention ;  his  hoofs  are  mentioned  to  denote  the  lowest  scientific  prin- 
ciples or  ultimate  of  the  intellect ;  the  color  will  denote  the  various 
qualities  of  the  understanding ;  and  when  yoked  to  the  chariot  or 
wagon,  they  will  represent  the  power  of  the  understanding  associated 
with  varieties  of  doctrines.  In  the  book  of  Job  (xxxix.  25),  therefore, 
speech  and  understanding  are  attributed  to  the  horse,  and,  in  the  lan- 
guage of  correspondence,  a  person  distinguished  for  his  intellectual 
endowments,  whether  he  employs  them  in  favor  of  truth  and  doctrine 
derived  fi'om  the  Word  of  God,  or  in  confirmation  of  false  principles 
derived  from  the  infernal  world  and  from  his  own  self-intelligence, 
17  N 


194  THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


and, — abstractedly  from  persons, — the  faculty  itself,  is  denominated 
"  a  horseman." 

If  this  spiritual  signification  be  applied  to  the  horse  w  herever  it  is 
described  or  spoken  of  in  the  sacred  books  of  the  Word,  from  Genesis  to 
the  book  of  Revelation,  we  sliall  always  have  a  consistent,  intelligible, 
and  truly  edifying  sense.  For  instance,  in  consequence  of  man's  prone- 
ness,  by  reason  of  his  fallen  nature,  to  depend  upon  his  own  prudence 
and  cunning,  in  preference  to  the  Divine  Pro\'idence,  he  is  disposed  to 
multiply  and  trust  the  vain  reasonings  and  pretexts  of  a  perverted 
intellect,  rather  than  place  confidence  in  the  Divine  wisdom  and 
direction  from  above,  that  in  the  spiritual  sense  of  the  Word  he  is 
forbidden  by  the  Lord  "to  multiply  horses"  (^Deut.  xvii.  16).  The 
divine  declaration,  "  A  hoi"se  is  a  vain  thing    for  safety :  neither  shall 


>"  Heb.,  "a  lie."  The  Hebrew  word  for  horse 
signifies  also  to  explain.  According  to  some 
writers,  the  horse,  among  the  animal  hiero- 
glyphics of  Pythagoras,  appeared  to  mean,  in 
one  sense,  literary  Jame. 

"  The  signification  of  a  horse,  as  denoting 
the  intellectual  principle,  was  derived  from 
the  ancient  church  to  the  wise  round  about, 
even  into  Greece:  hence  it  was,  that  in  de- 
scribing the  sun  by  which  is  signified  love, 
they  placed  therein  the  god  of  their  wisdom 
and  intelligence,  and  attributed  to  him  a 
chariot  and  four  fiery  horses;  and  In  de- 
scribing the  god  of  the  sea,  inasmuch  !is  by 
sea  was  signified  sciences  in  general,  they 
also  allotted  horses  to  him ;  hence,  too,  when 
they  described  the  birth  of  the  sciences  from 
the  intellectual  priticii)le,  they  feigned  a  Hy- 
ing horse,  which  with  his  hoof  burst  open  a 
fountain,  where  were  virgins  who  were  the 
sciences;  nor  was  anything  else  signified  by 
the  Trojan  horse,  but  an  artful  contrivance 
of  the  understanding  to  destroy  walls:  at 
this  day,  indeed,  when  the  intellectual  prin- 
ciple is  described,  agreeably  to  the  custom 
received  from  the  ancients,  it  is  usually  de- 
scribed by  a  flying  horse,  or  Pegasus,  and 
erudition  by  a  fountain ;  but  it  is  known 
scarcely  to  any  one  that  horse,  in  a  mystical 
sense,  signifies  the  understjinding,  and  that 
a  fountjiin  signifies  truth  ;  still  less  is  it 
known  that  these  significations  were  de- 
rived from  the  ancient  Church  to  the  Gen- 
tiles."—^. C.  2702.   See  also  7729. 

The  horse,  among  the  Hindoos,  was  an- 
ciently offered  in  sacrifice.  Max  Miiller  says 
that  "there  is  an  entire  hymn  addressed  to 
the  sun  as  a  horse." 

"According  to  Plato,  '  the  horse  signified, 
in  a  good  sen.se.  reason  and  opinion,  coursing 
about  through  natural  things,'  and '  in  a  bad 


sense, a  confused  fantasy.' " — See  Symb.Oomm. 
of  Brixianus.  No.  13.   a.d.  1.591. 

"  Bishops  on  the  day  of  their  consecration 
have  been  wont  to  ride  on  horses  covered 
with  white  robes;  to  represent  that  which 
we  read  in  the  .\pocalypse,  '  The  armies 
which  are  in  heaven  follow  Him  riding  on 
white  horses'  (xix.  14).  The  armies  which 
arc  in  heaven  are  good  and  just  men  and 
prelates,  who,  as  these  heavenly  riders  do 
daily  follow  God  in  all  good  works ;  who,  for 
this  reason,  are  said  to  be  in  heaven,  because 
they  love  and  seek  after  heavenly  things 
above;  whence  the  apostle  saith,  'Our  con- 
versation is  in  heaven  '  (Phil.  iii.  20).  The.se 
armies,  that  is,  good  and  just  prelates,  fol- 
low .lesus  whensoever  they  vanquish  vices 
in  themselves  by  discipline,  in  their  neigh- 
bors by  admonition." — Durandus  on  Symbol- 
ism, tr.  by  Neale  and  Webb,  p.  177. 

"  On  the  5th  December,  being  Friday,  the 
son  of  the  .^ultan  of  Morocco  rode  a  white 
horse.  When  he  came  in  sight,  there  was  a 
general  exclamation  from  those  on  the  roofs, 
'A  white  horse  !'  They  all  turned  round  and 
smiled,  and  beckoned  to  each  other,  and  gen- 
eral joy  seemed  to  be  dill\ised.  The  Sultan 
rides  a  white  horse.  The  color  of  the  horse 
denotes  the  humor  of  the  Prince ;  white 
being,  of  course,  that  of  joy  and  gladness, 
and  the  other  shades  accordingly.  Muley 
Ismael  distingtiished  thus:  When  he  rode  a 
red  hor.se  he  had  a  lancet  or  sabre  ■  when  he 
rode  a  black  one,  a  musket  and  gunpowder. 
In  the  Arabian  Kiffhtu  thvre  is  something  like 
this:  in  commenting  on  which,  Mr.  Ljine 
mentions,  and  I  can  also  confirm,  that  the 
Turks  signify  anger  against  any  class  of  their 
tributaries  by  issuing  tlie  Harutch  papers  of 
a  red  color,  and  adds ;  '  To  exhiliit  the  strik- 
ing and  dramatic  spectacle  described  by  our 


CORRESPONDENCE  OF  THE  ANIMAL  WORLD.  195 

he  deliver  any  by  his  great  strength  "  (Psalm  xxxiii.  17),  is  a  most 
striking  form  of  instruction,  in  order  to  impress  upon  us  the  utter 
vanity  of  mere  human  reasonings  and  their  inability  to  effect  our 
deliverance  from  sin  and  to  obtain  the  gifts  of  eternal  salvation  ;  the 
worthlessness  of  self-dependence,  the  deceitfulness  of  self-intelligence ; 
that  mere  intellectual  excellence  and  confidence  are  hollow  and  dan- 
gerous, mere  intellectual  attainment  and  power,  weakness  itself ;  that 
faith  alone,  or  truth  alone,  is  spurious  and  impotent,  neither  conjoin- 
ing man  with  God  or  his  neighbor,  nor  insuring  for  him  any  heavenly 
inheritance.  Again,  to  represent  the  contrariety  which  must  always 
exist  between  trust  in  God  and  mere  intellectual  confidence, — to  teach 
us  that,  as  the  Lord's  delight  is  inseparable  from  his  infinite  good- 
ness, so  He  can  take  no  pleasure  in  man's  understanding,  however 
clear,  vigorous,  and  well  stored  with  knowledge,  unless  it  be  conjoined 
with  purity  of  heart  and  life,-^it  is  said,  "  The  Lord  delighteth  not 
in  the  strength  of  the  horse  "  (Psalm  cxlvii.  10).  To  express  a  sin- 
cere and  humble  conviction  of  the  insufficiency,  the  impotence,  and 
the  folly  of  men  placing  their  dependence  for  salvation  on  the  selfish 
reasonings  of  faith  alone,  they  are  exhorted  to  turn  to  the  Lord,  to 
confess  their  iniquities,  and  say  unto  Him,  "Asshur  shall  not  save 
us ;  we  will  not  ride  upon  horses :  neither  will  we  say  any  more  to 
the  work  of  our  hands.  Ye  are  our  gods :  for  in  thee  the  fatherless 
findeth  mercy  "  (Hos.  xiv.  3).  And  in  another  remarkable  passage, 
"  Some  trust  in  chariots,  and  some  in  horses :  but  we  will  remember 
the  name  of  the  Lord  our  God.  They  are  brought  down  and  fallen : 
but  we  are  risen  and  stand  upright "  (Psalm  xx.  7,  8).  In  reference 
to  a  fallen  and  degraded  state  of  the  church,  where  her  members 
would  become  blind  as  to  a  right  discernment  and  use  of  truth,  and  to 
signify  the  opposition  with  which  self-reliance  on  intellectual  power 
must  always  be  met,  before  it  is  finally  removed ;  to  rebuke  that  self- 
conceit  which  ever  accompanies  mere  intellectual  skill,  and  to  repre- 
sent the  direful  condition  into  which  those  who  cherish  such  principles 
will  plunge  themselves,  together  with  the  miserable  punishment  which 


author,  may,  I  conceive,  be  more  effective 
than  any  words  could  be.'  In  this  way  the 
black  flag  of  the  pirate  has  been  selected, 
and  the  red  flag  of  the  rover.  Next  to  the 
flag,  the  war  horse  is  the  shield  for  this  bla- 
zon. .  .  .  The  Sultan  wore  a  green  bernous, 
with  the  hood  up.  A  man  on  each  side 
fanned  him.  This  hooded  people  had  thrown 
back  the  capes  of  their  salams,  and  the  folds 


of  haik  from  ofTtheir  heads, so  thattho  aspect 
of  the  crowd  was  suddenly  changed,  and  the 
universal  white  was  considerably  mingled 
with  red  and  blue.  I  was  much  gratified  at 
seeing,  even  from  a  distance,  the  chief  of  this 
singular  empire,  the  manner  of  his  march, 
and  the  greeting  of  his  people." —  Urquharfs 
Pillars  of  Hercules. 


196 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


they  bring  upon  their  souls,  but  Avhich  appears  to  their  perverted 
imaginations  as  the  wrathful  inflictions  of  a  divine  vengeance,  it  is 
prophetically  said,  "  The  stout-hearted  are  spoiled,  they  have  slept 
their  sleep :  and  none  of  the  men  of  might  have  found  their  hands. 
At  thy  rebuke,  O  God  of  Jacob,  both  the  chariot  and  horse  are  cast 
into  a  dead  sleep  "  (Psalm  Ixxvi.  5,  6).  "  In  that  day,  saith  the  Lord, 
I  will  smite  every  horee  with  astonishment,  and  his  rider  Avith  mad- 
ness :  and  I  will  open  mine  eyes  upon  the  house  of  Judah,  and  will 
smite  every  horse  of  the  people  with  blindness  "  (Zech.  xii.  4).  "  Woe 
to  them  that  g(\  down  to  Egypt  for  help ;  and  stay  on  horses,  and 
trust  in  chariots  because  they  are  many  ;  and  in  horsemen  because 
they  are  very  strong ;  but  they  look  not  unto  the  Holy  One  of  Israel, 
neither  seek  the  Lord !  "  (Isa.  xxxi.  1.) 

In  Isa.  v.  28,  the  divine  judgments  threatened  against  rebellious 
Israel,  and  to  be  accomplished  by  the  agency  of  the  heathen  nations, 
are  thus  described :  "  Whose  arrows  are  sharp,  and  all  their  bows 
bent,  their  horses'  hoofs  shall  be  counted  like  flint,  and  their  wheels 
like  a  whirlwind."  Where  by  arrows,  or  darts  and  bows,  are  signified 
false  doctrines,  from  which  combat  is  waged  ;  by  horses  are  signified 
things  intellectual,  in  this  case  perverted ;  and  by  their  hoofs  are  de- 
noted falsity  in  the  ultimates  of  an  evil  life.  And  also  Ezek.  xxvi.  10, 
11,  where  the  inspired  prophet  is  speaking  of  the  devastation  of  Tvre, 
or  the  destruction  of  those  who  depend  for  salvation  on  truth  or  faith 
alone,  signified  by  Tyre  in  a  perverted  sense,  and  says,  "  By  reason  of 
the  abundance  of  the  horses  of  the  king  of  Babylon,  their  dust  shall 
cover  thee :  thy  walls  shall  shake  at  the  noise  of  the  hoi-semen,  and 
of  the  wheels,  and  of  the  chariots,  when  he  shall  enter  into  thy  gates, 
as  men  enter  into  a  city  wherein  is  made  a  breach.  With  the  hoo6 
of  his  horses  shall  he  tread  down  all  thy  streets :  he  shall  slay  thy 
people  by  the  sword,  and  thy  strong  garrisons  shall  go  down  to  the 
ground."  Unless  spiritual  subjects  are  included  in  these  words,  what 
can  they  mean  ?  Without  an  interior  sense,  would  thej'  be  anything 
but  expressions  of  sound,  when  yet  every  expression  in  the  Word 
has  weight  because  from  God. — See  A.  C.  7729 ;  also  Micah  iv.  13. 

In  Rev.  ix.  17,  we  have  a  symbolical  description  of  formidable 
Euphratean  horses,  seen  in  vision  by  the  apostle,  in  the  spiritual 
world.  And  from  the  signification  given  to  horses,  we  may  plainly 
see  that  they  are  spoken  of  in  a  perverted  sense ;  that  they  denote  some 
distinctive  religious  doctrines,  and  the  pernicious  influence  of  those 
false  reasonings  which  spring  from  evil  in  the  heart,  by  which  they 


CORRESPONDENCE  OF  THE  ANIMAL  WORLD. 


197 


are  maintained.  In  this  wonderful  vision  these  defiled  and  mischiev- 
ous reasonings  are  here  disclosed.  Those  who  cherish  them  suppose 
themselves  intelligent  above  others.  It  is,  therefore,  the  doctrine  of 
faith  alone,  and  momentaneous  salvation  thence  derived,  which  is 
here  abstractedly  but  accurately  described.  The  understandings  and 
interior  reasonings  of  such  as  admit  this  false  and  fatal  notion  are 
called  horses,  but  monstrous  in  their  forms  and  destructive  in  their 
nature.  They  are  represented  as  having  heads  like  lions,  to  denote 
their  ruling  fantasies  and  love  of  dominion,  substituted  for  genuine 
wisdom  and  humility.  Out  of  their  mouths  are  said  to  issue  fire  and 
smoke  and  brimstone,  to  signify  that  their  inward  sensual  thoughts, 
from  whence  their  words  proceed,  are  nothing  but  the  concealed  love 
of  self  and  the  world,  signified  by  fire  ;  the  inflated  pride  of  self-con- 
ceit, signified  by  smoke  ;  and  the  lusts  and  concupiscences  of  the 
merely  carnal  mind,  signified  by  brimstone.  They  are  said  to  have 
tails  like  serpents,  having  as  their  extremities  serpents'  heads,  to  de- 
scribe and  represent  the  crafty  fallacies  of  their  reasonings,  and  to 
denote  their  cunning  power  to  persuade  and  captivate  others ;  and  the 
artifice  by  which  they  make  the  literal  sense  of  the  Word  appear  to 
confirm  their  opinions.  And  it  is  added,  as  the  resulting  effect,  that 
by  such  perverted  reasonings  "they  do  hurt;"  that  is,  they  injure 
goodness  and  truth  in  the  minds  of  the  well-disposed,  and  dissipate 
the  importance  of  obedience,  and  the  necessity  of  good  works,  as 
essential  to  human  salvation. 

For  a  confirmation  of  this  brief  an^i  imperfect  exposition  of  what 
is  regarded  as  a  most  difficult  passage,  we  have  only  to  turn  to  Ezek. 
xxxviii.  22  ;  Psalm  xi.  6 ;  Isa.  xxxiv.  8-10 ;  Rev.  xiv.  9,  10 ;  Deut. 
xxix.  21-23,  and  many  other  places  where  these  representative  images 
are  used,  and  bear  a  precisely  similar  signification. 

But  in  a  good  sense,  from  the  sagacity,  beauty,  strength,  fleetness, 
and  utility  of  the  horse,  we  may  trace  out  its  direct  correspondence, 
and  plainly  perceive  that  it  signifies  the  faculties  of  the  intellect  in 
subordination  to  goodness  of  heart  and  life, — the  affection  of  spiritual 
intelligence,  a  living  desire  to  receive,  to  comprehend,  and  to  use  the 
wisdom  of  God.  In  this  sense  the  horse  is  frequently  mentioned  in 
association  with  other  animals,  and  is  described  by  appropriate  phrases 
and  epithets.  Thus,  when  He  who  is  the  sole  fountain  of  wisdom  and 
intelligence  revealed  Himself,  by  a  representative  of  this  kind,  to 
the  apostle  John,  "He  sat,"  it  is  said,  "on  a  white  horse;"  and  his 
name  was  called  "  the  Word  of  God ; "  and  because  the  angels  of 
17* 


198 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


heaven  receive  all  their  intelligence  and  illumination  from  the  Lord 
by  means  of  his  Word,  therefore  it  is  said  that  "  The  armies  which 
were  in  heaven  followed  Him  upon  white  horses,  clothed  in  fine  linen, 
white  and  clean"  (Rev.  xix.  11,  13,  14).  Again,  in  the  holy  feast 
which  the  Lord  provides  at  his  sacred  table,  the  guests  are  to  be  "  filled 
with  horses  and  chariots,  with  mighty  men,  and  with  all  men  of  war" 
(Ezek.  xxxix.  20),  by  which  is  signified,  that  when  man  is  prepared 
to  approach  the  Divine  Word,  in  full  reliance  on  the  Lord's  mercy, 
he  shall  be  replenished  with  all  degrees  of  spiritual  intelligence, — 
enabled  to  appropriate  all  needful  kinds  of  heavenly  truth  and  doc- 
trine, and  is  thence  supplied  with  the  requisite  strength  to  vanquish 
his  spiritual  foes.  In  order  to  represent  the  union  of  the  love  of  God 
in  the  heart  with  the  attainments  of  wisdom  from  his  Word  in  the 
understanding,  as  the  essential  mediums  of  introducing  the  soul  into 
a  glorious  state  of  heavenly  delight  and  peace,  "  a  chariot  of  fire,  and 
horseR  of  fire,"  were  seen  in  the  spiritual  world  by  Elisha,  at  the 
translation  of  the  prophet  Elijah,  and,  in  grief  on  account  of  the  loss 
of  his  master,  he  exclaimed,  "  The  chariot  of  Israel,  and  the  horsemen 
thereof"  (2  Kings  ii.  11,  12;  xiii.  14).  Elijah,  and  afterwards  Eli- 
sha, were  so  called,  because  they  represented  the  internal  and  external 
quality  of  the  Word/"  For  such,  indeed,  are  its  outward  character 
and  inward  power,  when  its  burning  and  shining  truths  and  doctrines 
of  life  are  received  in  genuine  aflection,  and  obeyed  from  a  sincere 
faith.  They  elevate  man's  soul  into  heaven,  and  introduce  him  into 
consociation  with  angels.  They  surround  him  with  the  sphere  of 
divine  protection  in  every  time  of  danger  and  distress.  And  could 
we  see,  with  the  organs  of  spiritual  vision,  of  which  the  organs  of 
natural  sight  are  the  true  corresponding  forms,  like  the  young  man 
who  t\  as  alarmed  for  the  safety  of  his  master,  Elisha,  in  the  midst  of  in- 
furiate enemies,  we  should  behold,  with  the  clearness  and  distinctness  of 
spiritual  discernment,  the  mountain  on  which  he  stands  "  full  oi  horses 
and  chariots  of  fire  round  about"  him  (2  Kings  vi.  17).  Such  are 
"the  horses  and  chariots  of  salvation"  (Hab.  iii.  8)  which  wait  to 
convey  every  faithful  Christian  along  the  paths  of  righteousness  to 
his  eternal  home  in  the  kingdom  of  God.  And  to  teach  us,  still  fur- 
ther, that  the  powers  of  the  understanding  were  designed  to  be  dili- 
gently cultivated  in  all  kinds  of  science  and  knowledge,  and  that,  in 
subordination  to  divine  wisdom,  they  are  to  be  consecrated  to  the 


Ileiice  their  names,  Elijah,  a  strong  Lord ,  and  Elisha,  Qod  IhcU  saves. 


CORRESPONDENCE  OF  THE  ANIMAL  WORLD. 


199 


Lord's  service,  it  is  said,  "  In  that  day  [of  the  Lord],  shall  there  be 
upon  the  bells  of  the  horses,  Holiness  unto  the  Lord  "  (Zech. 
xiv.  20). 

In  the  book  of  Revelation,  which  is  wholly  composed  of  symbolic 
writing,  arranged  by  plenary  inspiration,  even  as  to  every  expression, 
according  to  the  science  of  correspondences,  and  which  treats  only 
of  divine  and  spiritual  subjects,  we  read  that  the  apostle  John  was 
favored  with  a  most  magnificent  vision,  recorded  in  the  5th  and  6th 
chapters,  in  which  he  "  saw  in  the  right  hand  of  Him  that  sat  on  the 
throne,  a  book,  written  within  and  on  the  back  side,  and  sealed  with 
seven  seals."  He  wept  that  no  one  was  found  worthy  to  open  it,  but 
was  comforted  with  the  assurance  that  "  the  Lion  of  the  tribe  of  Ju- 
dah  "  had  "  prevailed  to  open  the  book,  and  to  loose  the  seven  seals 
thereof"  By  this  was  signified  that  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  is 
omnipotent  and  omniscient  (Matt,  xxviii.  18 ;  John  ii.  24, 25),  knows 
and  perceives  the  secrets  of  every  heart,  and  that  to  Him  judgment 
belongs,  because  He  alone,  as  the  very  divine  truth  or  Word,  can 
reveal  the  inmost  states  of  the  life  of  all  men,  both  in  heaven  and 
upon  earth.  The  opening  of  the  seals,  therefore,  was  designed  to 
signify  the  revelation  that  was  about  to  be  made  of  the  interior  char- 
acter of  all  those  who  approach  the  Word  of  God,  as  to  their  reception 
and  appropriation,  or  rejection  and  profanation  of  its  sacred  truths, 
and  the  charity  and  faith  which  they  inspire,  together  with  the  quality 
of  their  understandings  and  intelligence.  When  the  first  seal  was 
opened,  there  issued  out  of  the  book  a  white  horse ;  on  the  opening 
of  the  second  seal,  there  proceeded  from  it  a  red  horse  ;  on  the  open- 
ing of  the  third  seal,  there  Avent  forth  a  black  horse ;  and  on  the 
opening  of  the  fourth  seal,  there  came  out  a  pale  horse.  Each  horse 
had  its  appropriate  rider,  each  of  whom  was  differently  equipped, 
and  to  each  of  them  a  particular  divine  commission  was  intrusted. 
Every  single  expression  in  these  chapters,  like  the  rest  of  the  inspired 
Word,  has  its  peculiar  significance  and  application.  I  can  only  direct 
the  reader's  attention,  at  this  time,  to  the  meaning  of  the  horses. 

We  have  already  made  some  remarks  on  the  signification  of  colors, 
as  denoting  the  qualities  of  those  subjects  or  things  treated  of ;  for 
colors  are  occasioned  by  the  modifications  of  heat  and  light,  and  the 
reflection  and  refraction  of  their  rays  by  the  objects  on  which  they 
fall,  or  in  which  they  are  received.  The  colored  horses  which  pro- 
ceeded out  of  the  book  as  its  seals  were  successively  broken,  signify 
and  represent  various  qualities  of  the  understanding,  and  the  whole 


200  TEE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


is  a  revelation  of  the  inward  states  of  all  who  approach  the  Volume 
of  eternal  truth  with  a  desire  to  know  its  sacred  contents. 

The  WHITE  HORSE  and  his  rider  signify  the  undei-standing  of  those 
who  are  illustrated  by  genuine  truths,  Avhose  translucent  purity  is 
denoted  by  white.  These  are  receptive  of  a  heavenly  principle  of 
charity  from  the  Lord,  as  well  as  a  holy  principle  of  faith.  By  the 
power  of  truth,  when  thus  united  to  goodness  of  heart  and  purity  of 
life,  all  kinds  of  evil  and  falsity  are  overcome  and  dissipated.  INIan 
goes  forth,  with  the  "  crown  and  bow,"  in  the  Lord's  name,  "  conquer- 
ing and  to  conquer." 

The  RED  HORSE  and  his  rider  signify  the  understanding  of  those 
who,  while  they  receive  the  truth,  disregard  the  goodness  of  the  Word 
and  reject  the  charity  which  it  inculcates ;  who,  for  selfish  purposes, 
occasion  contentions  and  dissensions  among  men,  on  the  doctrinal 
tenets  and  outward  forms  of  religion.  In  all  such,  every  evil  passion 
and  propensity  prevails,  and  they  deprive  the  truth  of  the  Word  of  its 
vitality  and  power.  They  do  violence  to  love  and  mercy,  and  destroy 
all  peace  from  the  earth.  That  a  red  color  denotes  quality  as  to  good 
or  its  opposite  evil,  has  been  already  shown.  Hence,  to  signify  the 
adulteration  of  all  principles  of  goodness  and  charity  in  the  pers-erted 
church,  she  is  represented  as  "  a  harlot "  who  had  forsaken  her  rightfiil 
husband,  "  arrayed  in  purple  and  scarlet,  and  sitting  upon  a  scarlet- 
colored  beast,  full  of  names  of  blasphemy"  (Rev.  xvii.  3,  4).  And 
to  denote  the  extreme  pervei-sion  and  corruption  of  all  truth  with 
such  as  violate  its  sanctions  by  rejecting  the  sacred  principles  of 
charity,  even  the  Lord's  vesture  is  described  as  being  "  dipped  in 
blood  "  (Rev.  xix.  13). 

By  the  BLACK  HORSE  and  his  rider  are  signified  the  understanding 
of  those  who  wilfully  oppose  the  influence  of  divine  truth, — who 
falsify  and  darken  its  holy  counsels  by  vain  and  impious  reasonings, 
and  induce  upon  themselves  the  gloom  of  eternal  ignorance,  but  who, 
though  they  hold  all  divine  instruction  concerning  what  is  good  and 
true  in  lightest  estimation,  indicated  by  the  balances  of  justice,  and 
the  proclamation  of  "  a  measure  of  wheat  for  a  penny,  and  three 
measures  of  barley  for  a  penny,"  are  yet  not  permitted  to  infringe  or 
injure  its  inward  sanctity, — "  to  hurt  either  the  oil  or  the  wine." 
The  color  black  denotes  the  quality  of  such  a  state,  for  we  have  seen 
that  it  signifies  the  darkness  and  obscurity  of  falsity  and  evil. 

By  the  pale  horse,  and  its  rider.  Death,  are  manifestly  signified 
all  who  approach  the  Holy  Word,  but  without  understanding  any- 


CORRFSPONDENCE  OF  THE  ANIMAL  WORLD.  201 


thing  of  its  transcendent  glories,  because  they  are  in  confirmed  states 
of  evil,  both  of  heart  and  life.  Though  they  have  a  name  to  live, 
they  are  dead  (Rev.  iii.  1).  They  hear  and  learn  the  truth,  and  pro- 
fess to  love  it,  but  utterly  destroy  its  life  in  themselves,  and  endeavor 
to  deprive  all  around  them  of  its  health-restoring  energy  and  con- 
soling influence.  For  paleness  is  the  color  of  a  corpse,  and  denotes 
the  absence  of  all  spiritual  life.  To  describe  the  miserable  result  of 
such  direful  profanation,  and  the  hopeless  end  of  such  insane  conduct, 
it  is  said  that  "  hell  followed ; "  for  persistence  in  so  dreadful  a  course 
conjoins  man,  here  and  hereafter,  with  infernal  spirits,  hastens  the 
judgment  by  speedily  and  certainly  filling  up  the  measure  of  his 
iniquities,  and  plunges  him,  from  his  own  free  choice,  into  a  state  of 
spiritual  death.  Similar  things  are  also  signified  by  the  chariots  and 
colored  horses  which  the  prophet  Zechariah  saw  in  vision  and  de- 
scribed (Zech.  i.  8 ;  vi.  1-8). 

Now  this  signification  of  a  horse,  as  denoting  the  intellectual  fac- 
ulty, and  the  result  of  its  active  energies  and  its  powers  of  memory 
and  reasoning,  might  be  extensively  illustrated  and  confirmed  from 
the  Grecian  mythology. 

"  The  signification  of  the  horse,"  says  Swedenborg,  "  as  expressive 
of  understanding,  was  derived  from  the  ancient  churches  to  the  wise 
men  round  about.  How  much  the  ancients  excelled  the  moderns 
in  intelligence  may  be  manifest  from  this  consideration,  that  the  for- 
mer knew  to  what  things  in  heaven  several  things  in  the  world  corre- 
sponded, and  hence  what  they  signified  ;  and  this  was  not  only  known 
to  those  who  were  of  the  church,  but  also  to  those  who  were  out  of 
the  church,  as  to  the  inhabitants  of  Greece,  the  raost  ancient  of  whom 
described  things  by  significatives,  which  at  this  day  are  called  fabu- 
lous, because  they  are  altogether  unknown ;  that  the  ancient  Sophi  were 
in  the  knowledge  of  such  things  is  evident.  Hence  it  was,  that,  when 
they  would  describe  the  sun,  in  which  they  placed  their  god  of  wisdom 
and  intelligence,  they  attributed  to  it  a  chariot  and  four  horses  of 
fire ;  and  when  they  would  describe  the  god  of  the  sea  [Neptune,  to 
whom  more  power  was  ascribed  than  to  any  other  god  except  Jupiter], 
since  hj  the  sea  was  signified  sciences  derived  from  understanding, 
they  also  attributed  horses  to  him ;  and  when  they  would  describe 
the  origin  of  intelligence  and  wisdom,  or  the  rise  of  the  sciences  from 
understanding,  they  also  feigned  a  Avinged  horse,  which  they  called 
Pegasus,  whose  hoof  broke  open  a  fountain,  at  which  sat  nine  virgins 
called  the  sciences,  and  this  upon  a  hill."  [The  nine  liberal  arts  were 


202 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


called  muses,  either  from  the  similarity  of  their  intellectual  origin, 
or  because  men,  by  inquiring  of  them,  learned  the  things  of  which 
they  before  were  ignorant.]  For  from  the  ancient  churches  they 
received  the  knowledge  that  the  horse  signifies  the  intellectual  prin- 
ciple of  understanding ;  his  wings,  the  spiritual  principle  of  spiritual 
truth  ;  the  hoof,  what  is  scientific  derived  from  understanding,  or 
truth  in  the  ultimate  sense,  where  is  the  origin  of  intelligence ;  vir- 
gins, the  sciences  ;  a  hill,  unanimity,  and,  in  the  spiritual  sense,  charity ; 
and  a  fountain,  doctrine  from  which  sciences  are  derived ;  and  so  in 
all  other  cases.  [Minerva,  the  goddess  of  wisdom,  is  figured  on  some 
medals  as  drawn  in  a  chariot  by  four  horses.  Mars,  the  god  of  war, 
is  frequently  described  as  rushing  forth  in  a  chariot  drawn  by  furious 
■war-horses ;  and  Oceanus,  also,  Avho  presided  over  rivers  and  foun- 
tains, was  drawn  by  fabulous  sea-horses  supplied  with  wings].  Nor 
is  there  anything  else  signified  by  the  Trojan  horse  than  an  artificial 
contrivance  devised  by  their  understanding  for  the  purpose  of  destroy- 
ing the  walls.  Even  at  this  day,  when  understanding  is  described 
after  the  manner  received  from  those  ancients,  it  is  usual  to  figure  it 
by  a  flying  horse,  or  Pegasus ;  so,  likewise,  doctrine  is  described  by  a 
fountain,  and  the  sciences  by  virgins ;  but  scarcely  any  one  knows 
that  the  horse,  in  the  mystic  sense,  signifies  the  understanding  ;  still 
less,  that  those  significatives  were  derived  to  the  gentiles  from  the 
ancient  representative  churches."* — W.  H.  4 ;  A.  C.  7729. 


in  "  The  sun  sigriifies  the  Lord  as  to  his  di- 
vine love.  But  when  tlic  science  of  corre- 
spondences became  corrupted  and  obliter- 
ated, the  worship  of  the  sun  as  an  idol  be- 
came almost  universal.  Many  remnants  of 
sun  worship  may  be  traced  in  the  names  of 
places,  in  many  customs  which  we  know  to 
have  existed,  and  in  many  which  arc  still 
observed.  We  have  Sunday,  as  the  vulgar 
name  of  the  first  day  of  the  week.  From 
this  aro.«e  I  lie  custom  of  making  bonfires  on 
the  first  night  of  May  (Morris's  Ireland,  pp. 
20, 23),  and  the  aborigines  of  Ireland  call  the 
previous  eve.  '  La  Bealtine,'  or  the  'day  of 
Helen's  fire.'  The  word  Ucltein  is  also  a  name 
given  to  a  fair  held  in  I'eebles,  in  Scotland, 
at  the  beginning  of  May,  and  is  said  to  sig- 
nify "the  feast  of  the  sun,'  which  was  once 
observed  at  that  season."— iawson's  Dis.,  p. 
277. 

"  It  is  to  be  noted  that  the  scientifics  of  the 
ancient-s  were  altogether  other  than  the  sci- 
entifics at  this  day :  they  treated  concerning 
the  correspondences  of  things  in  the  natural 
world  with  things  in  the  spiritual  world. 


The  scientifics,  which  at  this  day  are  called 
j  philosophies,  such  as  arc  those  of  Aristotle 
I  and  the  like,  were  unknown  to  them;  this 
;  is  also  evident  from  the  books  of  the  earlier 
j  writers,  several  of  which  are  written  in  such 
terms  as  signified,  represented,  and  corre- 
sponded to  interior  things.  That  this  was 
the  case  may  be  manifest  from  the  following 
considerations,  amongst  others  which  might 
be  mentioned,  viz.,  that  they  assigned  to 
I  Helicon  a  place  on  a  mountain,  and  by  it 
I  they  meant  heaven ;  that  they  a.ssigned  to 
Parnassus  a  place  beneath  on  a  hill,  and  by 
it  they  meant  scientifics;  that  they  asserted 
that  a  flying  horse,  which  they  called  Peg- 
asus, did  there  break  open  a  fountain  with 
his  hoof ;  tliat  they  called  the  sciences  vir- 
gins, and  so  forth ;  for  they  knew  from  cor- 
respondences and  representatives,  that  a 
mounUiin  denoted  heaven,  that  a  hill  de- 
noted that  heaven  which  is  beneath,  or 
which  is  with  man,  that  a  horse  denoted 
the  intellectual  principle,  that  the  wings 
with  which  he  fiew  were  spiritual  things, 
that  a  hoof  was  tlie  natural  principle,  that 


CORRESPONDENCE  OF  THE  ANIMAL  WORLD.  203 

The  Hindoos  attribute  seven  horses  to  the  sun.  The  Oriental  na- 
tions, who  worshipped  the  sun,  not  only  represented  him  as  riding 
along  the  sky  in  a  chariot  drawn  by  the  fleetest  and  most  beautiful 
horses,  to  communicate  his  light  and  Avarmth  to  the  world  ;  but,  when 
all  idea  of  correspondence  was  lost,  they  consecrated  to  the  sun  the 
finest  steeds  and  chariots,  and,  as  the  sun  arose,  rode  to  the  eastern 
gates  of  their  cities  to  pay  their  homage.  The  Jews  at  one  time  be- 
came infected  with  this  species  of  idolatry ;  for  we  read  that  Josiah 
"  took  away  the  horses  that  the  kings  of  Judah  [his  predecessors]  had 
given  [or  consecrated]  to  the  sun,  at  the  entering  in  of  the  house  of 
the  Lord  [or  the  court  of  the  temple  towards  the  east],  and  burned 


a  fountain  was  intelligence,  and  that  the  | 
three  virgins,  who  were  called  Charites, 
were  the  affections  of  good,  and  that  the 
virgins,  wlio  were  named  the  virgins  of 
Helicon  and  Parnassus,  were  the  affections 
of  truth.  In  like  manner  they  assigned  to 
the  sun  horses,  whose  meat  they  called  am- 
brosia, and  drink  nectar ;  for  they  knew  that 
the  sun  signified  celestial  love,  horses  the  in- 
tellectual things  which  are  thence  derived, 
and  that  meats  signify  celestial  things,  and 
drinks  spiritual.  By  derivation  from  the 
ancients  also,  it  is  still  a  custom  that  kings, 
at  their  coronation,  should  sit  upon  a  silver 
throne,  should  be  clad  in  a  purple  robe,  be 
anointed  with  oil,  should  wear  ou  their 
heads  a  crown,  and  carry  in  their  hands  a 
sceptre,  a  sword  and  keys,  should  ride  in 
royal  pomp  on  a  white  horse,  under  whose 
feet  should  be  hoofs  of  silver,  and  should  be 
waited  on  at  table  by  the  most  respectable 
personages  of  the  kingdom,  besides  other 
ceremonies ;  for  they  knew  that  a  king  rep- 
resented the  divine  truth  which  is  from  the 
divine  good,  and  hence  they  knew  what  is 
signified  by  a  silver  throne,  a  purple  robe, 
anointing  oil,  a  crown,  a  sceptre,  a  sword, 
keys,  a  white  horse,  hoofe  of  silver,  and  being 
waited  upon  by  the  most  respectable  person- 
ages. Who  at  this  day  is  in  possession  of  this 
knowledge,  and  where  are  the  scientifics 
which  teach  it?  The  above  ceremonies  are 
called  emblematical,  from  an  entire  igno- 
rance of  everything  relating  to  correspond- 
ence and  representation.  From  these  con- 
siderations it  is  manifest  of  what  quality  tlie 
scientifics  of  the  ancients  were,  and  that 
those  scientifics  led  them  into  knowledge 
concerning  things  spiritual  and  celestial,  the 
very  existence  of  which  also  at  this  day  is 
scarcely  known.  The  scientifics  which  suc- 
ceeded in  place  of  the  above,  and  which  are 
properly  called  philosophies,  rather  draw 
the  mind  away  from  the  knowledge  of  spirit- 


ual and  celestial  things,  because  they  may  be 
applied  also  to  confirm  falsities,  and  likewise 
east  the  mind  into  darkness  when  truths  are 
confirmed  by  them,  inasmuch  as  several  of 
them  are  bare  expressions,  whereby  confir- 
mations are  effected,  which  are  apprehended 
by  few,  and  concerning  which  even  those 
few  are  not  agreed.  Hence  it  may  appear 
evident  how  far  mankind  have  receded  from 
the  erudition  of  the  ancients,  which  led  to 
wisdom.  The  gentiles  derived  the  above 
scientifics  from  the  ancient  Church,  the  ex- 
ternal worship  of  wliich  consisted  in  repre- 
sentatives and  significatives,  and  the  inter- 
nal in  those  things  which  were  represented 
and  signified."—^.  C.  n.  49(16. 

"Royalty  and  government  were,  from  the 
earliest  times,  distinguished  by  symbolical 
insignia." — Jones's  Led.  on  Fig.  Lang,  of  Scrip- 
ture, p.  200. 

"  In  their  representative  processions,  the 
Chinese  still  carry,  at  the  end  of  long  silver 
rods,  figures  in  silver  of  strange  animals, 
hands,  .scales,  fishes,  and  other  mysterious 
things." — Bemier :  Pinkerlon's  CoH.,  vol.  viii., 
p.  201. 

"Symbols  [in  the  Sacred  Scriptures]  are 
often  borrowed  from  the  lower  parts  of  cre- 
ation, such  as  animals,  mountains,  seas,  riv- 
ers, and  the  like.  And  the  signification  of 
them  is  founded  (according  to  the  notions 
which  the  ancients  had  of  their  natures, 
magnitudes,  \ises,  etc.)  upon  the  principle 
of  affinity  and  similitude." — Bictero's  Signs 
of  the  limes,  App.,  p.  219. 

Swedenborg  has  expounded  the  entire 
Book  of  the  Revelation,  sentence  by  sen- 
tence, in  two  admirable  works,  entitled. 
Apocalypse  Revealed,  two  vols.,  and  Apocalypse 
Explained,  a  posthumous  publication  in  six 
volumes. 

In  a  Brahmanic  legend,  a  fish  is  repre- 
sented as  instructing  Manu  in  his  first  incar- 
nation in  all  kinds  of  knowledge. 


204 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


the  chariots  of  the  sun  with  fire"  (2  Kings  xxiii.  11).  Nor  is  this 
recorded  in  the  Word  merely  for  the  sake  of  the  history,  but  in  order 
to  teach  us  that  all  spiritual  idolatry  must  be  renounced  and  forsaken, 
that  the  soul  may  become  the  chosen  temple  of  Jehovah's  presence 
and  blessing,  and  that  man  may  "  worship  Him,"  as  the  Sun  of  Right- 
eousness, "  in  spirit  and  in  truth." 

The  signification  of  other  animals  might  be  as  distinctly  proved  as 
that  we  have  been  considering.  Let  it  be  admitted,  then,  that  there 
is  a  correspondence  between  animals  and  the  principles  constituent 
of  the  mind,  both  in  this  world  and  in  another,  and  we  shall  at  once 
perceive  the  reason  why  animals  were  seen  in  the  spiritual  world  in 
the  visions  of  the  prophets  and  apostles,  many  of  which  were  unlike 
any  existing  in  this  world,  and  why  the  prevailing  dispositions  of  the 
mind  are,  in  the  Word,  called  doves  and  owls,  lambs  and  wolves, 
sheep  and  dogs,  etc.  We  shall  then  read  a  lesson  of  holiest  wisdom 
in  the  di\'ine  promise  that  believers  should  "  take  up  serpents  "  (Mark 
iLxi.  18),  and  "  tread  upon  serpents  "  (Luke  x.  19).  We  shall  see 
how,  in  the  regeneration,  the  varied  affections  and  desires  of  the  mind, 
with  their  delights,  spiritual  and  natural,  rational  and  sensual,  are 
brought  under  the  benign,  the  peacefiil,  the  harmonious  influences  of 
the  Lord  and  heaven,  in  which  "  The  wolf  shall  dwell  with  the  lamb, 
and  the  leopard  shall  lie  down  with  the  kid ;  and  the  calf  and  the 
young  lion  and  the  fatling  together ;  and  a  little  child  shall  lead 
them.  And  the  cow  and  the  bear  shall  feed ;  their  young  ones  shall 
lie  down  together :  and  the  lion  shall  eat  straw  like  the  ox.  And  the 
sucking  child  shall  play  on  the  hole  of  the  asp,  and  the  weaned  child 
shall  put  his  hand  on  the  cockatrice'  den."  "  The  wolf  and  the  lamb 
shall  lie  down  together:  and  dust  shall  be  the  serpent's  meat"  (Isa. 
xi.  6-8  ;  Ixv.  25)  ;  also  why  it  is  promised  that  "  a  man  shall  nourish 
a  young  cow  and  two  sheep  "  (Isa.  vii.  21)  ;  and  why,  again,  they  are 
pronounced  blessed  "  who  sow  beside  all  waters,  and  send  forth  thither 
the  feet  of  the  ox  and  the  ass"  (Isa.  xxxii.  20).  You  will  at  once 
understand,  too,  that  the  covenant  which  God  is  said  to  make  with 
beasts  and  birds  and  creeping  things  of  the  earth,  means  his  eternal 
covenant  with  man's  immortal  soul,  or  with  all  the  affections  and 
thoughts  and  faculties  of  both  the  internal  and  external  mind,  repre- 
sented by  the  various  orders  of  animals.  Read  the  following  inspired 
passage  with  this  exalted  view,  and  without  further  explanation  you 
will  find  it  filled  with  beauty,  sublimity,  wisdom,  and  life,  worthy  of 
Him  who  is  its  Divine  Author.  "  In  that  day,  I,  Jehovah,  wilj  make 


CORRESPONDENCE  OF  THE  ANIMAL  WORLD.  205 


a  covenant  for  them  [ray  people]  with  the  beasts  of  the  field,  and 
with  the  fowls  of  heaven,  and  with  the  creeping  things  of  the  ground  : 
and  I  will  betroth  thee  unto  me  in  righteousness,  and  in  judgment, 
and  in  loving  kindness,  and  in  mercies.  I  will  even  betroth  thee 
unto  me  in  faithfulness,  and  thou  shalt  know  the  Lord  "  (Hos.  ii. 
18-20). 

When  the  affections  of  the  heart  rise  towards  the  Lord,  and  mani- 
fest themselves  in  the  exalted  love  of  the  neighbor,  and  when  the 
thoughts  of  the  understanding  find  their  true  and  permanent  abode 
in  the  same  elevated  and  heavenly  principles,  they  derive  their  inter- 
nal character  and  quality  from  the  Lord,  and  are  said  to  be  known 
to  Him, — that  is,  acknowledged  as  proceeding  from  Him ;  then,  in 
the  language  of  correspondence,  He  is  represented  as  saying,  "  Every 
beast  of  the  forest  is  mine,  and  the  cattle  upon  a  thousand  hills.  I 
know  all  the  fowls  upon  the  mountains  and  the  wild  beasts  of  the 
field  are  mine"  (Ps.  1.  10,  11). 
18 


CHAPTER  XIY. 

COBEESPONDENCE  OF  THE  VEGETABLE  WoELD,  WITH  IlLXJSTRATIOIIS. 

n^HE  objects  and  productions  of  the  vegetable  kingdom  of  nature, 
J-  of  which  growth,  but  neither  sensation  nor  locomotion,  is  predi- 
cable,  are,  equally  with  those  of  the  animal  kingdom,  used  in  the 
Word  of  God  as  the  appropriate  rejjresentative  forms  and  correspond- 
ences of  holy  and  spiritual  subjects  and  objects,  or  their  opposites."" 
Thus,  shrubs  and  flowers,  herbs  and  trees  in  general,  "  from  the  cedar- 
tree  in  Lebanon,  even  unto  the  hyssop  that  springeth  out  of  the  wall" 
(1  Kings  iv.  33)  ;  "from  the  rose  of  Sharon  to  the  lily  of  the  valley  " 
(Cant.  iii.  1);  all  "trees  pleasant  to  the  sight  and  good  for  food" 
(Gen.  ii.  9);  "thorns,  also,  and  thistles"  (Gen.  iii.  19);  nettles  and 
brambles  (Isa.  xxxiv.  13) ;  wormwood  and  hemlock,  correspond  to 
or  represent  the  countless  things  of  intelligence,  observance,  and 
knowledge  both  true  and  false,  wholesome  and  pernicious,  and  to 


120  Jupiter's  statue  was  made  of  oak ;  and 
Taciius  affirms  that  in  Germany  the  images 
of  the  gods  consisted  of  rude  trunks  of  un- 
poU^hed  oak.— Potter's  Antiq.,  vol.  i.,  p.  I'Jl. 
Isa.  xl.  20. 

Kobust  is  ftom  the  Latin  word,  robur, 
strength,  and  whic  h  is  the  name  for  an  oak. 
The  Hebrew  word  for  oak  also  denotes 
strength. 

In  the  age  when  the  science  of  correspond- 
ences and  all  true  religion  became  corrupted 
into  idolatry,  "trees  were  the  original  tem- 
ples of  the  gods ;  tliey  were  also  tlie  symbols 
or  images  of  them;  and  their  several  attri- 
butes were  expressed  by  several  trees,  which 
were  perpetually  ai)propriated  to  their  re- 
Bpective  deities,  and  called  by  their  names: 
and  therefore  addressed  and  appealed  to,  as 
if  they  had  themselves  the  attributes  and 
powers  of  their  prototypes,  to  hear  the  cove- 
nants made  in  their  presence,  and  punish 
the  violators  of  them."— i>r.  Qlostcr  Ridley's 
Holes  on  Melampus,  p.  ZVJ.   London,  1781. 

It  must  not  be  overlooked  that  phints  and 
vegetables,  including  those  of  even  the  most 
noxious  kinds,  like  the  doctrines  and  trutlis 
adapted  to  tlie  various  natural  and  .HMisual 
principles  of  the  mind  to  which  they  corre- 


spond, are  capable  of  being  overruled  for  use 
and  service  to  man,  as  well  as  being  capable 
of  abuse.  Such  is  especially  the  case  with 
all  plants  possessing  medicinal  qualities.  A 
justly  celebrated  author  remarks,  that "  If  a 
stranger  had  visited  a  wandering  tribe  be- 
fore one  property  of  herbalism  was  known 
to  them ;  if  he  had  told  tlie  savages  that  the 
herbs  which  everyday  they  trampled  under 
foot  were  endowed  with  the  most  potent  vir- 
j  tues,— that  one  would  restore  to  health  a 
brother  on  the  verge  of  death,  that  another 
w(mld  paralyze  to  idiocy  their  wisest  sage, 
that  a  third  would  strike  lifeless  to  the  dust 
their  most  stalwart  champion ;  that  tears  and 
laughter,  vigor  and  disease,  madness  and  rea- 
son, wakefulness  and  sleep,  existence  and 
dissolution  were  coiled  up  in  those  tnire- 
garded  leaves,— would  they  not  liave  lield 
him  a  sorcerer  and  a  liar?  To  half  the  vir- 
tues of  the  vegetable  world  mankind  are  yet 
in  the  darkness  of  the  savages  I  have  sup- 
posed. There  are  faculties  within  us  with 
which  certain  herbs  have  an  affinity,  and 
over  which  they  have  power.  The  Moly  of 
the  ancients  was  not  all  a  fable." — BtUweft 
Zanom,  vol.  iii. 

206 


CORRESPONDENCE  OF  THE  VEGETABLE  WORLD.  207 


innumerable  kinds  and  degrees  of  doctrine  and  persuasion  which  may 
be  implanted,  germinate,  and  fructify  within  the  mind,  together  with 
the  thoughts,  perceptions,  and  affections  which  belong  thereto.  They 
are,  so  to  speak,  the  outward  emblems,  the  diversified  forms,  and 
natural  types  of  existences  in  the  spiritual  world  and  the  world  of 
mind.  This  may,  in  a  great  measure,  be  confirmed  from  the  physi- 
ology, colors,  properties,  qualities,  and  uses  of  flowers,  plants,  and 
trees ;  their  respective  productions,  and  the  different  localities  where 
they  are  found. 

Trees,  as  a  whole,  or  in  their  complex,  denote  such  princijiles  as 
pertain  to  the  entire  mind  and  life,  and  also  such  as  are  thence  derived, 
of  a  lower  degree,  or  having  a  less  degree  of  spiritual  life,  than  those 
signified  by  animals.  Gardens,  vineyards,  olive-yards,  forests,  groves, 
and  meadows,  denote  various  degrees  and  states  of  intelligence  and 
wisdom,  doctrine  and  knowledge.  This  is  indicated  by  the  very 
names  of  the  trees  in  the  representative  garden  of  Eden,  for  one  is 
called  "  the  tree  of  life,"  and  the  other  "  the  tree  of  knowledge  of 
good  and  evil "  (Gen.  ii.  9)  ;  hence,  also,  we  read  of  "  trees  of  right- 
eousness" (Isa.  Ixi.  3),  and  "trees  of  the  Lord"  (Ps.  civ.  16). 

The  roots  of  plants  and  trees,  hidden  beneath  the  ground,  will  sig- 
nify the  faculties  of  exploring  the  Word,  and  of  acquiring  thence, 
and  retaining  in  the  outward  memory,  whatever  knowledge  is  conge- 
nial to  the  mind,  and  desired  for  its  support,  and  also  the  principle 
of  charity  as  the  base  of  genuine  wisdom ;  or,  in  a  contrary  sense,  of 
perverting  knowledge  to  selfish  purposes,  and  making  it  the  ground 
of  fanaticism  and  folly.  We  therefore  see  what  is  meant  where 
the  Lord,  speaking  by  the  mouth  of  his  prophet,  describes  man 
delivered  from  his  spiritual  enemies,  under  the  expressive  name  of 
Amorites,  and  says,  "  Yet  destroyed  I  the  Amorite  before  them,  whose 
height  was  like  the  height  of  the  cedars,  and  he  ivas  strong  as  the 
oaks ;  yet  I  destroyed  his  fruit  from  above,  and  his  roots  from  be- 
neath "  (Amos  ii.  9) ;  and  where  the  seed  having  no  root, — that  is, 
no  ground  in  charity, — withers  away  (Mark  iv.  6).  The  stem  and 
the  branches  denote  the  truths  or  false  principles  themselves,  com- 
bined or  separate,  and  in  the  act  of  being  confirmed  (Ps.  Ixxx.  11). 
The  leaves,  which  are  either  perennial  or  evergreen,  are,  as  it  were, 
the  organs  of  respiration  to  the  vegetative  soul,  and  denote  internal 
or  external  knowledge  and  doctrine;  thus  also  faith,  which,  when 
alone,  is  described  as  a  tree  with  leaves  only,  and  is  therefore  con- 
demned (Matt.  xxi.  19).    The  fruits  which  are  the  ultimate  efiects, 


208 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


and  the  very  purpose  of  the  vital  faculty,  containing  the  seeds,  in 
which  are  the  primary  germs  of  a  new  generation,  signify  all  kinds 
and  degrees  of  good  and  useful  works,  made  manliest  in  a  righteous 
life,  and  their  corresponding  rational  delights,  or  of  evil  works,  ren- 
dered obvious  in  a  corrupt  life,  and  their  corresponding  sensual  pleas- 
ures,— heavenly  works,  produced  from  the  pure  and  exalted  love  of 
God  and  man,  or  infernal  works,  fabricated  from  impure  motives, 
prompted  by  the  love  of  self  and  the  world.  In  these  works  are 
either  the  elemental  germs  of  a  glorious  progression  in  the  rich  bless- 
ings of  charity  and  faith,  extending  even  into  eternal  ages,  or,  on  the 
contrary,  of  the  multiplication  of  evil  and  folly,  and  their  attendant 
and  endless  miseries  ( Jer.  xv.  16).  Thus  the  Lord,  speaking  of  false 
prophets  and  of  false  persuasions  and  doctrines,  says,  "  Ye  shall  know 
them  by  their  fruits.  Do  men  gather  grapes  of  thorns,  or  figs  of 
thistles  ?  Even  so  every  good  tree  bringeth  forth  good  fruit ;  but  a 
corrupt  tree  bringeth  forth  evil  fruit.  A  good  tree  cannot  bring  forth 
evil  fruit,  neither  can  a  corrupt  tree  bring  forth  good  fruit.  Every 
tree  that  bringeth  not  forth  good  fruit  is  hewn  down,  and  cast  into 
the  fire.  Wherefore,  by  their  fruits  ye  shall  know  them  "  (Matt.  vii. 
16-20).  And  again :  "  Either  make  the  tree  good,  and  his  fruit  good ; 
or  else  make  the  tree  corrupt,  and  his  fruit  corrupt :  for  the  tree  is 
known  by  his  fruit "  (Matt.  xii.  33). 

Flowers  of  multifarious  form  and  brilliancy  of  hue  signify,  in  a 
good  sense,  intellectual  perceptions  and  their  indefinite  delights ;  while 
their  variations,  in  quality  and  degree,  are  denoted  by  their  configu- 
rations, colors,  odors,  and  other  properties."' 


'21  The  poetic  language  of  flowers  is  but  an 
imaginary  sjmbolism,  which  may  be  re- 
garded as  an  outbirth  of  their  correspond- 
euce,  and  indicates  its  loss.  Thus,  Dr.  Stan- 
denmaier  observes:  "On  the  earth,  too,  in 
infinite  numbers,  shine  forth  the  flowers,  the 
gracious  children  of  the  Spring,  decked  out 
in  all  the  brilliancy  of  colors,  while  they 
shed  their  soft  balmy  breath,  like  incense, 
through  the  air;  and  these  lovely  children, 
O  youth,  have  they  never  addressed  thee 
in  a  soft  tender  voice?  Oh!  assuredly,  God 
hath  given  them  a  language  to  address  us, 
and  the  language  of  flowers  was  ever,  for 
reflective  minds,  a  beautiful  tongue.  But 
this  mysterious  sense,  which  everywhere 
,  pervades  and  manifests  itself  through  all 
creation,  what  is  it  else  but  a  .sense  of  the 
eternal  and  the  divine?  All  flowers.— those 
luminous  stars  sown  in  the  grass, — are,  like 


the  stars  above  them,  letters  for  the  great 
name  of  the  Eternal,  which  mortals  cannot 
utter  or  pronounce.  Each  manifests  to  thee 
his  omnipotence,  wisdom,  goodness,  and 
love:  each  is  a  gentle  revelation  of  the  Deity. 
And  as  thou,  O  youth,  hiist  a  divine  princi- 
ple, canst  recognize,  seek,  revere,  and  love 
the  God  who  hath  given  it  thee:  so  have 
these  flowers,  in  particular,  much  to  .say  to 
thee.  Contemplate  their  innocent  nature, 
their  still  existence,  tlieir  calm  workings  ac- 
cording to  eternal  laws,  and  consider,  more- 
over, how  lovingly  they  turn  to  the  sun, 
how  humbly  they  bow  before  him  to  imbibe 
strength  and  vigor  and  life  from  his  rays, 
and  to  borrow  all  their  lustre  from  the  .'iplen- 
dor  of  his  beams.  The  great  Sun,  Divine  Love, 
hath  given  them  to  us  to  excite  correspond- 
ing love  in  our  breasts,  as  they  themselves, 
in  lovo  and  Joy,  turn  to  the  sun,  the  source 


CORRESPONDENCE  OF  THE  VEGETABLE  WORLD.  209 


Among  the  ornamental  and  useful  trees  of  paradise  were  those 
"pleamnt  to  the  sight,"  signifying  the  perceptions  of  such  truths  as 
were  designed  to  afford  inmost  gratification  to  the  understanding  and 
reason  ;  and  esculent  trees,  or  trees  bearing  delicious  and  nourishing 
fruit,  called  "trees  good  for  food  "  (Gen.  ii.  9),  to  signify  the  percep- 
tions of  goodness  intended  more  immediately  to  invigorate  and  delight 
the  affections  and  dispositions  of  the  will.  How  vividly  and  how 
beautifully  does  Swedenborg  illustrate  the  true  nature  of  the  divinely 
inspired  writings  from  the  correspondences  of  the  vegetable  world,  in 
the  following  brief  but  interesting  passage : 

"  The  "Word  is  like  a  garden  which  may  be  called  a  heavenly  para- 
dise, containing  delicacies  and  delights  of  every  kind,  delicacies  of 
fruits  and  delights  of  flowers,  in  the  midst  of  which  are  trees  of  life, 
and  beside  them  fountains  of  living  water,  and  forest  trees  round 
about  the  garden.  Whoever  is  principled  in  divine  truths,  by  virtue 
of  doctrine,  is  in  the  midst  of  the  garden,  among  the  trees  of  life,  and 
in  the  actual  enjoyment  of  its  delicacies  and  delights.  When  a  man 
is  not  principled  in  truths  by  virtue  of  doctrine,  but  only  from  the 
literal  sense,  he  abides  in  the  boundaries  of  the  garden,  and  sees 
nothing  but  forest  scenery ;  but  when  a  man  is  in  the  doctrine  of  a 
false  religion,  and  has  confirmed  its  falsities  in  his  mind,  he  is  not 
even  in  the  forest,  but  in  a  sandy  plain  without,  where  there  is  not  even 
grass."  "  The  man  who  leads  himself,  judges  of  that  paradise,  which 
is  the  Word,  from  its  circumference,  where  are  the  trees  of  the  forest ; 
but  the  man  whom  the  Lord  leads,  judges  of  it  from  the  midst  thereof, 
where  are  the  trees  of  life.  The  man  whom  the  Lord  leads  is  also 
actually  in  that  midst,  and  looks  upward  to  the  Lord ;  but  the  man 
who  leads  himself  sits  down  in  the  circumference,  and  looks  outward 
to  the  world."— T.  C.  R.  259  ;  A.  E.  1072. 

There  are  those  vegetables,  also,  mentioned  in  the  Word,  whose 
specific  signification  depends  upon  their  productions.    Such  are  the 


of  light"  [and  heat]. — Symholical  Language 
OJ  Flowers :  Dublin  Review,  1S12. 

"  Each  plant  [in  a  good  sense]  is  the  image 
of  a  divine  thought,  which  presents  itself  to 
our  eyes  under  a  material  image,  correspond- 
ing to  its  moral  [or  spiritual]  sense." — M.  de 
Courcelles :  Traite  des  Symboles,  p.  16. 

It  was  doubtless  from  the  remains  of  the 
science  of  correspondences  that  the  ancient 
Phoenicians  and  Celtic  Druids  held  the  oak 
and  oak-groves  in  such  veneration.  Some 
writers  derive  the  word  Druid  from  the  Greek 
18*  O 


word  Jpu5,  an  oak :  but  it  is  most  probably  de- 
rived from  a  more  ancient  source.  In  their 
own  language,  the  word  Druidh  means  wise 
men;  others  derive  it  from  Dera'i/dd,  or  jDar- 
wydd,  the  British  term,  from  Derw,  or  rather 
Dar,  the  male  oak.  But  it  is  as  possible  that 
the  oak  received  its  peculiar  name  from  the 
sacred  admiration  with  which  it  was  re- 
garded. Bardd,  translated  Bard,  literally 
signifies  one  that  illustrates,  master  of  wis- 
dom.—  WUliam  Owen. 


210 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


medicinal  plants,  as  the  aloe  and  the  balm  of  Gilead ;  the  vestuary, 
as  the  cotton-tree  and  flax,  etc.  Now,  if  we  attentively  survey  the 
characteristics  and  uses  which  thus  distinguish  the  genera,  and  even 
species,  of  herbs  and  trees,  they  will  materially  assist  us  in  perceiving 
and  confirming  the  signification  of  each.  Nothing,  for  instance,  can 
more  fitly  represent  a  weak  condition  of  faith,  when  grounded  in  the 
mere  appearances  of  the  letter  of  the  Holy  Word,  and,  in  an  opposite 
sense,  of  mere  faith  alone,  destitute  of  all  vital  influence  and  power, 
than  the  elastic  but  feeble  reed,  on  the  river's  bank,  shaken  by  every 
wind.  Yet  such  is  the  fulness  of  divine  mercy,  that  we  are  assured 
by  the  Lord  that  He  Avill  not  "  break  the  bruised  reed  "  (Isa.  xlii.  3 ; 
Matt.  xii.  20)  ;  "  He  will  strengthen  the  weak  hands,  and  confirm  the 
feeble  knees "  (Isa.  xxxv.  3).  In  the  opposite  sense,  by  a  bruised 
reed  is  signified  an  external,  irresolute  faith, — faith  separate  from 
charity,  and  its  weak  and  miserable  delusions,  on  which  no  one  can 
rely  without  danger.  "  Behold,"  says  the  prophet,  "  thou  trustest  upon 
the  staff"  of  this  bruised  reed,  even  upon  Egypt,  on  which  if  a  man 
lean,  it  will  go  into  his  hand  and  pierce  it "  (2  Kings  xviii.  21 ;  Isa. 
xxxvi.  6).  But  a  firm  and  true  faith,  rooted  and  grounded  in  love, 
and  the  perceptions  thence  derived,  will  be  signified  by  the  nobler, 
stronger,  and  more  durable  productions  of  the  vegetable  tribes.  Thus, 
where  faith  derived  from  charity,  in  the  internal  man,  becomes  oper- 
ative in  the  external,  and  is  intellectually  and  rationally  confirmed 
by  scientific  knowledge  into  conscientious  conviction,  it  is  signified  by 
the  gnarled  but  majestic  oak,  whose  branches  form  an  umbrageous 
retreat,  and  whose  roots  strike  deep  into  the  solid  earth.  Such  faith, 
perception,  and  conscience,  however  powerful,  are  comparatively  of  a 
low  order ;  they  are  represented,  therefore,  by  a  tree,  which,  though 
distinguished  for  its  strength  and  vitality,  yet  produces  no  fruit  suit- 
able for  human  food.  Such  was  the  signification  of  an  oak,  when 
Joshua  renewed  the  covenant  between  the  Lord  and  Israel :  "  Ho  took 
a  great  stone,  and  set  it  up  under  an  oak  "  (Josh.  xxiv.  26),  to  repre- 
sent the  steadfastness  of  that  covenant  on  the  part  of  God,  and  the 
fidelity  with  wliich  it  ought  to  be  observed  on  the  part  of  man.  Such 
was  also  the  signification  of  the  oak  groves  of  IMamrc,  where  Abra- 
ham, Isaac,  and  Jacob  sojourned  (Gen.  xxxv.  27) ;  and  on  this  sig- 
nification is  grounded  the  reason  why  the  angel  who  appeared  unto 
Gideon  in  the  world  of  spirits  was  seen  sitting  under  the  shade  of  an 
oak  (Judg.  vi.  11).  In  a  bad  sense,  however,  an  oak  signifies  the 
sensual  confidence  and  presumptuous  boastings  of  the  natural  mind. 


CORRESPONDENCE  OF  THE  VEGETABLE  WORLD.  211 

under  the  influence  of  which  man  idolizes  and  worships  his  own  in- 
tellect as  real  power.  In  the  expressive  language  of  the  prophet, 
"  He  heweth  down  and  taketh  the  oak,  which  he  strengtheneth  for 
himself  among  the  trees  of  the  forest :  he  maketh  a  god  and  worship- 
peth  it ;  he  maketh  it  a  graven  image,  and  falleth  down  thereto,  and 
prayeth  unto  it,  and  saith,  Deliver  me,  for  thou  art  my  god  "  (Isa. 
xliv.  14-17).  And,  further,  to  denote  that  such  vanity  will  in  the 
end  expose  its  deluded  victims  to  derision,  and  in  the  hour  of  trial 
will  wither  forever  away,  it  is  said,  "  They  shall  be  ashamed  of  the 
oaks  which  ye  have  desired,  and  ye  shall  be  confounded  for  the  gar- 
dens that  ye  have  chosen.  For  ye  shall  be  as  an  oak  whose  leaf 
fadeth  "  (Isa.  i.  29,  30). 

When  the  church  is  spoken  of  in  the  Word,  as  to  the  reception  of 
goodness  and  truth  of  a  celestial  quality  or  degree,  mention  is  alwaj'S 
made  of  the  olive-tree.  This  goodly  tree,  Avith  its  outspreading 
branches,  which  flourishes  only  in  warm  and  sunny  situations,  which 
Avith  its  products  constituted  some  of  the  riches  of  Judea,  and  from 
whose  fruit  a  fragrant  and  valuable  oil  is  extracted,  signifies  the  celes- 
tial principles  of  love  to  God  and  charity  towards  all  men,  derived 
from  God's  infinite  love  towards  his  creatures."^  In  reference  to  such 
a  characteristic,  it  is  said,  "  The  Lord  called  thy  name,  A  green  olive- 
tree,  fair,  and  of  goodly  fruit "  (Jer.  xi.  16).  In  the  prophetic  visions 
of  Zechariah,  he  saw  in  the  spiritual  world  two  olive-trees  by  the 
golden  candlesticks,  one  upon  the  right  side  of  the  bowl,  and  the 
other  upon  the  left  side  thereof,  Avhich  were  representative  of  these 
celestial  principles,  and  of  which  the  angel  said,  "  These  are  the  two 
anointed  ones,'^'  that  stand  by  the  Lord  of  the  whole  earth  "  (Zech. 
iv.  3,  14).  The  same  principles  were  also  signified  by  the  two  wit- 
nesses seen  in  vision  by  the  apostle  John,  of  Avhich  he  says,  "  These 
are  the  two  olive-trees,  and  the  two  candlesticks  standing  before  the 
God  of  the  earth  "  (Rev.  xi.  4).  On  account  of  this  signification  of 
the  olive,  the  oil  was,  by  divine  command,  the  principal  ingredient 
employed  for  the  purpose  of  anointing  priests  and  kings,  when  conse- 


The  olive-tree,  from  the  effect  of  its  oil 
in  suppling,  relaxing,  and  preventing  and 
mitigating  pain,  seems  to  have  been  adopted 
from  the  earliest  period  as  an  emblem  of 
the  benignity  of  the  divine  nature,  whence 
olive  branches  became  the  emblems  of  peace 
to  vario\is  and  distant  nations. — See  Carpen- 
ter's Scripture  Natural  History,  p.  -118. 


Peace  and  reconciliation,  the  offspring  of 
love,  have  from  most  ancient  times  been 
symbolized  by  an  olive-branch.  From  the 
Greek  word  for  olive  was  derived  the  Greek 
word  for  mercy. — See  Harris's  Natural  History 
of  the  Bible,  English  edition,  p.  285. 

123  Heb.,  sons  oj  oil. 


212 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


crated  to  their  holy  and  responsible  oflBces,  and  also  for  the  anointing 
of  the  sacred  vessels  of  the  tabernacle  and  temple.  In  the  Mosaic 
ritual  the  people  were  commanded  to  present  it  to  Jehovah  in  several 
of  the  free-will  offerings  of  their  representative  worship  ;  and  it  Avas 
used,  by  divine  direction,  for  supplying  the  golden'  lamps  in  which 
the  lights  were  to  be  kept  burning  continually  before  the  Lord  (^Lev. 
xxiv.  2-4) ;  teaching  us  that  when  the  true  worship  of  the  Lord  is 
celebrated  in  the  inner  temple  of  the  soul,  the  oil  of  divine  love  is 
always  given  to  cause  the  lamps  of  truth  and  doctrine  to  burn  before 
the  Lord  in  a  constantly-ascending  flame  of  love  to  God  and  benevo- 
lence to  man,  made  \'isibly  manifest  in  a  charitable  and  useful  life. 
So,  when  the  Psalmist  speaks  of  his  growth  in  the  celestial  life  of  love 
and  charity,  which  blesses,  imbues,  and  sanctifies  the  inmost  of  the 
soul,  and  expresses  his  gratitude  to  the  Lord  for  this  precious  gift  of 
his  love,  he  says,  "  I  am  like  a  green  olive-tree  in  the  house  of  God  " 
(Psalm  lii.  8)  ;  and,  again,  "  Thou  anointest  my  head  with  oil "  (Psalm 
xxiii.  5). 

When  the  true  signification  of  oil  is  known,  the  miraculous  increase 
of  the  widow's  oil  by  Elisha  the  prophet,  recorded  in  2  Kings  iv., 
may  be  seen,  in  every  particular  of  the  inspired  history,  to  be  an 
exact  representation  of  the  influx  of  divine  love  into  the  affections, 
for  the  support  of  spiritual  life,  in  all  seasons  of  temptation,  peril, 
and  distress ;  for  it  is  the  life  of  heaven  in  the  soul,  which  induces 
unwavering  confidence,  brings  sweetest  satisfaction,  vivifies  all  the 
principles  of  the  mind,  and  saves  from  spiritual  death.  It  was  from 
this  signification  of  oil,  as  denoting  the  heavenly  principles  of  love 
and  charity,  that  under  the  Jewish  representative  economy,  priests, 
prophets,  and  kings  were  consecrated  to  their  respective  oflaees  and 
functions  by  being  anointed  with  a  holy  ointment,'"  made  by  divine 
direction  according  to  the  skilful  art  of  the  apothecary  (Ex.  xxx.  25), 
and  of  which  olive  oil  was  the  chief  ingredient,  to  denote  that  in  the 
administration  of  aU  the  ecclesiastical  and  ciAnl  aflairs  of  the  king- 
dom, and  in  the  exercise  (rf  the  authority  and  talents  and  ministry 
intrusted  to  their  charge,  they  were  to  be  inwardly  imbued  with  tlie 
holy  affections  of  love  and  charity,  and  that  all  the  governing  prin- 
ciples of  the  mind  and  life  were  to  be  consecrated  by  the  unction  of 


The  Hebrew  word.  Messiah,  and  the  cor- 
responding Greek  word,  Christ,literaUy  mean 
"anointed." 
Similar  things  are  signified,  if  all  such  pas- 


sages are  interpreted  in  their  individual 
sense,  in  which  priests  and  kings  sigin'fy 
and  represent  the  governing  principles  of 
mind  and  life. 


CORRESPONDENCE  OF  THE  VEGETABLE  WORLD.  213 


these  precious  principles.  Hence  we  read,  "  Behold,  how  good  and 
how  pleasant  it  is  for  brethren  to  dwell  together  in  unity !  It  is  like 
the  precious  ointment  upon  the  head,  that  ran  down  upon  the  beard, 
even  Aaron's  beard  ;  that  went  down  to  the  skirts  of  his  garments  " 
(Ps.  cxxxiii.  1,  2).  The  Lord's  love  for  man,  and  man's  love  of  the 
Lord  and  of  his  neighbor,  are  "the  oil  of  gladness"  (Ps.  xlv.  7), 
and  "  the  oU  of  joy  "  (Isa.  Ixi.  3). 

Again,  in  the  beautiful  and  impressive  parable  of  the  ten  virgins 
with  their  lamps  (Matt.  xxv.  1-13),  designed  by  our  blessed  Lord 
and  Saviour  to  set  before  us  the  efforts  and  qualifications  necessary 
to  obtain  a  blessed  and  everlasting  state  of  conjunction  with  Him,  and 
of  association  with  the  angels  of  his  kingdom,  we  are  told  that  the 
lampsof  the  five  foolish  virgins  were  extinguished  for  want  of  oil  in  their 
vessels,  to  teach  us  the  all-important  lesson,  that  however  brilliantly 
the  flame  of  truth  may  appear  to  shine  upon  us  for  a  season,  irradi- 
ating all  around  with  its  brightness,  yet,  unless  it  be  constantly  sup- 
plied with  the  pure  oil  of  celestial  love,  it  will  soon  go  out,  and  leave 
us  shrouded  in  thickest  darkness ;  and  that  unless  we  obtain  this  sacred 
principle  from  its  own  source, — the  abiding  love  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  in  our  souls, — and  earnestly  labor  to  make  it  our  own  by  works 
of  penitence,  obedience,  and  charity,  the  door  of  the  nuptial  chamber 
will  be  eternally  closed  against  us.  Our  protestations  and  importu- 
nities will  be  unavailing,  and  the  awful  sentence  will  go  forth  against 
us,  "Verily,  I  say  unto  you,  I  know  you  not."  On  the  other  hand, 
if  in  our  vessels  with  our  lamps  we  are  abundantly  supplied  from  the 
Lord  with  his  precious  oil, — if  the  affections  of  our  hearts  are  recep- 
tive of  the  celestial  gifts  of  love  and  charity, — ^then  will  the  light  of 
heavenly  truth  burn  more  and  more  brilliantlj'  upon  our  path ;  and 
when  in  the  midnight  conflict  of  temptation  we  hear  the  sudden  and 
startling  cry,  "  Behold  the  bridegroom  cometh,  go  ye  out  to  meet 
him,"  we  shall  be  prepared  to  obey  the  summons,  to  arise  and  trim 
our  lamps,  and  to  enter  with  our  Lord  into  the  secure  and  blissful 
marriage  chamber  of  heaven. 

"When  the  church,  or  a  man  of  the  church,  as  to  goodness  and 
truth  of  a  spiritual  character  or  degree,  is  spoken  of,  it  is  signified  by 
a  vine,  which  is  the  noblest  plant  of  the  creeping  kind,  celebrated  for 
its  tendency  to  extend  its  roots  and  branches  without  limit,  for  its 
rich  clusters  of  fruit,  and  for  the  wines  which  are  obtained  therefrom, 
and  "make  glad  the  heart  of  man"  (Psalm  civ.  15).  And  in  refer- 
ence to  the  establishment  of  the  church  by  the  Lord,  and  the  deriva- 


214 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


tion  of  all  its  constituent  principles  from  Him,  both  in  general  and  in 
particular,  He  says,  "I  am  the  true  vine"  (John  xv.  1);  and  the 
Psalmist,  evidently  speaking  of  the  Israelitish  church,  says,  "  Thou 
liast  brought  a  vine  out  of  Egypt :  thou  hast  cast  out  the  heathen  and 
planted  it.  Thou  preparedst  room  before  it,  and  didst  cause  it  to 
take  deep  root,  and  it  filled  the  land.  The  hills  were  covered  with 
the  shadow  of  it,  and  the  boughs  thereof  were  like  the  goodly  cedars. 
She  sent  out  her  boughs  unto  the  sea,  and  her  branches  unto  the  river" 
(Psalm  Ixxx.  8-11).  To  represent  a  state  of  apostasy  of  this  church, 
or  of  any  of  her  members,  and  the  sad  and  destructive  results  which, 
though  they  spring  from  the  ascendancy  of  false  and  evil  persuasions 
and  lusts,  appear  to  be  the  consequences  of  Divine  displeasure,  it  is 
added,  "Why  hast  thou  then  broken  down  her  hedges,  so  that  all 
they  which  pass  by  the  way  do  pluck  her  ?  The  boar  out  of  the  wood 
doth  waste  it,  and  the  wild  beast  of  the  field  doth  devour  it"  (12, 
13).  He  then  supplicates  the  Lord's  mercy  for  its  restoration  in  these 
words,  "  Return,  we  beseech  thee,  O  God  of  hosts :  look  down  from 
heaven,  and  behold,  and  visit  this  vine ;  and  the  vineyard  which  thy 
right  hand  hath  planted,  and  the  branch  which  thou  madest  strong 
for  thyself"  (14,  15). 

Similar  things  are  described  in  the  prophecy  of  Isaiah,  where  the 
church  in  general,  and  every  member  thereof  in  particular,  is  treated 
of  under  the  type  of  a  vineyard,  which,  though  gifted  with  every 
blessing,  and  protected  from  all  enemies,  so  as  to  afford  it  the  most 
ample  opportunity  of  yielding  richest  fruits,  in  correspondence  with 
the  divine  care  bestowed  upon  it,  yet  it  only  brought  forth  the  bitter 
clusters  of  the  wild  grape.  "  Now  I  will  sing  to  my  well-beloved  [saith 
the  Lord],  a  song  of  my  beloved  touching  his  vineyard.  My  well- 
beloved  hath  a  vineyard  in  a  very  fruitful  hill ;  and  he  fenced  it, 
and  gathered  out  the  stones  thereof,  and  planted  it  with  the  choicest 
vine,  and  built  a  tower  in  the  midst  of  it,  and  also  made  a  wine-press 
therein:  and  he  looked  that  it  should  bring  forth  grapes,  and  it 
brought  forth  wild  grapes.  And  now,  O  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem, 
and  men  of  Judah,  judge,  I  jiray  you,  betwixt  me  and  my  vineyard. 
What  could  have  been  done  more  to  my  vineyard,  that  I  have  not  done 
in  it?  wherefore,  when  I  looked  that  it  should  bring  forth  grapes, 
brought  it  forth  wild  grapes  ?  And  now  go  to  ;  I  will  tell  you  what 
I  will  do  to  my  vineyard :  I  will  take  away  the  hedge  thereof,  and  it 
shall  be  eaten  up ;  and  break  down  the  wall  thereof,  and  it  shall  be 
trodden  down :  and  I  will  lay  it  waste :  it  shall  not  be  pruned,  nor 


CORRESPONDENCE  OF  THE  VEGETABLE  WORLD.  215 


digged  ;  but  there  shall  come  up  briers  and  thorns :  I  will  also  com- 
mand the  clouds  that  they  rain  no  rain  upon  it.  For  the  vineyard 
of  the  Lord  of  hosts  is  the  house  of  Israel,  and  the  men  of  Judah 
his  pleasant  plant :  and  He  looked  for  judgment,  but  behold  oppres- 
sion; for  righteousness,  but  behold  a  cry"  (Isa.  v.  1-7). 

When  the  elemental  principles  of  the  church,  both  in  general  and 
in  particular,  are  described  in  regard  to  natural  goodness  and  truth 
with  their  delights,  or  their  opposites,  then  we  have  mention  made 
of  fig-trees,  fig-leaves,  and  figs.  The  correspondence  of  these  fruit- 
trees  may  be  confirmed  from  the  circumstances  that  they  flourish  in 
barren  and  stony  situations,  where  little  else  would  grow,  and  do  not 
properly  blossom,  but  shoot  out  their  fruit  even  before  the  leaves 
appear.  Thus,  when  the  prophet  is  speaking  of  the  defect  of  that 
natural  usefulness  which  precedes  the  attainment  of  spiritual  knowl- 
edge,— the  good  fruits  of  external  faith  and  charity,  thus  of  the  want 
of  mutual  aftection  and  simple  obedience  in  the  church  and  in  man, — 
he  says,  "  There  shall  be  no  figs  on  the  fig-tree,  and  the  leaf  shall 
fade"  (Jer.  viii.  13).  And  when,  again,  a  flourishing  state  of  the 
church  is  spoken  of,  or  man  in  a  state  of  regeneration,  when  the  fruits 
of  a  good  life  by  keeping  the  divine  commandments  are  abundant, 
then  it  is  said,  " The  fig-tree  yields  its  strength"  (Joel  ii.  22). 

Fruits  correspond  to  works,  either  good  or  evil,  according  to  their 
kind,  and  agreeably  to  the  subject  of  which  they  are  predicated ;  and 
leaves  to  knowledges  and  truths  thence  derived,  either  genuine  or 
falsified.  The  sweet  fruit  of  the  fig-tree  signifies  natural  goodness, 
or  goodness  in  an  external  form,  such  as  is  manifested  in  an  outwardly 
moral  life.  But  the  works  of  morality  may  be  done  from  vile  and 
impure,  as  well  as  from  righteous  and  pure,  motives,  from  hypocrisy 
as  well  as  from  sincerity.  This  important  distinction  which  obtains 
among  the  members  of  the  professing  church,  and  between  the  prin- 
ciples constituent  of  the  natural  mind,  as  to  the  inward  quality  of  a 
moral  life,  is  thus  described  in  a  vision  of  the  prophet  Jeremiah : 
"  The  Lord  showed  me,  and,  behold,  two  baskets  of  figs  were  set 
before  the  temple  of  the  Lord.  One  basket  had  very  good  figs,  even 
like  the  figs  that  are  first  ripe ;  and  the  other  basket  had  very  naughty 
figs,  which  could  not  be  eaten,  they  were  so  bad.  Then  said  the  Lord 
unto  me,  What  seest  thou,  Jeremiah  ?  And  I  said,  Figs ;  the  good 
figs  very  good ;  and  the  bad,  very  bad,  that  cannot  be  eaten,  they  are 
so  bad  "  (xxiv.  1-3).  When  the  outward  works  of  the  church  or  of 
man  are  corrupt, — prompted  by  utter  selfishness,  defiled  by  loathsome 


216 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


covetousness, — they  are  "  like  vile  figs  that  cannot  be  eaten."  And 
when,  by  transgression,  man  lost,  or  still  loses,  his  innocence  and  ia- 
tegrity,  he  is  represented  in  the  Word  as  vainly  attempting  to  screen 
his  nakedness  and  guilt  by  sewing  "  fig-leaves  "  together, — as  endeav- 
oring to  hide  his  inward  depravity  by  the  hypocritical  veil  of  a  mere 
external  conformity  to  the  outward  decencies  of  life, — framing  doc- 
trines from  the  Letter  of  the  Word  to  excuse  his  unclean  lusts,  and  to 
cover  the  pride  of  self-love.  On  account  of  this  signification  of  the 
fig-tree  and  its  fruit,  and  in  order  to  represent  to  us  that  the  Lord 
knows  by  his  truth  and  constantly  explores  the  real  state  of  the 
church,  and  the  interior  quality  of  all  her  members.  He  was  pleased 
to  perform,  when  He  sojourned  on  earth,  a  striking  miracle  on  a  bar- 
ren fig-tree,  which  was  a  type  of  the  church  at  its  end,  and  which, 
exhibiting  an  exuberance  of  leaves,  ought  also  to  have  borne  a  pro- 
poi'tionate  abundance  of  fruit.    The  Lord  hungered,'  '"  to  denote  his 


'25  Origen  says  that "  in  the  righteous,  Jesus 
is  always  hungry,  being  desirous  to  eat  the 
fruit  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  them."— 7n  ilait., 
Trac.  XXX. 

"There  is  a  wonderful  significance  in  the 
simple  image  running  through  the  whole  of 
Scripture,  according  to  which  men  are  com- 
pared to  trees,  and  their  work  to  fruit;  the 
fruit  being  the  organic  product  and  evidence 
of  the  inner  life,  not  something  arbitrarily 
attiiched  or  fastened  on  from  without."— 
Treni-h's  Notes  on  the  Parablff.  p.  348.  (Pee  Ps. 
i.  3;  Jer.  xvii.  8;  John  xv.  2, 4.  o;  Rom.vii.4.) 

That  is,  the  time  of  gathering  ripe  figs,  or 
the  time  of  fig-harvest,  was  not  yet  arrived, 
so  tliat  tlic  tree,  bearing  an  abundance  of 
leaves,  ouglu  also  to  have  borne  fruit.  In  the 
original  there  is  no  expression  answering  to 
the  word  yet;  or,  probably,  like  the  fig-tree 
cumbering  tlie  ground  (Luke  xiii.  6-9),  the 
tree  here  spoken  of  might  have  been  always 
barren,  and  would  have  so  continued. 

"  How  barren  a  tree  is  he  wlio  lives,  and 
spreads,  and  cumbers  the  ground,  yet  leaves 
not  one  seed,  nut  one  good  work  to  generate 
after  him.  I  know  all  men  cannot  leave 
alike,  yet  all  may  leave  something,  answer- 
ing their  proportion,  their  kinds." — Owen 
FeUham. 

No  little  discus,sion  and  diversity  of  opin- 
ion among  commentators  on  this  subject. 
In  notes  on  Matthew,  Orit.  liib.,  the  writer 
offers  the  following  i)araphrase  to  meet  the 
difllculty.  "  If  perhaps  fei  apa)  he  might  find 
some  figs  on  it  (for  it  was  not  yet  the  usual 
season  for  figs  to  be  fit  for  gathering  on  fig- 
trees  in  general),  but  he  found  leaves  only." 
From  Nordern's  Travels  in  Egypt,  the  writer 


concludes,  with  Calmefs  editor,  that  it  was 
the  Sycamore  fig-tree,  wliich  is  always  green, 
grows  by  the  wayside,  and  bears  fruit  scrcrcU 
times  in  the  year,  so  that  no  time,  without  a 
near  examination,  could  any  one  tell  if  it 
bore  fruit  (Mark  xvi.  3, 4). 

"Remember,  O  Christian,  that  thy  sinftil 
nature  can  aftbrd  no  hope,  nor  the  shadow 
of  a  hope;  not  a  desire,  nor  even  a  wish  to 
desire  the  least  good  thing  that  relates  to  [the 
Lord]  Jesus  Clirist.  Tliese  are  exotics  on 
earth,  and  must  be  transplanted  from  heav- 
en. Xo  fruit  or  flower  of  grace  can  spring 
from  thy  carnal  nature;  nothing  naturally 
flourishes  there  but  the  baleful  weeds  of  self- 
will,  of  unbelief,  and  pride.'  Thy  soul,  by 
natural  pollution,  is  become  a  dark,  a  waste, 
a  thorny  wilderness;  and  none  but  Christ, 
the  husbandman  of  the  Church,  can  convert 
it  into  a  garden.  But  the  divine  Redeemer 
has  once  made  this  wilderness '  to  blossom  as 
the  rose;'  will  He  not  keep  as  well  as  water 
it  even,-  moment?  will  not  He  reduce  the 
beasts  of  the  forest,  with  every  noxious  and 
creeping  thing  ?  Take  courage,  then,  believ- 
ing soul.  Thy  heavenly  Father  'despiseth 
not  the  day  of  small  things.'  Thy  faith, 
though  now  perhaps  minuti^  as  '  the  smallest 
of  all  seeds.'  is,  notwithstanding,  precious, 
and  shall  one  day  rise  in  such  luxuriousness 
that '  all  the  fowls  of  the  air  shall  nest  in  the 
branches  of  it;'  the  holiest  grace,  and  most 
happy  desires  shall  wing  their  way  to  their 
heart,  and  shall  rest  with  delight  in  the  soul." 
— Serle's  Hor.  Sol.,  p.  8. 

It  is  truly  painfiil  to  find  a  distinguished 
theologian  deliberately  affirming  tliat  this 
sacred  parable,  and  "  tlie  one  of  the  thistle 


CORRESPONDENCE  OF  THE  VEGETABLE  WORLD.  217 


divine  and  ceaseless  desire  that  man  should  receive  his  life  and  spirit, 
and  bring  forth  the  blessed  fruits  of  repentance,  reformation,  and 
regeneration  (Matt.  xxv.  31-46).  It  is  said,  therefore,  that  He  saw  it 
afar  oS, — far  distant  from  Himself  and  heaven,  bearing  nothing  but 
leaves, — nothing  but  truths  and  doctrines  w  hich  were  falsified, — mere 
outward  conformity, — the  acknowledgment  of  the  lips,  while  the  heart 
was  far  from  Him.  "  But  the  time  of  figs  was  not  yet," — glorious 
and  continual  opportunities  of  producing  richest  fruits  had  passed  by 
unimproved.  The  sun  had  shone  and  the  dews  had  fallen  upon  it  in 
vain.  Its  doom  was  therefore  pronounced,  "  No  man  eat  fruit  of  thee 
hereafter  forever."  The  axe  was  "  laid  to  its  root "  (Matt.  iii.  10). 
Judgment  was  executed,  and  "  the  fig-tree  was  immediately  dried  up 
from  the  roots"  (Mark  xi.  12-20). 

When  those  principles  in  the  natural  mind,  which,  by  the  reception 
of  Avhat  is  evil  and  false,  do  injury  to  charity  and  faith,  or,  on  the 
contrary,  may,  in  the  regenerating  process,  be  deprived  of  theii-  hurt- 
ftil  qualities,  and  made  subservient  to  good  purposes,  are  spoken  of  in 
the  Word  under  corresponding  imagery  drawn  from  the  vegetable 
kingdom,  they  are  described  by  prickly,  stinging,  and  noxious  plants, 
shrubs,  and  trees,  as  thorns  and  thistles,  nettles  and  briers,  etc.  Such 
natural  principles  as  are  denoted  by  thorns  and  briers,  when  they  are 
made  subordinate  to  use,  serve  for  protection  and  defence  to  interior 
principles.  Hence  we  read  of  the  householder  who  planted  a  vine- 
yard, of  which  it  is  said,  he  "  hedged  it  round  about "  (Matt.  xxi.  33). 
When  the  desecrated  church  is  treated  of,  or  when  the  human  mind 
is  described  as  no  longer  cultivating  and  cherishing  therein  the  heav- 
enly plants  of  paradise,  but  as  giving  birth  and  permanent  existence 
to  such  natural  principles  as  are  injurious  to  goodness  and  truth,  pro- 
ducing disorder  and  desolation,  among  other  divine  judgments  it  is 
declared  that  "Thorns  shall  come  up  in  her  palaces,  nettles  and 
brambles  in  the  fortresses  thereof"  (Isa.  xxxiv.  13).  But  when, a 
luxuriant  state  of  the  Lord's  church  or  of  the  human  mind  is  the 
subject  of  prediction  or  promise,  in  which  the  plants  of  heavenly  ex- 
traction and  spiritual  growth,  that  bring  delight  to  the  soul,  are  by 
regeneration  substituted  for  the  wild,  hurtful,  and  disorderly  produc- 
tions of  an  unregenerate  state,  then  we  read,  "  The  wilderness  and 
the  solitary  place  shall  be  glad  for  them ;  and  the  desert  shall  rejoice 


and  cedar  (2  Kings  xiv.  9)  are  two  fables;" 
and  that  "in  neither  case  is  it  God  that  is 
speaking,  nor  yet  messengers  of  his  dellver- 
19 


ing  his  counsel,  but  men,  and  from  an  earthly 
standing  point,  not  a  divine."— T?-e7ic/i's  Notes 
on  the  Parables,  note,  p.  2,  5th  ed. 


218 


TEE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


aud  blossom  as  the  rose.  It  shall  blossom  abundantly,  and  rejoice 
even  with  joy  and  singing :  the  glory  of  Lebanon  shall  be  given  unto 
it,  the  excellency  of  Carmel  and  Sharon.  They  shall  see  the  glory 
of  the  Lord,  and  the  excellency  of  our  God  "  (Isa.  xxxv.  1,  2). 

Having  thus  explained  the  spiritual  signification  of  the  olive-tree, 
the  vine,  the  fig-tree,  and  the  bramble,  we  shall  be  prepared  to  under- 
stand the  truly  wonderful  and  divinely-inspired  parable  of  the  trees 
going  forth  to  choose  a  king  over  them,  in  wliich  these  particular 
trees  are  mentioned. 

The  children  of  Israel,  we  read,  did  evil  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord. 
They  built  altars  and  reared  groves,  and  consecrated  them  to  the 
infamous  worship  of  Baal.  They  were,  in  consequence,  given  up  to 
the  power  of  their  inveterate  enemies,  were  compelled  to  dwell  in 
dens  and  mountains,  and  were  greatly  impoverished.  Then  they  cried 
unto  the  Lord  in  theii*  distress,  and  He  sent  an  angel,  who  commis- 
sioned Gideon  to  become  their  deliverer.  After  obtaining  a  signal 
victory  over  the  hosts  of  ^lidian,  the  Israelites  desired  that  he  would 
become  their  ruler ;  but  he  refused,  saying,  "  I  will  not  rule  over  you, 
neither  shall  my  son  rule  over  you :  the  Lord  shall  rule  over  you." 
After  his  death,  however,  the  children  of  Israel  returned  to  their 
idolatry.  They  remembered  not  the  Lord  their  God,  but  made  Abim- 
elech'**  their  king.  On  this,  Jotham,  the  youngest  son  of  Gideon  (aU 
his  brethren  having  been  perfidiously  put  to  death,  and  he  having 
with  difficulty  escaped),  ascended  to  the  summit  of  Mount  Gerizim, 
and  receiving  by  divine  inspiration  a  message  from  God,  he  spake  to 
the  men  of  Shechem  the  following  parable : 

"  The  trees  went  forth  on  a  time  to  anoint  a  king  over  them  ;  and 
they  said  unto  the  olive-tree.  Reign  thou  over  us.  But  the  olive-tree 
said  unto  them.  Should  I  leave  my  fatness,  wherewith  by  me  they 
honor  God  and  man,  and  go  to  be  promoted  over  the  trees  ?  And 
the  trees  said  to  the  fig-tree.  Come  thou,  and  reign  over  us.  But  the 
fig-tree  said  unto  them.  Should  1  forsake  my  sweetness,  and  my  good 
fruit,  and  go  to  be  promoted  over  the  trees  ?  Then  said  the  trees  unto 
the  vine,  Come  thou,  and  reign  over  us.  And  the  vine  said  unto  them, 
Should  I  leave  my  wine,  which  cheereth  God  and  man,  and  go  to  be 
promoted  over  the  trees  ?  Then  said  all  the  trees  unto  the  bramble, 
Come  thou,  and  reign  over  us.  And  the  bramble  said  unto  the  trees, 
If  in  truth  ye  anoint  me  king  over  you,  then  come  and  put  your  trust 


1*  Abimelech  means  in  English,  Father  and  King. 


CORRESPONDENCE  OF  THE  VEGETABLE  WORLD.  219 


in  my  shadow :  and  if  not,  let  fire  come  out  of  the  bramble,  and  de- 
vour the  cedars  of  Lebanon  "  (Judges  ix.  8-15). 

Jothara  proceeded  to  apj^ly  the  words  of  this  parable  to  what  Israel 
had  done,  in  that  they  had  chosen  Abimelech,  a  low-born,  haughty, 
and  cruel  man,  to  be  their  king,  in  preference  to  the  lawful  heir, 
whom  he  had  treacherously  destroyed,  and  predicted  that  the  fire  of 
civil  discord  would  be  kindled  among  them,  and  terminate,  as  a  con- 
sequence, in  their  mutual  destruction. 

Although  this  inspired  parable,  in  its  proximate  sense,  was  strik- 
ingly applicable  to  the  historical  circumstances  in  which  the  kingdom 
of  Israel  was  then  placed,  it  is  perpetuated  in  the  Word  of  God,  not 
simply  to  convey  admonition  to  nations  and  their  rulers,  but  because, 
in  its  holy  internal  sense,  it  has  reference  to  something  that  transpires 
in  the  minds  and  experience  of  all  men.  In  the  idolatrous  worship 
of  the  rebellious  Israelites,  and  the  punishment  of  slavery  and  op- 
pression to  which  they  were  subjected  by  the  implacable  IVIidianites, 
which,  as  a  corresponding  result  of  their  impious  conduct,  they 
brought  upon  themselves,  we  see  striking  rejjresentative  figures  of  the 
awful  departure  of  men  from  the  pure  worship  of  the  true  God,  to 
the  worship  of  self,  and,  as  a  consequence,  the  awful  and  distressing 
captivity  of  the  soul  to  sensual  passions  and  cruel  propensities,  which 
ever  seek  to  exalt  themselves  above  the  love  and  service  of  God,  and 
to  which  they  are  obnoxious.  From  such  appalling  states  of  spiritual 
bondage  and  tyranny  nothing  can  deliver  us  but  a  humble  acknowl- 
edgment of  our  transgressions.  This  brings  to  our  aid  Divine  inter- 
position. "When  mercies  are  apparently  withdrawn,  and  past  deliver- 
ances are  forgotten  or  feebly  remembered,  how  prone  are  we  to  turn 
again  to  our  evil  ways,  and  resume  our  evil  habits,  to  forget  our  gra- 
cious Deliverer,  and  to  enthrone  within  us,  as  the  chief  ruler  of  our 
desires  and  thoughts, — our  father  and  king, — the  low-born,  ambitious, 
sordid,  and  ferocious  love  of  self,  signified  by  Abimelech.  Thus  we 
stand  in  need  of  the  constant  correction  and  admonition  contained  in 
the  parable  of  the  trees. 

The  bramble,  as  a  hurtful  shrub,  signifies  those  individuals  who, 
like  Abimelech,  are  influenced  only  by  low,  selfish,  domineering  de- 
sires and  worldly  motives ;  and,  in  the  abstract,  such  desires  and 
motives  themselves,  together  with  the  states  of  mind  and  life  in  which 
they  are  cherished.  Gideon,  on  a  previous  occasion,  had  said,  "  The 
Lord  shall  rule  over  you  ; "  but  the  people  were  not  willing  to  be  led 
and  governed  by  Him.    Therefore,  in  seeking  for  a  supreme  ruler, 


220 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


they  are  represented  as  applying  first  to  the  olive-tree,  significative 
of  internal  celestial  goodness  derived  from  love ;  secondly,  to  the  fig- 
tree,  significative  of  external  celestial  goodness  grounded  in  obedience ; 
thirdly,  to  the  vine,  significative  of  spiritual  goodness  proceeding  from 
a  sincere  affection  of  truth,  all  originating  in  the  Lord ;  and  the  refu- 
sal of  these  trees  implies  that  the  people  were  become  so  selfish  and 
wicked  that  they  would  not  submit  to  the  Lord,  nor  to  any  heavenly 
influence  of  goodness  or  truth  proceeding  from  Him.  Lastly,  they 
apply  to  the  bramble,  significative  of  spurious  goodness  springing 
from  hypocrisy,  under  which  is  the  infernal  love  of  dominion,  signified 
by  the  expressions  attributed  to  this  tree,  "  Put  your  trust  in  my 
shadow,"  and  which,  notwithstanding  appearances  to  the  contrary, 
they  desired  should  reign  over  them.  For,  in  such  a  sensual,  carnal 
state,  here  represented  by  Israel,  a  state  from  which  peace  and  con- 
cord are  absent,  the  olive-tree  of  celestial  love  and  charity  is  neither 
desired  to  reign,  nor  could  reign,  without  "  leaving  its  fatness  where- 
with God  and  man  are  honored."  Nor  could  the  fig-tree  of  natural 
goodness  and  truth  be  promoted,  where  mutual  good-will  and  social 
kindness  are  banished,  without  "  forsaking  its  sweetness  and  good 
fruit"  of  genuine  piety  and  morality.  Nor  yet  could  the  vine  of 
sacred  wisdom  assume  dominion  without "  leaving  its  "  delicious  "wine 
which  cheereth  God  and  man," — well-pleasing  to  the  Divine  giver,  and 
a  source  of  delightful  refreshment  to  the  humble  receiver.  So  the 
trees  are  described  as  applying  to  the  bramble, — the  evil  which  springs 
from  falsity  and  hypocrisy, — as  their  true  king.  This  they  regard  as 
their  only  good.  The  bramble  willingly  accepts  the  sovereignty,  and 
they  fimcy  themselves  secure.  This  willingness  on  the  part  of  the 
bramble  forcibly  indicates  its  suitableness  to  the  disposition  of  those 
over  whom  it  is  elected  to  reign ;  but,  mark  the  awful  conclusion. 
When  truth  is  separated  from  its  life,  when  the  outward  profession 
of  godliness  is  but  the  hypocritical  covering  of  inward  lusts,  knowl- 
edge confers  the  power  of  doing  evil  instead  of  good ;  and,  unless 
prevented  by  timely  and  heart-felt  repentance,  the  burning  fire  of 
concupiscence  breaks  forth  to  the  destruction  of  conscience,  and  the 
annihilation  of  all  tranquillity  and  joy.  Even  the  glorious  cedars 
of  Lebanon, — ^those  truths  revealed  from  heaven,  which  may  be  per- 
ceived and  confirmed  by  the  lofty  powers  of  the  reason, — bend  before 
its  desolating  progress,  and  it  rages  in  its  unquenched  and  tormenting 
fierceness  forever  (Isa.  Ixvi.  24;  Mark  ix.  43-48). 

In  the  sermon  on  the  mount,  our  blessed  Lord  and  Saviour  instructs 


CORRESPONDENCE  OF  THE  VEGETABLE  WORLD.  221 


US,  from  the  objects  of  the  vegetable  world,  how  we  are  to  distinguish 
between  good  aud  evil  intentions.  We  are  to  know  them  by  the  fruits 
which  they  bring  forth,  or  the  effects  they  have  upon  our  tempers  and 
conduct.  "  Do  men,"  says  He,  "  gather  grapes  of  thorns,  or  figs  of 
thistles?  Even  so  every  good  tree  bringeth  forth  good  fruit ;  but  a 
corrupt  tree  bringeth  forth  corrupt  fruit.  Every  tree  that  bringeth 
not  forth  good  fruit  is  hewTi  down  and  cast  into  the  fire.  Wherefore 
by  their  fruits  ye  shall  know  them  "  (Matt.  vii.  16-20).  In  order  to 
repress  an  overweening  and  injurious  anxiety  for  the  morrow,  to 
withdraw  us  from  all  trust  in  our  own  vain  prudence,  to  excite  within 
us  an  implicit  dependence  on  the  care  and  protection  of  Him  without 
whose  superintending  Providence  nothing  could  exist,  and  to  teach 
us,  finally,  that  truth  or  faith  alone,  however  glittering  and  gaudy,  is 
insufficient  for  our  salvation,  He  directs  our  attention  to  the  verdure 
and  beauty  of  the  grass  and  the  flowers  which  enamel  the  fields,  but 
may  be,  notwithstanding,  cast  into  the  oven.  In  seasons  of  trial  and 
temptation,  the  truths  of  heaven  appear  to  be  withdrawn,  as  the  flowei-s 
fade  during  the  inclemency  of  winter.  But  on  the  return  of  another 
spring  and  summer,  the  sun  arises  in  its  strength  and  they  are  re- 
newed, and  appear  again  in  all  their  brilliancy,  glory,  and  fragrance, 
to  adorn,  to  delight,  and  to  refresh  the  mind.  "  Consider,"  says  He, 
"  the  lilies  of  the  field,  how  they  grow ;  they  toil  not,  neither  do  they 
spin :  and  yet  I  say  unto  you,  that  even  Solomon  in  all  his  glory 
was  not  arrayed  like  one  of  these.  Wherefore,  if  God  so  clothe  the 
grass  of  the  field,  which  to-day  is,  and  to-morrow  is  cast  into  the  oven, 
shall  He  not  much  more  clothe  you,  O  ye  of  little  faith  ?  Therefore 
take  no  thought,  saying.  What  shall  we  eat  ?  or,  What  shall  we  drink  ? 
or,  AVherewithal  shall  we  be  clothed  ?  (for  after  all  these  things  do  the 
Gentiles  seek) :  for  your  heavenly  Father  knoweth  that  ye  have  need 
of  all  these  things.  But  seek  ye  first  the  kingdom  of  God  and  his 
righteousness ;  and  all  these  things  shall  be  added  unto  you  "  (Matt, 
vi.  28-33). 

In  regard  to  such  evil  and  false  principles  as  are  implanted  by  birth 
in  the  natural  mind.  He  affirms  in  another  place,  "  Every  plant  which 
my  heavenly  Father  hath  not  planted,  shall  be  rooted  up  " (Matt. 


127  "  Every  plant,  etc.  Every  doctrine  which, 
like  the  vain  traditions  of  the  elders,  is  not 
founded  on  the  Word  of  God,  buta  human  in- 
vention, shall  be  eradicated  and  destroyed." 
— Hewlett's  Comm. 

"Tares  and  weeds  are  false  principles ;  not 
19* 


every  kind  of  sin,  but  wrong  and  per^-erse 
teaching.  'Such  spurious  seeds,  remarks  St. 
Basil,  'are  produced  not  by  any  change  in 
the  seed  com,  but  subsist  by  nn  origin  of 
their  own,  having  an  appropriate  kind.  Yea, 
and  they  fulfil  the  image  of  those  who  adul- 


222 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


XV.  13).  And  John  the  Baptist,  speaking  from  an  inspired  dictate 
of  the  power  of  divine  truth,  which  is  revealed  to  man  in  order  to 
extirpate  such  false  and  evil  principles  from  the  mind,  declares,  "And 
now  also  the  axe  is  laid  unto  the  root  of  the  tree :  therefore  every 
tree  which  briugeth  not  forth  good  fruit,  is  hewn  down  and  cast  into 
the  fire"  (Matt.  iii.  10).  The  Lord  also  teaches  us,  in  the  parable 
of  the  tares**  and  the  wheat  (Matt.  xiii.  25-36),  the  just  distinction 
which  obtains  between  genuine  and  spurious  faith  and  charity ;  such 
good  fruits  as  originate  from  the  Lord  Himself  and  from  the  activities 
of  his  Holy  Spirit,  or  such  false  doctrines  as  are  the  productions  of  self- 
intelligence,  and  such  spurious  practices  as  originate  in  self-righteous- 
ness, the  fruits  of  mere  external  zeal  and  formal  morality,  which  claim 
as  a  merit  the  applause  of  men,  instead  of  the  praise  of  God.  In  the 
parable  of  the  sower,  the  Lord  again  teaches  that  if  the  seed,  which 
is  the  Word  of  God,  or  the  divine  truths  of  heaven  revealed  therein, 
fall  "  among  thorns,"  which  fitly  represent  the  sordid  cares  and  sen- 
sual pleasures  of  this  world,  it  is  said  that  "  the  thorns  spring  up  with 
it  and  choke  it."  "  But  that  on  the  good  ground,"  He  says,  "  are  they 
who,  in  an  honest  and  good  heart,  having  heard  the  Word,  keep  it, 
and  bring  forth  fruit  with  patience"  (Luke  viii.  7,  14,  15).  Again, 
our  Lord  compares  Himself,  in  the  process  b}'  which  He  was  glorified, 
to  "  a  corn  of  wheat  falling  into  the  ground,"  and  afterwards  "  bring- 
ing forth  much  fruit "  (John  xii.  24).  The  same  figure  is  a  striking 
representative  of  man's  regeneration,  by  the  inward  reception  of  truth 
and  goodness,  and  of  his  spiritual  growth  and  fruitfulness. 

The  return  of  vegetation  in  the  season  of  spring  is  so  true  an  em- 
blem of  the  process  of  regeneration  by  which  man  obtains  newness 
of  life,  and  also  of  the  resurrection  of  the  soul  into  a  new  state  of 


terate  the  doctrines  of  the  Lord,  and  in  no 
genuine  way  become  disciples  of  his  Word, 
but  rather  are  corrupted  by  the  teachings 
of  the  evil  one,  yet  mingle  themselves  with 
the  healthful  body  of  the  Church.'  "—Hex- 
aim,  V.  5,  p.  44,  B. 

"By  the  tares  of  the  world,  or  conventional 
maxims,  the  seeds  of  Christian  Truth  are  be- 


until  the  harvest  is  at  hand,  when  the  grain 
becomes  nearly  black. 

"This  morning  I  plucked  a  globe  of  the 
dandelion,— the  seed  vessel,— and  was  struck, 
as  never  before,  with  the  silent,  gentle  man- 
ner in  which  Nature  sows  her  seed ;  and  I 
asked  if  this  is  not  the  way  in  which  the 
spiritual  seed,  truth,  is  to  be  sown.  I  saw,  too, 


ing  daily  choked  and  destroyed." — R.  Mont-  how  Nature  sows  her  seed  bnwdcast;  how  the 
gomery  Martin's  Analysis  qf  the  Bible,  pref,  |  gossamer  wing  of  the  dandelion  seed  scatters 
p.  14.  it  far  and  wide  ;  how  it  falls  as  by  accident, 

i28The  Greek  word  translated  tare^,nowhere  and  sends  up  the  plant  where  no  one  su.s- 
else  occurs.  It  is  thought  to  mean  the  lolixm  {  pects.  So  we  must  send  truth  abroad,  not 
temulenlum,  a  bastard  or  degenerate  wheat,  forcing  it  on  here  and  there  a  mind,  not 
which,  when  mingled  with  good  wheat  and  i  watching  its  progress  anxiously,  but  trusting 
made  into  bread,  produces  vertigo ;  whence  j  that  it  will  light  on  a  kindly  soil,  and  yield 
the  additional  name,  temuientum.  It  is  very  |  its  friiit.  So  Nature  teaches."— i>r.  Cftan- 
difficult  to  distinguish  it  from  pure  wheat  i  ning's  Memoirs,  vol.  iii.,  pp.  477,  478. 


CORRESPONDENCE  OF  THE  VEGETABLE  WORLD.  223 


existence  in  the  spiritual  world,  that  few  can  mistake  it.  Under  this 
symbol,  the  apostle  Paul  speaks  of  a  resurrection  from  spiritual  death, 
and  also  of  the  resurrection  to  sjiiritual  life  at  the  death  of  the  body, 
calling  them  fools  who  did  not  perceive  so  plain  an  analogy.  "  Thou 
fool,"  says  he,  "  that  which  thou  sowest  is  not  quickened,  except  it 
die :  and  that  which  thou  sowest,  thou  sowest  not  that  body  that  shall 
be,  but  bare  grain,  it  may  chance  of  wheat,  or  of  some  other  grain. 
So  also,"  adds  he,  "  is  the  resurrection  of  the  dead  "  (1  Cor.  xv.  36,  37, 
42).  For  it  is  the  vital  germ,  Avithin  the  body  or  substance  of  the 
seed,  which  brings  forth  and  vegetates, — the  outward  coverings  when 
separated  from  the  living  germ  are  decomposed,  and  either  absorbed 
or  dissipated ;  and  just  so  it  is  with  the  natural  body,  when  the  living, 
sentient  spirit  is  by  death  separated  therefrom.  And  lest  the  gross- 
minded  Corinthians,  to  whom  he  was  addressing  this  letter,  should 
mistakenly  suppose,  that,  instead  of  speaking  to  them  on  the  subjects 
of  regeneration  and  resurrection  to  eternal  life,  he  was  advocating 
the  Jewish  notion  of  the  resurrection  of  the  material  body,  he  em- 
phatically adds,  "  There  is  a  natural  body,  and  there  is  a  spiritual 
body.  Now  this  I  say,  brethren,  that  flesh  and  blood  cannot  inherit 
the  kingdom  of  God ;  neither  doth  corruption  inherit  incorruption. 
So  when  this  corruptible  shall  have  put  on  incorruption,  and  this  mortal 
shall  have  put  on  immortality,  then  shall  be  brought  to  pass  the  saying 
that  is  written,  Death  is  swallowed  up  in  victory  "  (verses  44,  50,  54). 
The  Lord  also  says  that  such  as  hear  his  word  and  believe  it,  are 
raised  from  the  grave ;  they  pass  from  death  unto  life  (John  v.  24, 
25).  And  in  his  first  general  Epistle,  the  apostle  John  writes,  "We 
know  that  we  have  passed  [already  passed]  from  death  unto  life,  be- 
cause we  love  the  brethren.  He  that  loveth  not  his  brother  abideth 
in  death  "  (iii.  14). 

The  trees  signify  the  church  and  her  members  as  to  the  reception 
of  the  knowledges,  doctrines,  and  truths  of  the  Word,  the  good  affec- 
tions thereto  belonging,  and  the  works  which  proceed  therefrom  ;  and 
in  an  opposite  sense,  the  perversion  of  all  truth  from  the  implanta- 
tion of  false  principles  in  the  mind,  together  with  the  evil  affections 
thereto  belonging,  and  the  vile  woi-ks  which  are  thereby  produced, 
as  is  e\ndent  from  a  great  variety  of  passages  in  the  Word  of  God. 
Thus,  "  Blessed  is  the  man  whose  delight  is  in  the  law  of  the  Lord  ; 
in  his  law  doth  he  meditate  day  and  night.  And  he  shall  be  like  a 
tree  planted  by  the  rivers  of  water,  that  bringeth  forth  his  fruit  in 
his  season ;  his  leaf  also  shall  not  wither,  and  whatsoever  he  doeth 


22-i  THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 

shall  prosper.  The  ungodly  are  not  so,  but  are  like  the  chaff  which 
the  wind  driveth  away  "  (Psalm  i.  2-4).  And  again  we  read,  "Thus 
saith  the  Lord :  Cursed  be  the  man  that  trusteth  in  man,  and  maketh 
flesh  his  arm,  and  whose  heart  departeth  from  the  Lord.  For  he  shall 
be  like  the  heath  in  the  desert,  and  shall  not  see  when  good  cometh  ; 
but  shall  inhabit  the  parched  places  in  the  wilderness,  in  a  salt  land 
and  not  inhabited.  Blessed  is  the  man  that  trusteth  in  the  Lord,  and 
whose  hope  the  Lord  is.  For  he  shall  be  as  a  tree  planted  by  the 
■waters,  and  that  spreadeth  out  her  roots  by  the  river,  and  shall  not 
see  when  heat  cometh,  but  her  leaf  shall  be  green ;  and  shall  not  be 
careful  in  the  year  of  drought,  neither  shall  cease  from  yielding  fruit" 
(Jer.  xvii.  5-8).  And  in  order  to  teach  us  that  He  will  humble  the 
proud  and  exalt  the  lowly, — that  He  will  cause  the  verdure  of  mere 
intellectual  attainments  and  the  hope  of  external  profession  to  wither 
forever  away, — that  the  mind  which  is  destitute  of  intelligence,  as  the 
tree  of  the  arid  desert  is  of  moisture,  but  which  sincerely  desires  it, 
He  will  make  to  flourish  by  the  rivers  of  living  waters,  the  Lord  says, 
"All  the  trees  of  the  field  shall  know  that  I  the  Lord  have  brought 
down  the  high  tree,  have  exalted  the  low  tree,  have  dried  up  the 
green  tree,  and  have  made  the  dry  tree  to  flourish :  I  the  Lord  have 
spoken  and  have  done  it  "  (Ezek.  xvii.  24).  Professing  members  of 
the  church,  who  fail  to  bring  forth  the  fruits  of  usefulness  in  the  life, 
are  further  described  as  "  trees  cumbering  the  ground  "  (Luke  xiii.  7). 

The  hyssop,  bitter  to  the  taste,  and  flourishing  on  walls,  is  spoken 
of  in  the  Word  to  signify  external  truth  and  its  corresponding  good- 
ness, or  the  genuine  doctrines  of  the  letter  of  the  Word,  and  a  life  of 
charity  in  agreement  therewith  ;  for  such  doctrines  inculcate  the  bit- 
terness of  self-denial,  and  thus  are  mediums  of  spiritual  purification. 
Hence  this  herb'"  was  commanded  to  be  used  in  the  Levitical  cere- 
monials for  the  cleansing  of  leprosy,  and  in  composing  the  waters  of 
purification.  In  this  sense,  too,  the  Psalmist,  from  the  depths  of  con- 
trition, implored  the  divine  mercy  in  these  memorable  words,  "  Purge 
me  with  hyssop,  and  I  shall  be  clean :  wash  me,  and  I  shall  be  whiter 
than  snow"  (Psalm  li.  7).  But  the  lofty,  majestic,  and  evergreen 
cedar,  which  Solomon  contrasted  with  the  lowly  hyssop,  abounding 
in  the  forests  of  Lebanon,  and  yielding  an  aromatic  and  valuable 
wood,  which,  in  consecjuence  of  its  durableness,  was  regarded  as  in- 
corruptible, signifies,  in  a  good  sense,  the  internal  or  spiritual  truth 


'2*  fn  Hebrew,  this  herb  Is  called  by  a  word  which  denotes  its  detersive  and  cleansing 
qualities. 


CORRESPONDENCE  OF  THE  VEGETABLE  WORLD.  225 


of  the  Word  of  God  rationally  perceived,  and  its  appropriate  good- 
ness,— a  rational  knowledge  of  things  spiritual,  and  inward  percep- 
tions thereof,  applied  to  exalted  and  enduring  goodness  of  heart  and 
life.  Hence  cedar-wood  was  so  extensively  used  in  the  construction 
of  the  representative  temple,  and  the  Psalmist  says,  "  The  righteous 
shall  grow  like  a  cedar  in  Lebanon  "  (Psalm  xcii.  12).  "  The  trees 
of  the  Lord  are  full  of  sap :  the  cedars  of  Lebanon,  which  He  hath 
planted"  (Psalm  civ.  16).  He  calls  upon  "fruitful  trees  and  all  ce- 
dars, to  praise  the  name  of  the  Lord  "  Psalm  cxlviii.  9,  13).  And 
the  unwilling  prophet  pronounced  Israel's  goodly  tabernacles  as  "  ce- 
dar-trees beside  the  waters  "  (Num.  xxiv.  6).  So,  again,  "  the  tree 
of  life,"  which  signifies,  in  a  supreme  sense,  the  Lord  Himself,  as  to 
his  divine  love,  whence  proceeds  the  eternal  wisdom  of  his  Word,  and, 
in  a  subordinate  sense,  man's  inmost  love  and  life  derived  from  Him, 
and  directed  towards  Him,  is  described  as  bearing  twelve  manner  of 
fruits, — producing,  by  the  Lord's  presence  and  influence  in  the  afiec- 
tions  and  thoughts,  all  kinds  and  degrees  of  good  works, — w  orks  of 
use  and  charity,  freely  done  by  man,  apparently  as  of  himself,  but 
in  reality  from  the  operations  of  the  Lord  in  him  and  by  him.  And 
it  is  further  said  of  this  "  tree  of  life  "  that  "  the  leaves  " — all  exter- 
nal knowledges  and  doctrines — "  are  given  for  the  healing  of  the  na- 
tions," that  is,  were  designed  to  restore  men  from  the  enervating  mal- 
adies of  sin  to  states  of  sjju-itual  health  and  vigor,  and  thus  lead 
them  to  a  cheerful  and  conscientious  observance  of  all  the  outward 
duties  of  moral  and  civil  life  (Rev.  xxii.  2;  Ezek.  xlvii.  12), 

The  palm  is  sometimes  called  the  date-tree.  It  is  evergreen,  always 
flourishing  and  fruitful,  and  is  celebrated  for  the  three  hundred  and 
sixty  uses  to  which  the  lofty  trunks,  the  aspiring  branches,  the  um- 
brageous leaves,  and  the  pleasant  and  nourishing  fruit,  are  said  to  be 
applicable.  It  grows  by  springs  of  sweet  water,  and  its  Hebrew  ap- 
pellation, in  its  radical  meaning,  expresses  its  uprightness  and  stature, 
— it  never  naturally  grows  crooked.  It  was  one  of  the  constantly- 
recurring  ornaments  of  the  carved  work  of  Solomon's  temple,  and 
pilasters  were  made  in  the  beautiful  form  of  its  trunk.  Branches  of 
palm  w'ere  carried  anciently  before  conquerors,  in  their  triumphant 
processions,  as  signals  of  victory.  Hence  they  were  borne  and  cast 
before  the  Lord,  on  his  entrance  into  Jerusalem,  with  cries  of  hosanna 
(John  xii.  13),  representative  of  his  triumphant  entrance  as  the  Re- 
deemer into  his  church,  and  each  individual  composing  it ;  and  were 
seen  by  John  in  the  hands  of  angels  (Rev.  vii.  9),  as  denoting  victory 

P 


226 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


and  confession.  For  palms  signify,  in  the  "Word,  wisdom  and  intel- 
ligence from  the  Lord,  in  acts  and  use,  producing  all  kinds  and  de- 
grees of  spiritual  goodness ;  thus  perfect  uprightness  from  the  love 
of  goodness,  leading  to  the  confession  that  all  victory  over  spiritual 
enemies  is  from  faith  in  conjunction  with  divine  power,  and  so  to 
the  renunciation  of  self-merit.  The  Israelites,  in  their  journey  from 
Egypt,  pitched  their  first  camp  at  a  resting-place  where  they  found 
twelve  fountains  of  water  and  threescore  and  ten  palm-trees ;  so  the 
regenerating  Christian,  in  his  progress  through  the  wilderness  of  temp- 
tation, finds  divine  consolation,  refreshment,  and  rest  at  Elim,  a  state 
of  instruction  and  affection,  in  which  the  truths  of  faith  in  all  abun- 
dance, and  the  good  affections  thence  resulting,  in  all  fulness,  are 
found  for  the  support  and  encouragement  of  the  fainting  soul. 
"The  righteous  shall  flourish  like  the  palm"  (Ps.  xcii.  12).  But 
when  the  palm  is  mentioned  in  an  opposite  sense,  it  denotes  self-de- 
rived intelligence,  self-worship,  and  a  vain  and  spurious  morality. 
The  idols,  therefore,  spoken  of  in  Jer.  x.  5,  are  described  as  being 
"  upright  as  the  palm-tree ; "  for  in  such  a  state  of  mental  perversion 
and  pride  there  is  no  confession  of  divine  aid,  and  it  is  said  they 
"  speak  not,"  and  are  powerless  to  do  any  good ;  "  they  must  needs 
be  borne,  because  they  cannot  go." 

When  the  Loi'd  predicts  the  establishment  of  a  new  Dispensation 
of  goodness  and  truth  in  the  minds  of  men,  and  describes  the  result- 
ing changes  which  would  ensue, — the  streams  of  spiritual  and  natural 
knowledge  and  intelligence  which  He  would  cause  to  flow  from  Him- 
self, through  his  Word,  to  banish  ignorance, — to  illustrate  and  enrich 
the  external  mind,  together  with  the  abundant  glories  and  manifold 
privileges  with  which  the  members  of  the  church  would  in  conse- 
quence be  blessed  and  adorned,  and  the  rational  and  ever-new  truths 
and  delights  with  which  they  would  be  amply  supplied  in  the  process 
of  regeneration,  He  says,  in  the  language  of  correspondence,  by  the 
mouth  of  the  inspired  prophet,  "  I  will  open  rivers  in  high  places, 
and  fountains  in  the  midst  of  the  valleys :  I  will  make  the  wilderness 
a  pool  of  water,  and  the  dry  land  s[)rings  of  water.  I  will  plant  in 
the  wilderness  the  cedar  of  Shittah,  and  the  myrtle  and  the  olive- 
tree  ;  I  will  set  in  the  desert  the  fir-tree,  and  the  pine,  and  the  box- 
tree  together"""  (Isa.  xli.  18,  19;  and,  again,  Isa.  xxxv.  1,  2,  7). 


"oSec  Rev.  J.  H.  Smlthson's  valuable  Trans- 
laiton  of  Imiah,  pp.  36.'),  41!). 

The  cednr  denotes  rtitionnl  truth  of  a  su- 
perior order;  the  myrtle,  rational  truth  of 


an  inferior  order;  the  oil-tree,  the  perception 
of  goods  and  tlience  of  truth ;  the  fir-tree, 
natural  truth  of  a  superior  order;  the  pine, 
natural  truth  of  an  inferior  order;  aud  the 


CORRESPONDENCE  OF  THE  VEGETABLE  WORLD. 


These  trees  are  evergreens  of  the  lowest  order,  and  include  all  kinds ; 
they  manifestly  denote  the  most,  ea-ternal  of  those  divine  gifts  with 
which  the  soul  is  enriched  in  the  progress  of  its  great  change  from  a 
desert  to  a  fruitful  field,  and  in  which  flourishing  state  it  blossoms  in 
loveliness  and  fertility,  and  is  said  to  "  rejoice  and  blossom  like  the 
rose."  But  in  regard  to  the  spiritual  blessings  and  celestial  delicacies 
of  love  and  wisdom  in  the  internal  faculties  of  the  soul,  and  their 
perpetual  increase,  together  with  the  safety  and  rest  obtained  by  the 
faithful  members  of  so  glorious  a  dispensation,  trees  bearing  relishing, 
nourishing,  gladdening  fruit,  are  introduced,  as  in  the  following  pas- 
sage (Deut.  viii.  7-9),  to  the  words  in  it.  While  of  the  perpetuity 
and  security  of  such  a  state  it  is  written,  "  They  shall  sit  every  man 
under  his  vine,  and  under  his  fig-tree ;  and  none  shall  make  him 
afraid  "  (Micah  iv.  4).  "  Blessed,"  therefore,  "is  the  man  that  trusteth 
in  the  Lord,  and  whose  hope  the  Lord  is.  For  he  shall  be  as  a  tree 
planted  by  the  waters,  and  that  spreadeth  out  her  roots  by  the  river, 
and  shall  not  see  when  heat  cometh,  but  her  leaf  shall  be  green ;  and 
shall  not  be  careful  in  the  year  of  drought,  neither  shall  cease  from 
yielding  fruit "  (Jer.  xvii.  7,  8). 

Again,  the  same  wonderful  and  momentous  subject  of  the  regener- 
ation of  man,  with  the  gradual  process  by  which  it  is  effected,  is  thus 
spoken  of  by  another  prophet :  "  I,"  Jehovah,  "  will  be  as  the  dew 
unto  Israel :  he  shall  grow  as  the  lily,  and  cast  forth  his  roots  as 
Lebanon.  His  branches  shall  spread,  and  his  beauty  shall  be  as  the 
olive-tree,  and  his  smell  as  Lebanon.  They  that  dwell  under  his 
shadow  shall  return ;  they  shall  revive  as  the  corn,  and  grow  as  the 
vine :  the  scent  thereof  shall  be  as  the  wine  of  Lebanon  "  (Hos.  xiv. 
5-7).  Here  the  commencement  of  regeneration  is  described,  in  which 
the  divine  influences  descend  into  the  soul  as  the  gentle  dew  is  depos- 
ited on  the  tender  herb  (Deut.  xxxii.  2).  By  this  the  principles 
within  the  mind  are  renovated  and  vivified.  To  grow,  or  rather  blos- 
som, as  the  lily  signifies,— to  become  receptive  of  truths  of  heaven 
appropriate  to  such  a  state  in  the  understanding,  to  perceive  their 
beauty,  and  that  they  were  designed  to  encourage  us  in  states  of  trial, 
to  give  us  victory  in  every  conflict  of  temptation,  and  to  enable  us  with 
joyful  hearts  to  bring  forth  the  fruits  of  piety  and  holiness  in  the 
life."*    To  cast  forth  roots  as  Lebanon,  signifies  not  only  to  acquire 

box,  the  understanding  of  good  and  truth  in  I  "The  lotus  is  a  water-lily,  whose  broad 
the  natural  principle.— yl.  E.  730.  Grass  de-  leaf,  in  the  greatest  inundations  of  the  Nile, 
notes  science  from  a  spiritual  origin,  by  which  rises  with  the  flood,  and  is  never  over- 
spiritual  truth  is  confirmed. — A.  E.  627.  ' 


228 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


but  to  retain  such  truths,  so  that  they  Avill  be  allowed  to  extend  their 
influence  downwards  into  the  lowest  or  natural  and  sensual  principles 
of  the  mind,  where  they  become  fixed  and  confirmed  elements  of  spir- 
itual life.  By  the  branches  spreading  in  the  open  atmosphere  is  sig- 
nified a  succeeding  state,  in  which  truths  and  knowledges  are  extended 
towards  heaven, — are  multipled,  arranged,  and  invigorated,  because 
they  are  all  regarded  as  having  relation  to  the  fruits  of  love  and 
charity,  of  which,  when  they  are  brought  forth,  or  made  manifest  in 
the  attractive  excellences  of  a  good  life,  it  is  said,  the  beauty  shall 
be  as  the  olive-tree.  By  the  scent  being  as  Lebanon  is  signified,  that 
thus  the  highest  state  of  intelligence  from  rational  perception  is  at- 
tained, and  man  becomes,  in  his  finite  degree,  fully  receptive  of  celes- 
tial truth  and  love  from  the  Lord ;  "  a  fragrant  tree  of  his  right  hand 
planting"  (Isa.  Ix.  21), — "a  tree  of  righteousness,"  laden  with  the 
rich  fruits  of  wisdom,  virtue,  intelligence,  obedience,  and  use,  pre- 
pared to  be  transplanted  to  the  paradise  of  God.  Hence  it  is  added, 
"  they  that  dwell  under  his  shadow  shall  return ;  they  shall  revive  as 
the  corn,  and  grow  as  the  vine :  the  scent  thereof  shall  be  as  the  wine 
of  Lebanon." 

It  is  from  this  correspondence  of  the  vegetable  world  to  the  church, 
the  man  of  the  church,  and  the  interior  principles  of  the  human 
mind,  both  in  respect  to  good  and  evil,  truth  and  falsity,  that  trees 
are  said  to  know  (Ezek.  xvii.  24) ;  to  clap  their  hands  (Isa.  Iv.  12) ; 
to  sing  and  rejoice  (Ps.  xcvi.  12) ;  to  praise  the  Lord  (Ps.  cxlviii.  9); 
to  envy  (Ezek.  xxxi.  5)  ;  to  be  withered  (Joel  i.  12) ;  to  be  cumberers 
of  the  ground  (Luke  xiii.  7) ;  to  be  burnt  up  (Joel  i.  19).""^ 

Again,  the  Lord's  feet  signify  his  divine  natural  principle,  and,  in 
consequence  thereof,  the  literal  sense  of  his  most  Holy  Word,  and 
also  his  church  on  earth.  For  the  feet  are  those  jmrts  of  the  body 
which  are  in  immediate  contact  with  the  ground,  and  on  which  the 
body  rests  as  upon  a  base ;  and  the  literal  sense  is  that  containant  on 
which  the  divine  will  and  wisdom  rest,  and  are  revealed  to  the  church. 


vihiXmaA."— Bryant;  seeBife.  J?esearcA«s,  vol, 
i.,  p.  269. 

"The  white  majestic  flowers  were  formerly 
woven  into  the  crowns  of  conquerors."— 
Beavd.  oj  Kat.  and  Art  Disp.,  vol.  xii.,  jk. 
141. 

iw  "Spirit  of  Grace!  my  heart  renew, 
Each  faithful  Christian  cries; 
And  where  the  wecd.s  of  error  grew, 
Let  plants  of  truth  arise. 


"My  soul,  a  howling  wilderness, 
Sliall  then  such  beauties  wear. 
That  hea\-en  with  rapture  shall  confess 
Thy  workmanship  is  there,"— Sfrte. 

The  fruit  of  trees,  whether  proper  for  the 
use  of  man  and  animals  or  not,  and  whether 
they  are  berries,  nuts,  or  pulpy  fruit,  will  al- 
ways serve  to  assist  us  in  ascertaining  the 
.specific  sisniificalion  of  the  tree  which  pro- 
duced it,  and  to  confirm  the  genuineness  of 
the  meiuung. 


CORRESPONDENCE  OF  THE  VEGETABLE  WORLD. 


229 


Hence,  when  the  prophet  Isaiah  predicts  the  future  glorious  state  of 
the  Lord's  kingdom  on  earth,  when  the  exalted  doctrines  and  truths 
of  the  Word,  represented  by  the  noblest  productions  of  the  vegetable 
kingdom,  would  be  discovered,  and  his  people  would  plainly  perceive 
that  the  outward  letter  and  the  church  by  whom  it  is  received,  were 
the  very  hold,  or  resting-place,  or  sanctuary  of  the  Lord  with  man, 
He  says,  "  The  glory  of  Lebanon  shall  come  unto  thee,  the  fir-tree, 
the  pine-tree,  and  the  box  together,  to  beautify  the  place  of  my  sanc- 
tuary ;  and  I  will  make  the  place  of  my  feet  glorious  "  (Ix.  13) ;  or, 
as  Bishop  Lowth  more  emphatically  translates  the  latter  clause, 
"  that  I  may  glorify  the  place  whereon  I  rest  my  feet," 

To  denote,  further,  that  all  these  faculties  and  blessings  are  derived 
— every  moment  of  existence — from  the  Lord  alone,  through  his  blood, 
and  are  the  gifts  of  divine  love,  which  is  ever  active  for  their  preser- 
vation and  cultivation,  He  says,  "  I  am  the  true  vine,  and  my  Father 
is  the  husbandman.  Every  branch  in  me  that  beareth  not  fruit  He 
taketh  away :  and  every  branch  that  beareth  fruit,  he  purgeth  it, 
that  it  may  bring  forth  more  fruit."  "  Abide  in  me,  and  I  in  you. 
As  the  branch  cannot  bear  fruit  of  itself,  except  it  abide  in  the  vine ; 
no  more  can  ye,  except  ye  abide  in  me.  I  am  the  vine,  ye  are  the 
branches :  he  that  abideth  in  me,  and  I  in  him,  the  same  bringeth 
forth  much  fruit:  for  without  me  ye  can  do  nothing"  (John  xv. 
1-5).  How  full  of  consolation  and  instruction  are  these  divine  ex- 
pressions when  rightly  understood  ! 

That  trees,  in  the  AVord,  signify  man,  and,  abstractedly,  principles 
of  the  human  mind,  both  good  and  bad,  is  still  further  evident  from 
what  the  Lord  says  by  the  prophet  Ezekiel,  when  predicting  the 
judgment  which  they  induce  upon  themselves  who  profanely  associate 
the  doctrines  and  truths  of  the  Holy  Word  with  their  own  sensual 
lusts  and  false  persuasions,  and  that  they  would  peri.sh  by  the  love  of 
evil.  "  Son  of  man,  set  thy  foce  toward  the  south,  and  drop  thy  word 
toward  the  south,  and  prophesy  against  the  forest  of  the  south  field ; 
and  say  to  the  forest  of  the  south,  Hear  the  word  of  the  Lord  ;  Thus 
saith  the  Lord  God  ;  Behold,  I  will  kindle  a  fire  in  thee,  and  it  shall 
devour  every  green  tree  in  thee,  and  every  dry  tree :  the  flaming 
flame  shall  not  be  quenched,  and  all  faces  from  the  south  to  the  north 
shall  be  burned  therein.  And  all  flesh  shall  see  that  I  the  Lord 
have  kindled  it :  it  shall  not  be  quenched.  Then  said  I,  Ah,  Lord 
God!  they  say  of  me,  Doth  he  not  speak  parables?"  (Ezek.  xx. 
46-49.)  And  also  what  the  Lord  says  by  the  same  prophet  where 
20 


230 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


he  is  treating  of  the  destruction  of  a  perverted  church  generally  and 
individually,  by  skeptical  reasoning,  and  the  establishment  of  a  New 
Church  among  the  Gentiles,  and  describes  the  process  of  vivification, 
or  regeneration,  in  each  individual  member,  He  says,  "  And  all  the 
trees  of  the  field,"  etc.  (Ezek.  xvii.  24). 

In  further  proof,  let  me  direct  your  attention  to  the  signification 
of  wood,  which  in  general  corresponds  to  natural  goodness.  Wood 
is  obtained  from  a  tree  which  bore  some  kind  of  appropriate  fruit,  in 
agreement  with  its  peculiar  nature ;  from  most  kinds  an  oil  may  be 
expressed ;  it  may  be  enkindled,  and  serve  the  purpose  of  affording 
genial  warmth  to  the  body ;  it  was  anciently  employed  in  the  con- 
struction of  temples,  called  houses  of  God,  and  in  the  formation  of 
various  musical  instruments  employed  in  the  celebrations  of  worship ; 
it  is  also  extensively  used  in  the  construction  of  habitations,  and  the 
fabrication  of  innumerable  articles  of  convenience  and  use ;  and  from 
all  these  characteristics,  and  many  othcre  founded  in  its  uses,  its 
physiological  structure,  and  even  its  chemical  composition,  it  may  be 
most  satisfactorily  proved  that  various  kinds  of  wood,  especially  such 
as  are  precious  and  durable,  correspond  to  various  principles  of  good- 
ness or  charity,  natural,  rational,  spiritual,  or  celestial,  or  their  inter- 
mediates, appertaining  both  to  the  internal  and  the  external  mind 
and  life.  But  in  the  opposite  sense,  Avood  which  has  no  intrinsic 
value,  the  fruit  oi  the  tree  whence  it  is  hewn  being  described  as  evil, 
or  in  itself  abounding  with  such  qualities  as  are  hurtful  or  destruc- 
tive, or  where  it  is  perverted  to  a  wicked  purpose,  corresponds  to  what 
is  evil,  in  some  of  the  above  degrees,  and  has  relation  to  the  lusts  of 
the  unregenerate  man  and  his  wicked  doings.  In  the  former,  or  good 
sense,  therefore,  cedar-wood,  as  signifying  works  of  charity  performed 
from  rational  intelligence  and  goodness,  is  spoken  of  so  frequently  in 
reference  to  the  Temple  at  Jerusalem,  and  in  the  Mosaic  ritual  is 
directed  to  be  applied  in  the  purification  of  the  leper,  when  the  plague 
of  leprosy  was  healed  (Lev.  xiv.  4).  It  is  this  principle  of  goodness 
in  the  will  and  life  which  builds  up  the  Lord's  dwelling-place  iu  the 
soul,  and  without  which  it  is  impossible  that  man  can  be  renewed  and 
cleansed  after  he  has  been  smitten  by  the  direful  "  plague  of  his  own 
heart ;"  for  he  has  profaned  to  evil  purposes  the  holy  things  of  God's 
Word,  and  such  are  given  up  to  their  uncleanness  who  "  change  the 
truth  of  God  into  a  lie  "  (Rom.  i.  25).  This  profanation  of  truth  is 
always  signified  by  the  plague  of  leprosy ;  and  because  the  Jews, 
being  in  i)ossessiou  of  the  Word  of  God,  were  more  than  other  nations 


CORRESPONDENCE  OF  THE  VEGETABLE  WORLD.  231 


addicted  to  this  evil,  therefore  that  plague -was  more  prevalent  among 
them  than  among  other  nations.  And  hence  the  Lord  Jesus  not  only 
cleansed  the  lepers  who  were  brought  or  who  came  to  Him,  approach- 
ing Him  as  goodness  itself,  but  commanded  his  disciples  also  to  cleanse 
them.  "  Now  are  ye  clean,"  says  He  on  another  occasion,  "  through 
the  Word  which  I  have  spoken  unto  you  "  (John  xv.  8)  ;  "  Sanctify 
them  through  thy  truth :  thy  Word  is  truth  "  (John  xvii.  17). 

It  was  because  wood,  in  a  good  sense,  and  in  the  lowest  degree, 
corresponds  to  natural  goodness,  or  charity,  that  the  bitter  Avaters  of 
Marah,  in  the  Avilderness,  were  miraculously  made  sweet  by  Moses 
casting  therein  a  tree,  according  to  the  express  command  of  Jehovah 
(Ex.  XV.  25).  In  the  bitterness  of  those  waters  we  may  see  a  just 
representation  of  that  state  of  spiritual  trial,  induced  by  murmuring 
and  disobedience,  in  which  the  knowledges  of  divine  truth,  however 
desirable,  are  attended  with  bitter  and  perplexing  thoughts,  and  afford 
no  satisfaction  to  the  thirsty  mind,  because  they  are  separated  from 
the  heavenly  principle  of  love  or  goodness.  In  this  case,  the  Lord 
shows  us  a  tree  of  healing  virtue,  which,  if  cast  into  the  waters,  will 
instantly  deprive  them  of  their  bitterness ;  and  what  is  this,  but  a 
heavenly  principle  of  charity  in  the  heart,  brought  out  or  made  man- 
ifest in  a  good  life  and  conduct !  In  the  opposite  sense,  wood  denotes 
the  evil  lusts  of  self  and  the  world,  for  these  are  the  opposites  of 
charity  or  goodness ;  as  the  woods,  for  instance,  of  which  idols  were 
made  (Isa.  xlv.  20),  or  which  were  used  for  funeral  piles  (Isa.  xxx. 
33).  Wood  has  also  the  same  contrary  signification  when  those  are 
treated  of  who  attribute  goodness  to  themselves,  instead  of  to  Him 
from  whom  alone  it  proceeds,  thus  who  suppose  that  their  works  of 
goodness  and  charity  are  meritorious.  These  are  said  to  have  for- 
saken the  worship  of  the  Lord,  and  are  called  worshippers  of  idols 
made  of  wood,  the  works  of  their  own  hands  (Jer.  i.  16).  In  the 
same  sense  it  is  thus  spoken  of  in  the  prophecy  of  Habakkuk, 
"  The  stone  shall  cry  out  of  the  wall,  and  the  beam  out  of  the  timber 
[or  wood]  shall  answer  it "  (ii.  11) ;  "Woe  unto  him  that  saith  to  the 
wood.  Awake ;  to  the  dumb  stone.  Arise,  it  shall  teach ! "  (ii.  19.) 
Here  the  prophet  is  denouncing  self-righteousness  and  self-conceit, 
and  warning  those  who  are  destitute  of  genuine  truth  and  goodness, 
against  all  such  delusive  dependence.  Evil  lusts,  signified  by  wood, 
are  represented  as  answering  to  sensual  suggestions, — as  echoing  and 
confirming  all  false  principles  in  the  understanding, — as  assenting  to 
the  vain  imaginations  which  they  excite,  and  as  instigating  their  pos- 
sessors to  seek  instruction  for  evil  purposes,  thus  to  forsake  the  eternal 


232  TEE  SCIEXCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


truth,  the  Rock  of  Ages,  and  to  throw  their  confidence  upon  their 
own  idle  speculations  and  pretended  merits ;  but  a  woe  is  pronounced 
upon  all  such  as  thus  "  say  to  the  wood,  Awake ;  to  the  dumb  stone, 
Arise,  it  shall  teach ; "  who  thus  set  up  the  idols  of  their  own  unclean 
hearts  in  the  place  of  God  and  of  his  Word,  for  "  they  sacrifice  unto 
devils,  not  to  God.  Of  the  rock  that  begat  them  they  are  unmindful, 
and  have  forgotten  God  that  formed  them"  (Deut.  xxxii.  17,  18). 

"All  goods  which  exist  in  act  are  called  uses,  and  all  evils  which 
exist  in  act  are  also  called  uses,  but  the  latter  are  called  evil  uses, 
and  the  former  good  uses.  Now,  as  all  goods  are  from  the  Lord,  and 
all  evils  from  hell,  it  follows  that  no  other  than  good  uses  were  cre- 
ated by  the  Lord,  but  that  evil  uses  originated  from  hell.  By  uses, 
we  mean  all  things  that  appear  on  earth,  as  animals  of  all  kinds  and 
vegetables  of  all  kinds;  of  both  the  latter  and  the  former,  those 
which  furnish  use  to  man  are  from  the  Lord,  and  those  which  do  hurt 
to  man  are  from  hell."  "  The  things  that  do  hurt  to  man  are  called 
uses,  because  they  are  of  use  to  the  wicked  to  do  evil,  and  because 
they  contribute  to  absorb  malignities,  and  thus  also  as  remedies.  Use 
is  applied  in  both  senses,  like  love  ;  for  we  speak  of  good  love  and  evil 
love,  and  love  calls  all  that  use  which  is  done  by  itself."  "  Evil  uses 
on  earth  mean  all  noxious  things  in  both  the  animal  and  vegetable 
kingdoms,  and  also  in  the  mineral  kingdom."  "  Such  in  the  animal 
kingdom  are  poisonous  serpents,  scorjiions,  crocodiles,  dragons,  owls, 
mice,  locusts,  frogs,  spiders,  noxious  worms  and  insects,  also  flies, 
moths,  lice,  mites,  and  injurious  animalcules ;  in  a  word,  those  that 
consume  grasses,  leaves,  fruit,  seeds,  meat  and  drink,  and  are  noxious 
to  beasts  and  men.  In  the  vegetable  kingdom  they  are  all  malignant, 
virulent,  and  poisonous  herbs,  as  hemlock  and  aconite,  and  pulse  and 
shrubs  of  the  same  kind  ;  in  the  mineral  kingdom,  all  poisonous 
earths.  These  few  j^articulars,  adduced  for  the  sake  of  science,  are 
sufficient  to  show  what  is  meant  by  evil  uses  on  earth."  "  Nothing 
whatever  exists  in  the  natural  world  that  does  not  derive  its  cause 
and  origin  from  the  spiritual  world,  and  that  good  is  from  the  Lord, 
and  the  evil  from  the  devil,  that  is,  from  hell.  By  the  spiritual  world 
is  meant  both  heaven  and  hell."  "  Now,  it  is  influx  from  hell  which 
operates  those  things  that  are  evil  uses,  in  ])laces  where  those  things 
are  which  correspond."  "  Such,  likewise,  are  the  appearances  in  the 
spiritual  world,  which  are  all  correspondences ;  for  the  interiors  of 
the  mind  of  the  inliabitants  of  both  heaven  and  hell  are,  by  such 
effigies,  presented  actually  before  their  uses." — See  D.  L.  W.,  pp.  336 
-347 ;  also  Ap.  Ex.  109 H.  &  H.  103-190. 


CHAPTER  XY. 


Correspondence  of  Earths,  Minerals,  etc.,  with  Illustrations. 

THE  inorganic  substances  of  the  mineral  kingdom,  of  which 
growth,  motion,  and  sensation  are  not  predicable,  are  likewise 
spoken  of  in  the  Word  of  God,  to  represent  and  signify,  in  a  good 
sense,  the  principles  of  love  and  wisdom,  and,  in  a  negative  sense, 
those  of  evil  and  error,  in  the  very  externals,  or  least  sensitive  prin- 
ciples, of  the  mind  and  life, — to  such  spiritual  things  as  are  manifest 
even  to  sensual  discernment,  and  form  the  lowest  and  firmest  basis 
of  a  heavenly  and  eternal  state ;  or,  on  the  contrary,  to  such  infernal 
things  as,  confirmed  by  corporeal  affection  and  sensual  reasoning, 
extinguish  all  heavenly  truth. 

Of  these  correspondences  several  striking  examples  have  already 
been  given,  from  which  it  may  be  clearly  inferred  that  the  precious 
metals  and  stones,  according  to  their  indefinite  varieties,  colors,  prin- 
ciples, and  uses,  correspond  to  those  infinitely  various  kinds  of  good- 
ness and  truth  which  serve  to  enrich,  adorn,  and  give  stability  to  the 
extreme  principles  of  the  mind  and  life.  But  in  their  opposite  sense, 
metals  and  stones  signify  evil  and  erroneous  principles  and  persuasions 
in  their  external  forms.  That  such  is  their  signification,  might  be 
abundantly  proved  from  the  Word,  as  when  the  Lord  is  describing 
by  the  mouth  of  his  prophet  a  grossly  corrupt  state  of  the  church 
and  the  mind,  together  with  the  direful  punishment  which  it  neces- 
sarily induces,  and  which  is  called  God's  anger,  and  appears  to  be  the 
infliction  of  his  vengeance  (for  the  wrath  or  fury  of  God,  is,  as  we 
have  previously  shown,  only  an  appearance  of  truth),  He  says,  "  Be- 
cause ye  are  all  become  dross,  behold,  therefore,  I  will  gather  you 
into  the  midst  of  Jerusalem.  As  they  gather  silver,  and  brass,  and 
iron,  and  lead,  and  tin,  into  the  midst  of  the  furnace,  to  blow  the  fire 
upon  it,  to  melt  it ;  so  will  I  gather  you  in  mine  anger  and  in  my 
fury,  and  I  will  leave  you  there  and  melt  you  "  (Ezek.  xxii.  19,  20). 
But  when  He  speaks  of  an  exalted  state  of  his  church  and  of  the 
mind,  together  with  the  glories  and  blessings  which  belong  thereto, 
20  *  233 


234 


THE  SCIEXCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


He  says,  "  For  brass  I  Avill  bring  gold,  and  for  iron  I  will  bring  silver, 
and  for  wood  brass,  and  for  stones  iron "  (Isa.  Ix.  17).  We  have 
before  observed,  that  the  precious  stones  which  adorned  the  breast- 
plate of  the  high-priest,  and  those  which  are  the  foundations  of  the 
New  Jerusalem,  signify  all  kinds  and  degrees  of  divine  Avisdom  and 
knowledge  in  the  Word  translucent  and  resplendent  from  pure  good- 
ness, from  which  intelligence  and  just  judgment  are  derived,  and  on 
which  the  church  in  heaven  and  on  earth  is  founded.  The  Lord 
Himself,  as  to  his  divine  Word  or  truth,  and  its  eternal  durability, 
as  derived  from  this  divine  love,  is  also  called  "  a  rock,"  on  which  his 
church  is  said  to  be  erected.  In  a  perverted  church  He  is  represented 
as  a  stone  which  the  builders — the  teachers  of  a  false  religion — have 
rejected ;  but  in  the  true  church  He  is  acknowledged  as  the  "  head- 
stone of  the  corner  "  (Ps.  cxviii.  22  ;  Matt.  xxi.  42), — the  "  living 
stone,  disallowed  indeed  of  men"  (1  Pet.  ii.  4),  —  "the  tried  stone, 
the  precious  corner-stone,  the  sure  foundation  "  (Isa.  xxviii.  16),  on 
which  all  faith  and  hope  and  love  must  rest.  That  stone  is  called 
the  corner-stone,  or  chief  corner-stone,  which  is  placed  in  the  extreme 
angles  of  a  foundation,  conjoining  and  holding  together  two  walls  of 
the  pile,  meeting  from  different  quarters.  So  also  in  the  beautiful  and 
instructive  parable  of  the  wise  and  foolish  builders,  in  which  is  por- 
trayed the  characters  of  such  as  erect  their  spiritual  habitations  on 
the  immovable  rock  of  the  AVord  of  God,  or  divine  truth,  by  hear- 
ing and  doing  the  Lord's  will ;  in  which  case  they  are  conjoined  to 
Him  in  an  everlasting  covenant ;  and,  on  the  contrary,  to  such  as 
build  their  spiritual  houses  on  the  delusive  sand  of  human  imagination, 
faith  alone,  and  mere  external  profession,  in  which  case  their  minds, 
disjoined  from  the  eternal  source  of  life,  are  brought  to  irretrievable 
ruin,  and  the  knowledge  the)"  have  acquired  is  dissipated.  "Whoso- 
ever heareth  these  sayings  of  mine,"  saith  the  Lord,  "  and  doeth 
them,  I  will  liken  him  unto  a  wise  man,  who  built  his  house  upon  a 
rock :  and  the  rain  descended,  and  the  floods  came,  and  the  winds 
blew,  and  beat  upon  that  house ;  and  it  fell  not :  for  it  was  founded 
upon  a  rock.  And  every  one  that  heareth  these  sayings  of  mine,  and 
doeth  them  not,  shall  be  likened  unto  a  foolish  man,  who  built  his 
house  upon  the  sand  :  and  the  rain  descended,  and  the  floods  came, 
and  the  winds  blew,  and  beat  upon  that  house ;  and  it  fell :  and  great 
was  the  fall  thereof"  (]\Iatt.  vii.  24-27).  Here,  the  solid  rock  mani- 
festly signifies  divine  truths,  which,  when  received  into  the  mind  from 
aflection,  combined  with  goodness  of  heart,  and  brought  down  into 


CORRESPONDENCE  OF  EARTHS,  MINERALS,  ETC.  235 


the  conduct,  cohere  together  in  unbroken  unity,  and  man  erecting 
thereon  his  spiritual  house,  is  enabled  successfully  to  resist  every  storm 
of  temptation,  for  he  is  conjoined  to  the  Rock  of  Ages,  even  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ.  But  by  sand  is  as  plainly  meant  truths  devoid  of  co- 
herence, because  received  into  the  undei-standing  separated  from  love 
and  its  life, — mere  outward  profession  of  faith,  without  spiritual  affec- 
tion ;  then  truths  of  the  holiest  quality  are  but  speculative  knowledges 
in  the  memory  and  natural  understanding,  which,  losing  their  cohe- 
sion and  firmness,  and  deprived  of  all  connection  with  their  divine 
source,  are  profaned  to  evil  purposes,  and  deprived  of  all  that  strength 
and  consistency  needful  for  man's  sujiport  in  times  of  spiritual  trial 
and  opposition.  A  dependence  on  these  brings  eternal  ruin  to  the  soul. 

On  account  of  this  spiritual  signification  of  stones,  as  denoting 
sacred  truths  of  an  external  character,  and  their  qualities  of  firmness 
and  durability,  pillars  of  stones,  and  heaps  of  stone,  were,  in  ancient 
times,  set  up  as  witnesses  of  covenants,  boundaries  of  land,  and  testi- 
monials of  affection,  and  were  not  unfrequently  consecrated,  as  things 
connected  with  holy  worship),  by  pouring  oil  upon  the  toj)  of  them 
(Gen.  xxviii.  18  ;  xxxv.  14).  And  of  the  temple  of  Solomon  we  read 
that  it  was  completed  of  stones  ready  prepared,  "  so  that  there  was 
neither  hammer,  axe,  nor  any  tool  of  iron  heard  in  the  house  while  it 
was  in  building"  (1  Kings  vi.  7).  An  altar  to  Jehovah  was,  on 
the  same  account,  commanded  to  be  erected  of  unhewn  stones,  or 
stones  unpolluted  by  the  workman's  tool  (Ex.  xx.  2oj,  to  represent 
to  us  that  worship  can  only  be  acceptable  to  God  when  it  is  the  dic- 
tate of  pure  truth  drawn  from  the  Holy  Word,  unperverted  and  un- 
defiled  by  the  vain  imaginations  of  self-intelligence. 

In  consequence  of  the  science  of  correspondences  being  well  known 
in  ancient  times,  "  historians  distinguished  the  periods,  from  the  first 
age  of  the  world  to  the  last,  into  the  golden,  silver,  copper,  and  iron 
ages,  to  which  also  they  added  an  age  of  clay.  The  golden  age  they 
called  those  times  when  innocence  and  integrity  prevailed,  and  when 
every  one  did  what  is  good  from  what  is  good,  and  what  is  just  from 
what  is  just;  the  silver  age  they  called  those  times  when  there  was 
no  longer  any  innocence,  but  still  a  species  of  integrity  which  did 
not  consist  in  their  doing  what  is  good  from  what  is  good,  but  in  their 
doing  what  is  true  from  what  is  true ;  but  the  copper  and  iron  ages 
they  called  those  which  were  still  inferior.  The  reason  why  they 
gave  such  appellations  to  those  times  was  not  from  comparison,  but 
from  correspondence ;  for  the  ancients  knew  that  silver  corresponds 


236 


THE  SCIEXCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


to  truth,  and  gold  to  good,  and  this  from  communication  with  spirits 
and  angels."  "  But  who  at  this  present  day  knows  that  the  ages  were 
called  golden  and  silver  by  the  ancients  from  correspondence  ?  yea, 
who  at  this  day  knows  anything  about  correspondence '?  And  yet  he 
that  does  not  know  this,  and  especially  he  that  makes  his  chief  grati- 
fication and  wisdom  to  consist  in  disputing  whether  it  be  so  or  not, 
cannot  even  attain  to  the  least  knowledge  concerning  the  innumerable 
things  which  are  correspondences." — A.  C.  5658. 

There  are  various  kinds  of  gold  mentioned  in  the  Word,  or  gold 
from  various  localities,  as  Uphaz,  Ophir,  Sheba,  Havilah,  and  Tar- 
shish,  and  they  correspond  to  various  kinds  and  degrees  of  love  and 
goodness  appertaining  to  the  Lord,  his  Word,  his  kingdom,  and  our 
neighbor,  according  to  the  signification  of  the  place  mentioned;  and 
the  subject  treated  of.  Thus  gold  from  Uphaz  signifies  the  precious 
principle  of  celestial  goodness,  and  the  wisdom  thence  derived,  or  the 
most  exalted  love  of  God,  with  its  rich  blessings,  and  the  meaning  of 
the  word  Uphaz  expresses  its  fineness  or  purity  ( Jer.  x.  9  ;  Dan.  x.  5). 
Gold  from  Ophir  signifies  spiritual  goodness,  or  the  love  of  the  neigh- 
bor, derived  from  the  love  of  God ;  and  the  name  Ophir  means  mak- 
ing fruitful  (Isa.  xiii.  12  ;  Ps.  xlv.  9).  Gold  from  Sheba  signifies  the 
love  of  truth,  derived  from  the  Holy  AVord,  and  its  application  to 
good  and  useful  purposes  in  life.  Sheba  means  compassing  about ; 
and  gold  from  Havilah  and  Tarshish  denotes  the  lowest  order  of  love 
and  goodness  exemplified  in  the  love  of  external  or  scientific  knowl- 
edge, and  in  promoting  what  is  profitable  and  benevolent  in  moral 
and  civil  life  (Gen.  ii.  11,  12;  Isa.  Ix.  9).  Havilah  means  speaking 
or  declaring,  and  Tarshish  contemplation  or  examination.  From 
these  examples  it  may  be  seen  how  the  meaning  of  Hebrew  words 
often  assist  the  true  signification  of  the  things  predicated,  and  how 
varieties  of  the  same  object,  both  in  a  good  and  a  bad  sense,  are  to  be 
interpreted.  The  love  of  goodness  of  any  degree,  when  tried  and 
purified  by  the  process  of  temptation,  is  called  "  gold  tried  in  the 
fire;"  that  is,  unalloyed  or  genuine  (Rev.  iii.  18).  In  an  opposite 
sense,  gold  signifies  the  carnal  and  perverted  and  inordinate  love  of 
self  and  worldly  pleasure  of  various  kinds ;  it  is  then  described  as 
used  in  the  construction  of  idols,  and  its  tendency  to  profanation ; 
it  is  said,  in  strains  of  lamentation,  "How  is  the  gold  become  dim! 
how  is  the  most  fine  gold  changed !  The  precious  sous  of  Zion,  com- 
parable to  fine  gold,  how  are  they  esteemed  as  earthen  pitchers,  the 
work  of  the  hands  of  the  potter  "  (Lam.  iv.  1,  2). 


CORRESPONDENCE  OF  EARTHS,  MINERALS,  ETC. 


237 


Again,  what  natural  substances  can  more  fitly  represent  the  carnal 
concupiscences  of  the  natural  man,  their  inflammatory  tendency,  the 
dii'eful  falsehood,  which,  like  thick  smoke,  arises  therefrom,  darken- 
ing the  very  day,  and  the  excruciating  torment  occasioned  by  their 
activity,  both  in  this  world  and  that  which  is  to  come,  than  the  bitu- 
minous minerals  of  sulphur  and  jiitch  ?  Hence  they  are  mentioned 
in  the  Word  in  this  sense  ;  as  where  the  Lord  by  the  inspired  prophet 
is  describing  the  judgment  which  a  perverted  church  brings  down 
upon  itself,  or  a  state  of  mind  confirmed  by  the  love  and  practice  of 
evil  and  falsehood,  in  selfish  lusts  and  fantasies,  and  the  direful  re- 
sults, he  says,  "  It  is  the  day  of  the  Lord's  vengeance,  and  the  year 
of  recompenses  for  the  controversy  of  Zion.  And  the  streams  thereof 
shall'  be  turned  into  pitch,  and  the  dust  thereof  into  brimstone,  and 
the  land  thereof  shall  become  burning  pitch.  It  shall  not  be  quenched 
night  nor  day ;  the  smoke  thereof  shall  go  up  forever  "  (Isa.  xxxiv. 
8-10).  Hell  itself  and  its  ceaseless  punishments,  Avith  the  burning, 
soul-tormenting  lusts  of  self  and  the  world, — the  ever-active  agents 
of  all  distress  and  misery,  both  as  they  exist  in  the  spiritual  world 
and  in  the  disorderly  minds  of  men  on  earth, — are  called  "  a  lake  of 
fire  burning  with  brimstone  "  or  sulphur  (Rev.  xix.  20 ;  xxi.  8).  And 
the  Psalmist,  speaking  of  the  dreadful  anguish  which  such  evil  con- 
cupiscences and  their  fantasies  certainly  induce  upon  men  when 
they  are  indulged  and  confirmed,  says,  "  Upon  the  wicked  He  shall 
rain  snares,  fire  and  brimstone,  and  a  horrible  tempest :  this  shall 
be  the  portion  of  their  cup  "  (Psalm  xi.  6).^^ 

Again,  salt,  we  know,  is  a  compound,  in  certain  given  proportions, 


133  "  I  am  at  a  loss  to  conceive  the  reason 
why  they  are  to  be  considered  grievously  in 
error  who  suppose  our  Saviour  to  be  threat- 
ening the  wicked,  not  with  corporeal  and 
sensible  fire,  but  with  mental  pains  and  tor- 
tures. This  was  formerly  the  opinion  of  grave 
and  eminent  men  among  the  Christian  fa- 
thers, of  whom  Dion.  Petarius  makes  mention 
in  his  Dogmat.  Theolog.,  tom.  iii.,  p.  103.  And 
not  11  few  of  the  moderns  also,  who  are  wholly 
removed  from  all  suspicion  of  pernicious 
errors,  firmly  maintain  the  same  doctrine. 
As  our  Saviour  frequently  compares  the  joys 
of  heaven  to  a  fea-st,  I  do  not  see  why  it  is 
to  be  considered  dangerous  to  the  divine 
truth  to  suppose  that  He  also  spoke  figura- 
tively of  the  punishments  of  hell,  and  in  or- 
der to  demonstrate  more  vividly  and  clearly 
the  dreadful  sufferings  which  the  wicked 
will  have  to  undergo,  borrowed  an  image 
from  the  most  exquisite  torments  inflicted 


upon  human  malefactors.  For  my  own  part, 
I  conceive  no  greater  injury  is  done  to  the 
Christian  religion  by  supposing  the  fire  with 
which  the  rich  glutton  is  tormented,  to  be 
figurative,  than  by  regarding  the  feast,  at 
which  LazaTus  is  said  to  be  present  along 
with  Abraham,  as  an  image  and  emblem  of 
supreme  felicity." — Dr.  I.  L.  Moshcim's  Note 
to  Cudworth's  Int.  Sys.,  vol.  iii.,  p.  367. 

"  If  I  understand  your  letter,  your  imagi- 
nation is  haunted  with  the  idea  of  literal 
flames,  and  hell  is  created,  not  as  including 
all  moral  evils,  but  as  a  great  fire.  The  spir- 
itual interpretation  of  Scripture  has  so  far 
made  its  way  among  all  classes  of  Christians 
in  this  part  of  the  country  (U.  S.  A.),  that  I 
do  not  know  an  individual  who  believes  in 
the  literal  fire  as  the  punishment  of  the  con- 
demned."— Dr.  Channing'i  Letter  to  a  Friaid, 
dated  Boston,  Nov.  1841 ;  Memoirs,  p.  468. 


238 


TEE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


of  an  acid  and  an  alkali  which  have  an  affinity  for  each  other.  In 
a  good  sense  salt  corresponds  to  the  affection  of  combining  truth  with 
goodness,  faith  with  charity,  knowledge  with  practice.  This  desire, 
when  incorporated  in  the  mind  and  diffused  through  the  life,  preserves 
them  from  the  corruption  of  sin.  The  prophet  Elijah,  therefore, 
under  a  representative  dispensation,  when  miracles  were  permitted, 
is  said  to  have  cast  salt  into  the  spring  of  the  waters  of  Jericho,  be- 
cause the  waters  were  unwholesome  and  the  ground  was  unfruitful, 
saying,  "  Thus  saith  the  Lord,  I  have  healed  these  Avaters ;  there  shall 
not  be  from  thence  any  more  death  or  barren  land  "  (2  Kings  ii.  21), 
to  teach  us  most  significantly  that  the  Avaters — the  doctrines  of  eter- 
nal truth — can  impart  no  permanently  renovating  virtues  to  refresh 
the  soul,  and  render  man  fruitful  in  good  works,  unless  man  cooper- 
ates Avith  the  divine  Bestower,  by  uniting  therewith  the  interior  spir- 
itual affections  and  holy  desires  which  embody  themselves  in  goodness 
of  life,  and  impart  a  heavenly  quality  to  every  word  and  action. 

On  account  of  this  signification  of  salt  in  a  good  sense,  it  Avas  an 
indispensable  laAA*  to  Israel,  that  AAith  all  the  offerings  presented 
to  Jehovah,  salt  should  be  offered  (Lev.  ii.  13) ;  and  the  spiritual 
ground  of  this  law  is  recognized  in  the  Gospel,  Avhere,  in  manifest 
reference  to  the  heaA'enly  union  of  truth  and  affection  in  the  mind, 
signified  by  salt,  Ave  are  thus  divinely  instructed  and  exhorted  by  our 
blessed  Lord,  "  Every  one  shall  be  salted  Avith  fire,  and  CA'ery  sacrifice 
shall  be  salted  Anth  salt.  Salt  is  good  :  but  if  the  salt  haA'e  lost  his 
saltness,  AvhereAvith  will  ye  season  it?  Have  salt  in  yourseh'es,  and 
have  peace  one  Avith  another"  (Mark  ix.  49,  56).  But,  in  the  oppo- 
site sense,  salt  denotes  an  unholy  commixture  of  truth  A\  ith  CA'il,  Avhich 
is  profanation,  and  the  aAA-ful  effect  of  this  deplorable  state  is  con- 
demnation. Thus,  Lot's  Avife  became  a  pillar  of  salt,  because  she 
looked  behind  her  and  separated  knoA\ledge  from  duty  (Gen.  xix.  26) ; 
hence  Ave  have  the  solemn  Avarning,  "  Remember  Lot's  Avife  "  (Luke 
xvii.  32).  We  read  also  of  certain  cities  Avhich  Avcre  giA'en  up  to  salt, 
or  devoted  to  desolation ;  and  to  the  same  purport  it  is  said,  in  refer- 
ence to  the  Avant  of  this  conjoining  affection,  "  [Tlic  Lord]  turneth  a 
fruitful  land  into  barrenness  (or  salt),  for  the  Avickeduess  of  them 
that  dwell  therein  "  (Psalm  cvii.  34)."* 


"  Snlt,  In  the  orifrinal  Hebrew,  is  ex- 
pressed lij*  a  term  denoting  incorruptibility 
and  perpotuity." — A.  C.  21.V). 
"Most  of  the  Asintie  nations  have  affixed 


to  snlt  a  certain  sacred  property." — Fortter's 
Pinkerton's         vol.  is.,  p.  281. 

The  Orientals  ex])ress  a  vacant  counte- 
nance by  saying,  "  there  is  no  salt  in  it." 


CHAPTEE  XYI. 


Correspondence  of  the  Sun,  Moon,  and  Stars  ;  the  Idolatrous  Wor- 
ship OF  them,  and  its  Extensive  Prevalence  and  Influence. 

THOSE  sublime  objects  of  creative  energy  in  the  material  universe, 
the  sun,  the  moon,  and  the  stars,  are  constantly  employed  in  the 
Word  of  God  to  signify  the  grand  universals  of  life  and  salvation. 
For  instance,  the  sun,  in  relation  to  the  regenerate  man,  corresponds 
to  the  Lord  Himself,  "  the  Sun  of  righteousness,"  and  thus  also  to 
the  love  of  God  and  our  neighbor,  for  this  love  is  derived  from  his 
essential  life,  and  is  spoken  of  as  the  fountain  of  every  celestial 
beatitude;  as  in  Malachi,  "Unto  you  that  fear  my  name  shall  the 
Sun  of  righteousness  arise  Avith  healing  in  his  wings"  (iv.  2).  But 
in  relation  to  the  unregenerate  man,  the  sun  corresponds  to  the  evil 
love  of  self  and  the  world,  which,  "  when  it  is  up,"  or  risen,  that  is, 
permitted  to  be  active,  and  increases  concupiscence,  instead  of  min- 
istering blessings,  is  described  as  "  scorching "  the  good  seed  of 
truth,  so  that  under  the  baneful  influence  it  "  withers  away  "  (Matt, 
xiii.  6),  and  as  causing  the  heaven-descended  manna  to  vanish  (Ex. 
xvi.  21).  The  sun  is  spoken  of  in  the  same  sense  in  the  Psalms,  where 
it  is  said,  "  The  Lord  is  thy  keeper :  the  Lord  is  thy  shade  upon  thy 
right  hand.  The  sun  shall  not  smite  thee  by  day  "  (cxxi.  5,  6)  ;  sig- 
nifying that  the  Lord  can  alone  protect  us  from  the  destructive  influ- 
ence of  self-love  and  its  burning  passions."* 

■35  "The  worship  of  the  sun,  by  the  Egyp-  i  moment,  under  the  image  of  the  moon,  who 
tians,  by  the  Phoenicians,  and  Philistines,  borrows  her  light  from  the  sun,  and  is  per- 
was  the  worship  of  one  invisible  God,  sym-  |  petually  changing  her  appearance.  This 


bolized  by  the  visible  source  of  created  light 
and  life."  They  afterwards  worshipped  Baal, 
or  Seth,  as  the  sun-god.  "  Thus  symbols  be- 
came idols." — Bunsai's  Keys  of  St.  Peter,  pp. 
38,  39. 

"  The  Egyptians  represented  the  Supreme 
Being  and  his  divine  attributes— his  im- 
mensity and  omnipotence,  his  fecundity 
and  infinite  perfection — under  the  symbol 


mode  of  representation  was  undoubtedly  the 
primarj- cause  of  idolatry  and  superstition; 
men  growing  by  degrees  forgetful  of  the  Su- 
preme Being,  and  confining  their  attention 
to  that  glorious  luminarj',  the  sun,  as  the  im- 
mediate cause  of  what  they  beheld,  instead 
of  considering  it  as  the  material  representa- 
tive of  its  spiritual  source,  the  invisible  Pro- 
ducer of  all  visible  objects." — Nat.  Del.,  vol. 


of  the  sun ;  and  they  represented  Nature,  or  i.,  p.  792. 
matter,  which  is  altogether  dependent  on      A  verj-  remarkable  book  was  published  in 
that  Supreme  Being,  and  diversified  every  I  Dublin,  in  1862,  entitled  Primeval  Symbols,  m 

239 


210 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


The  sun,  as  the  centre  of  attraction  to  the  planetary  worlds  and 
the  proximate  source  of  heat,  light,  life,  and  fruitfulness  to  this  natu- 
ral world,  is  the  rejiresentative  emblem  of  the  Lord  Himself  as  to 
his  divine  love ;  for  this  principle  is  the  centre  of  all  vitality  in  the 
church  and  the  mind.  In  the  winter  season  all  creation  mourns,  as 
it  were,  the  sun's  apparent  absence;  many  animals  become  torpid, 
and  the  vegetable  kingdom  withers  apparently  ;  but  on  the  return  of 
spring,  and  the  more  direct  rays  of  the  sun,  the  kingdoms  of  nature 
are  all  warmed  into  new  life,  and  renewed  into  activity  by  his  vivify- 
ing and  genial  influences,  and  universal  nature  rejoices  at  the  sun's 
apparent  approach.  In  all  this  we  m&y  trace  and  confirm  the  beau- 
tiful correspondence  of  the  sun.  The  moon,  de^iendent  upon  the  earth, 
but  shining  with  a  borrowed  lustre  derived  from  the  sun,  and  whose 
reflected  glories  dissipate  the  darkness  of  so  many  of  our  nights,  is, 
in  a  good  sense,  a  striking  figure  of  a  true  faith  in  the  Lord  and  his 
Word ;  for  faith  derives  all  its  efl^'ulgence  and  life  from  love,  and  dis- 
sipates all  the  doubt  and  darkness  which  so  often  prevail  in  the  night 
of  trial  and  temptation.  Hence,  in  the  sublime  promise  of  a  perpet- 
ual state  of  that  heavenly  joy  and  delight  Avhich  flow  from  the  love 
of  God,  and  faith  in  his  Word,  the  Evangelical  Prophet  exclaims  in 
rapture,  "  Thy  sun  shall  no  more  go  down,  neither  shall  thy  moon 
withdraw  itself"  (Isa.  Ix.  20).  It  is  from  the  principles  and  percep- 
tions of  the  same  love  and  faith  that  we  are  led  with  heartfelt  sincer- 
ity to  worship  and  serve  the  Lord,  as  being  goodness  itself,  and  truth 
itself;  and  to  ascribe  to  the  outflowing  energies  of  his  Holj'  Spirit 
all  works  of  benevolence  and  use,  by  whatever  agents  they  are  made 
manifest.  Then,  in  the  language  of  correspondence,  we  are  said  to 
"  Praise  Him  for  the  precious  fruits  brought  forth  by  the  sun,  and  for 
the  precious  things  put  forth  by  the  moon  "  (Deut.  xxxiii.  44). 

The  stars  which  bespangle  the  skies  with  their  innumerable  corus- 
cations, and  emit  rays  of  light  into  the  atmosphere,  are  emblematical, 


the  Analogu  of  Creation  and  New  Creation,  by 
W.FcatlifrstoiK'  II,  Barrister-atlaw,  in  which 
it  is  attempted  to  be  shown  tliat  the  seven 
days  of  creation  have  the  most  wonderful 
and  striking  analogy  to  the  Ix)rd  Jesus  Christ 
and  his  work  of  redemption,  and  to  the  sev- 
eral stages  in  which  man  follows  Him  in  the 
regeneration,  "or  new  creation."  One  can- 
not perceive  that  tlie  writer  has  ever  read  the 
works  of  Swedenborg;  yet,  amid  great  con- 
ftision  and  uncertainty,  and  without  any 
guide  to  direct  liiin,  he  has  yet  hit  upon 
many  ideas  which  are  true  and  coutirmatory 


of  the  truth  of  the  science  of  correspond- 
ences, and  which  are  valuable  as  proceeding 
from  an  independent  mind.  For  instance, 
in  his  introduction,  he  says:  "  How  all  our 
knowledge  arises  from  the  study  of  the  works 
and  ihe  Word  of  the  Great  Creator,  and  con- 
si.st.s  in  tlie  perception  of  the  various  relations 
(taking  the  Word  in  its  widest  signification) 
which  his  works  bear  to  Himself;  and  these 
works  are  f\ill  of  analogies  within  analogies, 
or,  in  the  language  of  the  Son  of  Israel,  'all 
the  things  are  made  double  one  ogaiust  an- 
other.' " — p.  3. 


CORRESPONDENCE  OF  THE  SUN,  MOON,  AND  STARS.  241 


in  a  good  sense,  of  the  knowledges  of  goodness  and  truth,  which  irra- 
diate tlie  mental  firmament  Avith  rays  of  spiritual  iutelligence.  When, 
therefore,  a  desecrated  and  benighted  state  of  the  church  is  treated 
of,  the  sun  is  represented  as  darkened  and  "shrouded  in  sackcloth  of 
hair,"  to  denote  the  utter  extinction  of  love  and  charity ;  the  moon 
is  spoken  of  as  "turned  to  blood,"  to  signify  that  all  genuine  faith  is 
darkened  and  corrupted  ;  and  the  stars  are  said  to  "  fall  from  heaven, 
even  as  a  fig-tree  casteth  her  untimely  figs,  when  she  is  shaken  of  a 
mighty  wind,"  to  represent  the  awful  apostasy  from  truth,  when  the 
revealed  knowledges  of  heavenly  things  are  hurled  to  the  earth,  and 
made  subservient  to  the  vilest  purposes  (Joel  ii.  10  ;  Matt.  xxiv.  29  ; 
Acts  ii.  20 ;  Rev.  vi.  12,  13).  On  the  other  hand,  when  the  strength 
and  glory  of  the  church  are  treated  of,  she  is  represented  as  a  wonder 
seen  in  heaven,  "  a  woman  clothed  with  the  sun  "  (Rev.  xii.  1), — en- 
circled by  a  protecting  sphere  of  divine  love ;  as  having  "  the  moon 
under  her  feet," — suj^ported  by  a  pure,  holy,  and  firm  faith ;  and 
upon  her  head  "  a  diadem  of  twelve  stars," — crowned  with  the  inex- 
tinguishable splendors  of  spiritual  knowledge  or  intelligence. 

The  communications  of  divine  truths  from  the  Lord  were  made,  in 
ancient  times,  not  only  by  inspired  speeches,  but  also  by  the  percep- 
tions which  were  excited  into  activity  by  visions  or  dreams.  These 
were  all  representatives,  from  which  the  prophets  taught  the  people 
the  divine  will  and  promises,  and  recorded  them  as  the  very  Word  of 
God.  Joseph  was  favored  with  a  prophetic  dream  of  this  kind,  when 
he  saw  the  sun,  the  moon,  and  the  eleven  stars,  in  appearance  make 
obeisance  before  him.  This  can  only,  in  the  mere  letter,  apply  to  the 
single  histoi'ical  fact  of  Joseph,  his  brethren,  and  his  parents  in 
Egypt ;  but,  in  the  internal  or  spiritual  sense,  by  Joseph  is  signified 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  also,  in  regard  to  man,  he  signifies  divine 
truth  from  the  Lord  in  heaven  and  the  church,  or  in  the  spiritual 
man  ;  but  the  sun  and  the  moon  signify  here  natural  goodness  and 
truth,  or  goodness  and  truth  in  the  natural  mind  ;  father  and  brethren 
signify  and  include  the  Jewish  religion  ;  while  the  eleven  stars  signify 
all  the  knowledges  thereof  Bowing,  or  obeisance,  denotes  adoration, 
accompanied  with  the  acknowledgment  that  all  the  rites  and  ceremonies 
of  that  religion  had,  in  their  internal  character,  a  special  relation  to  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  his  divinely  glorified  humanity, — our  heavenly 
Joseph,  the  source  of  all  goodness  and  truth  and  knowledge.  It  is  He 
who  sustains  his  church  in  Egypt,  and  supplies  abundance  of  corn  in 
states  of  spiritual  famine ;  but  claims  to  be  acknowledged  as  Lord  of  all. 
21  Q 


CHAPTEE  XYIL 


The  First  Chapters  of  Genesis,  to  the  27th  Verse  of  Chapter  XI., 
A  Grand  Series  of  Divine  Allegories,  which  can  only  be  Inter- 
preted BY  the  Science  of  Correspondences. 

THE  first  chapters  of  Genesis,  to  the  history  of  Abram,"^  are  a 
series  of  pure  divine  allegories,  which  can  only  be  explained  by 
the  science  of  correspondences,  according  to  which  they  are  written 
as  to  the  most  minute  particulars."'  The  progress  of  natural  science 
compels  those  who  admit  them  as  a  revelation  from  heaven,  to  regard 
them  as  divine  allegories,  in  which  spiritual  subjects  are  presented  to 
our  view  under  the  form  of  historical  facts.  For  instance,  the  ac- 
count of  the  creation  in  the  first  chapters  of  Genesis,  cannot  have 
been  designed  to  be  a  literal  history  of  the  formation  of  the  universe ; 
for,  if  thus  considered,  it  is  full  of  insurmountable  perplexity  and 
inconsistency,  and  opposed  to  the  numerous  and  incontrovertible  facts 
Avhich  researches  in  geology,  astronomy,  and  archjBology  have  brought 
to  light."'  But  if  we  contemplate  it  as  a  plenarily  inspired  description 


130  No  authentic  historj'  exists  in  the  world 
older  than  that  of  the  patriarch  Abraham. 

'37  In  Swedenborg's  Arcana  Codeslia,  every 
sentence  in  the  books  of  (iencsis  and  Exodus 
is  explained  according  to  the  science  of  cor- 
respondences, and  proved  to  have  reference 
to  the  Lord,  the  human  mind,  and  the  spir- 
itual world. 

>3«The  literal  interpretation  of  the  first 
chapters  of  Genesis  has  involved  both  an- 
cient and  modern  commentators  in  insur- 
mountable diflicultics;  and  the  truly  won- 
derful discoveries  of  a-stronomy  and  geology 
completely  disprove  it. 

Celsus,  one  of  the  earliest  opposers  of  the 
Gospel,  derides  the  Mosaic  liistory  of  crea- 
tion as  an  incredible  7)hilosophical  tale;  he 
treats  with  levity  the  history  of  Adam's  for- 
mation, of  Kve  being  made  from  his  rib ;  of 
the  commands  that  were  given  tliem,  and 
of  the  serpent's  cunning,  in  l)eing  able  to 
evade  the  effect  of  those  commands.  Origen, 
in  answer  to  him,  says  that  he  does  not  treat 
the  subject  with  candor,  but  hides  what  he 


ought  to  have  made  known,  viz.,  that  all  this 
was  to  be  understood  in  a  figurative  sensp,  not 
giving  the  reader  the  words,  which  would 
have  convinced  him  that  they  were  spoken 
allcgorically.—Conl.  Cel.,  1,  iv.,  p.  186,  18!). 

"A  few  years  ago  an  approximation  to  a 
correct  calculation  of  the  lapse  of  time  in 
tlie  formation  of  a  part  of  the  eartli's  sur- 
face was  made  by  Sir  Charles  Lyell.  after  a 
visit  to  the  Valley  of  the  Mississippi,  in  the 
I'nited  States.  Tliat  acccmiplisheil  geologist 
described  the  bed  of  nuid  and  sand  deposited 
by  the  river  Mississippi,  which  extended  on 

I  the  delta  of  the  river,  over  an  area  of  about 
l;{,r)0O  square  statute  miles,  to  the  depth  of 
at  least  ■)'28  feet,  or  the  tenth  of  a  mile,  and 
which  in  the  upper  part  of  the  bed  included 
an  area  of  at  least  IS.rtX)  .statute  miles,  to  a 
de)>th  of  'IM  feet.  Observations  had  been 
made  on  the  average  width,  depth,  and  ve- 
locity of  the  stream,  and  experiments  on  the 
proportion  of  sediment  carried  down  by  the 
river  proved  that  every  year  3.70-j.T.'>8. 100  cu- 

•  bic  feet  of  solid  matter  were  brought  down 
242 


EXPLAINS  THE  FIRST  CHAPTERS  OF  GENESIS.  243 

of  the  most  ancient  church,  and  the  gradual  process  of  man's  regen- 
eration, till,  by  the  creation  of  new  heavens  and  a  new  earth,  from 


by  the  river.  After  a  careful  investigation  of 
details,  Sir  Charles  Lyelland  his  friends  dem- 
onstrated that  a  period  of  at  least  lOO.'iOO  years 
had  elapsed  in  Uic  formation  of  the  alluvial 
deposit  of  tlie  Mississippi." — Lydl's  tiecond 
Visit  to  the  V.  S.,  vol.  ii.,  p.  2,i0. 

The  Baobab-tree  of  Senegal  {Adansonia 
ditjilala),  measured  by  Adarason,  is  supposed 
to  have  attained  the  age  of  -iloO  years.  De 
CandoUe  considered  it  probable  that  the  cel- 
eljrated  Pascudium  of  Chapultepec,  in  Mex- 
ico (Ciipressef  dislicha.  Linn.),  may  be  still 
more  aged.— See  LyeU's  Princ.  of  Geol.,  vol. 
iii.,  b.  4,  c.  8,  p. 

."^ee  Baden  Powell,  Dr.  Nichol's  Architecture 
of  /he  Heavens,  Dr.  Hitchcock's  Religion  of  Ge- 
ology, Dr.  Jlantell's  Geology,  Bunsen's  Egypt, 
Layard's  Nineveh,  and  Essays  and  Reviews. 

Philo  calls  it  a  manifest  proof  of  ignorance 
to  suppose  that  God  really  was  engaged  six 
days  in  the  production  of  things." — Vid.Sixt. 
Seiiaii-.  Bib.,  1,  v.,  p.  338. 

Among  the  innumerable  and  inexplicable 
difficulties  of  the  merely  literal  sense  is  this : 
light  is  said  to  have  existed,  together  with 
morning  and  evening,  day  and  night,  and 
all  kinds  of  vegetation  to  have  been  created, 
three  days  before  the  sun  was  formed.— See 
Gen.  i.  1-14. 

■  Bodinns  has  declared  that '  the  unskilful 
insisting  of  our  divines  upon  the  literal  sense 
of  Moses  [in  tlie  first  chapters  of  Genesis] 
had  held  many  hundred  thousands  of  athe- 
ists.' "—Dr.  H.  More's  Cab.,  p.  225. 

"There  is  no  way  of  preserving  the  true 
[literal]  .sense  of  the  first  three  chapters  of 
Genesis,  without  attributing  to  God  things 
unworthy  of  Him,  and  for  which  [or  the  in- 
terpretation thereof]  one  must  have  recourse 
to  allegory." — AvgvMine,  de  Gen.  cont.  Mani- 
ch'os. 

"  The  literal  interpretation  of  the  first 
chapters  of  Genesis  has  been  a  perpetual 
source  of  doubts  and  difficulties  to  the  best 
commentators,  and  of  raillery  and  ridicule 
to  the  enemies  of  revealed  religion  in  all 
ages." — Dr.  C.  Middlelon' s  Essay  on  the  Alle- 
gorical and  Literal  Interpretation  of  the  Crea- 
tion and  Fall  of  Man. 

"  The  literal  acceptation  of  the  Mosaic  his- 
tory of  the  creation  and  fall  of  man,  by  its 
seeming  inconsistency  with  the  character  of 
divine  wisdom  and  goodness,  induced  cer- 
tain heretics  of  the  primitive  Church  to  as- 
sert the  existence  of  two  Gods,  or  indepen- 
dent principles— the  one  evil,  the  other  good. 
While  the  same  method  of  interpreting  in- 
duced other  simple  Christians  also,  as  Ori- 


gen  tells  us,  who  honored  the  Creator,  and 
thouglit  nothing  sui)erior  to  Him,  to  ascribe 
such  things  to  Him  as  they  would  not  be- 
lieve of  the  most  cruel  and  unjust  men.  .  .  . 
And,  in  truth,  there  is  not  any  part  of  the 
Holy  8crii)tures  that  has  so  much  exercised 
tlie  wit  and  invention  of  commentators  as 
this  very  history  of  the  creation,  by  the  dif- 
ficulty of  reconciling  it  with  the  allowed  at- 
tributes of  the  Creator. " — lb. 

"To  what  man  of  sense,  I  beg  of  you,  could 
one  make  believe  that  the  first,  the  second, 
and  the  third  day  of  creation,  in  which,  not- 
withstanding an  evening  and  a  morning  are 
named,  could  have  existed  without  S(/?i,  with- 
out moon,  without  stars  ?  that  during  the  first 
day  there  was  not  even  a  sky  !  Who  shall  be 
found  .so  idiotic  as  to  admit  that  God  deliv- 
ered himself  up,  like  a  man,  to  agriculture, 
by  planting  trees  in  the  garden  of  Eden,  sit- 
uate towards  the  east :  that  one  of  these  trees 
was  that  of  life,  and  that  another  could  give 
the  .science  of  good  and  evil  ?  No  one,  I  think, 
can  hesitate  to  regard  these  things  as  figures, 
beneath  which  mysteries  are  hidden."— Ori- 
gen :  Huet,  Origeniana,  p.  1C7. 

"  All  hnmau  calculations  are  futile  in  geo- 
logical and  ethnological  inquiries.  Epochs 
of  vast  duration  are  fully  established  by  the 
nature  of  the  organic  remains  of  plants  and 
animals  that  characterize  the  different  for- 
mations ;  while  the  very  intervals  which 
separate  these  formations  are  evidences  of 
other  periods  hardly  less  astonishing.  In 
fact,  geological  epochs  present  some  analogy 
to  astronomical  distances:  the  latter  have 
been  computed,  the  former  are  beyond  cal- 
culation; and  the  mind  is  almost  as  incapa- 
ble of  realizing  one  as  the  other.  It  cannot 
grapple  with  numbers  which  approximate 
to  infinitude.  It  is  stated  by  Prof.  Nichol, 
of  Edinburgh,  that '  light  travels  at  the  rate 
of  192.000  miles  in  a  second  of  time;  and 
that  it  performs  its  journey  from  the  sim  to 
the  earth,  a  distance  of  95,000,000  of  miles, 
in  about  eight  minutes.  And  yet,  by  Rosse's 
great  telescope,  we  are  informed  that  there 
are  stars  and  systems  so  distant,  that  the  ray 
of  light  which  impinges  on  the  eye  of  the 
observer,  and  enables  him  to  detect  it,  issued 
from  that  orb  60,000  years  back.' "—  Westmin- 
ster Rev.,  imG. 

"  The  best  scholars  of  the  day,  in  common 
with  Bochnrt,  regard  the  so-called  ancc.'stors 
of  Abraham  as  geographical  names  of  na- 
tions, countries,  tribes,  or  cities,  and  not  as 
individuals."— A'o«  and  Glyddon's  Types  of 
Mankind,  pp.  112,  469,  549. 


244 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES 


the  natural  degree  he  advances  to  the  celestial,  then  we  shall  behold 
it  full  of  the  most  beautiful  instruction,  and  teeming  with  spiritual 
life.  By  days  are  denoted  states  of  mind, — days  of  labor,  states  of 
trial  and  temptation,  in  appearance  attributed  to  the  Lord,  because 
without  his  divine  presence  and  assistance  man  could  not  become 
regenerate  ;  and  the  day  of  rest,  or  Sabbath,  a  state  of  victory,  and 
consequently  of  sacred  rest  and  eternal  peace.  By  the  evening  and 
the  morning  are  signified  advancements  from  one  holy  state  to  another. 
By  the  greater  luminaries  are  signified  the  principles  of  love  and 
faith,  and  their  establishment  within  the  soul  in  order  to  rule  the  day 
and  the  night,  or  to  regulate  and  control  the  varied  states  of  the  heart 
and  life.  By  the  inanimate  objects  which  were  educed,  or  created, 
are  meant  the  orderly  arrangement  of  such  things  as  are  corporeal 
and  natural ;  by  the  vegetables,  such  as  have  relation  in  general  to 
the  understanding  and  intelligence ;  and  by  the  animals,  such  as  have 
reference  to  the  m  ill  and  the  affections.  To  create  and  form  these, 
signifies  thus  to  regenerate  the  whole  man, — to  "  make  all  things 
new,"  to  restore  the  soul ;  and  the  work  is,  lastly,  pronounced  very 
good.'^ 


Baron  Bunsen  "  relegates  wllh  firmness  the 
long  lives  of  the  first  piitriarchs  to  the  domain 
of  leijend,  or  of  symbolical  cycle."  He  reason- 
ably "  conceives  that  the  historical  portion 
[of  Genesis]  begins  with  Abraham." — Bun- 
sen's  Bib.  Jics;  Dr.  R.  H'UUams,  Essays  and  Re- 
views, 9th  ed.,  p.  57. 

Honert,  in  his  InstUutiones  Tlieol.  Typ.,  Em- 
blemat.  et  Prophet.,  etc.,  published  1730,  main- 
tains that "  the  creation  of  heaven  and  eartli 
were  prefigurative  of  the  dispensation  of  the 
gospel ;"  and  Ood's  resting  on  tlie  sevaith  day, 
"ii  type  of  (what  the  end  of  that  dispensa- 
tion is)  our  cessation  from  all  grief,  and  en- 
joyment of  all  felicity  in  the  kingdom  of 
heaven:"  and  this,  he  says,  "more  particu- 
larly appears  from  2  Cor.  i  v.  (> ;  (ial.  vi.  15 ;  Isa. 
Ixiii.  17." — See  Ilisloria  LUeraria,  vol.  i.,  p. 
317. 

From  the  irreconcilable  contradictions  dis- 
closed by  geological  dist'overy,  the  whole 
narration  of  the  six  days'  creation  cannot 
now  be  regarded  by  any  completely  informed 
person  as  historical.  Tlie  evidence  in  sup- 
port of  this  conclusion  is  briefly  discussed  in 
my  work.  On  the  Connection  of  Naliiral  and  Di- 
vine Truth,  1838 ;  in  my  article.  Creation,  in 
Kitto's  Cyclop,  of  Bib.  LU. 

139  "The  .\ vesta  and  the  Vcdas  refer,  like 
the  book  of  Genesis,  to  the  first  iircaching 
[or  teaching]  of  Monotheism,  ami  of  divine 
worship  among  mankind;  not  to  the  crea- 


tion, but  to  the  renewing,  biira.  of  heaven 
and  earth,  and  to  the  renewing  of  man  in 
tlie  image  of  God."— £ufwen's  KeysoJSt.  Peter, 
p.  58. 

"  'God  said,'  at  the  creation, '  Let  there  be 
light,  and  there  was  light.'  This,  as  related 
in  liie  book  of  Genesis,  is  a  [representative] 
pattern  of  the  '  new  creation  in  Christ  Jesus,' 
and  is  so  applied  by  the  Apostle  Paul.  '  God, 
wlio  commanded  the  light  to  shine  out  of 
darkness,  hath  shincd  in  our  hearts  to  give 
the  light  of  the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of 
God  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ'  (2  Cor.  iv.  G)." 
— BloomfichV s  Sermons,  p.  3.')5. 

"The  [account  of]  creation,  which  is  re- 
lated in  the  book  of  Genesis,  is  a  pattern  of 
the  new  creation  in  Christ  Jesus;  and  is  so 
ai)plied  by  tlie  apostle :  '  God  who  commanded 
the  light  lo  shine  out  of  darkness,  hath  shined  in 
our  hearts  lo  give  the  ligU  of  the  knoivledge  of 
the  glory  of  God  in  the  face  of  Jesu-i  Christ.'  Till 
this  light  shines  in  the  heart  of  man,  he  is  in 
the  same  state  as  the  unformed  world  was 
wlien  (larKncss  lay  ttpon  the  fare  of  the  deep: 
and  when  the  new  creation  takes  place,  he 
rises  in  baptism  or  regeneration,  of  which 
baptism  is  the  representative  figure,  as  the 
new  earth  did  from  the  waters,  by  the  spirit 
of  God  moving  upon  tlicm." — Jones's  Fig.  Lang, 
of  Scrip.,  p.  35. 

"  Neither  in  the  written  Word,  nor  in  the 
organic  creation  of  God,  is  there  a  single 


EXPLAINS  THE  FIRST  CHAPTERS  OF  GENESIS. 


245 


pp.rt  unmeaninpr;  a  single  part  superfluous; 
a  single  part  wiUiout  its  use  and  object,  its 
bearing  upon  some  distant  relation,  its  im- 
portance in  the  general  harmony  ;  not  one 
jot,  not  one  tittle,  not  one  letter.  ...  No  in- 
structed Christian  can  read  the  first  chapters 
of  Genesis  without  feeling  assured  that  un- 
der those  simple  statcment,s  lie  i)rophecies 
and  mysteries  of  the  Christian  Church." — 
Dr.  SeweU's  Letter  on  the  Inspiration  of  Holy 
Scripmre,  pp.  83, 104. 

"  St.  Cyril  of  Alexandria  wrote  two  treatises 
on  the  books  of  Genesis  and  Leviticus,  in 
which  he  says:  'When  the  Word  of  God,  de- 
livered by  Moses  and  the  prophets,  is  laid 
before  men,  it  is  presented  to  them  with  its 
peculiar  covering  upon  it.  For,  as  Christ  had 
the  array  of  his  flesh,  so  the  Word  has  the 
veil  of  the  letter:  the  letter  being  apparently 
seen,  as  the  flesh  of  Christ  was;  while  the 
spiritual  sense  lying  concealed  within,  as 
did  his  Divinity  in  his  Humanity,  is  not  per- 
ceptible to  the  outward  sen.se  .  .  .  For  these 
things  [of  the  law],  according  to  the  outward 
letter,  may  be  seen  or  heard,  as  might  the 
body  of  Christ,  by  the  worthy  and  unworthy, 
indifferently;  but  blessed  are  they  that  see, 
and  hear,  and  perceive  the  life-giving  spirit 
concealed  within.'" — HoUoivay's  Letter  and 
Spirit,  Int.,  vol.  i.,  p.  lii. 

"  The  first  chapters  of  Genesis  (at  whatever 
period  they  were  composed)  were  regarded 
by  all  the  learned  Jews  as  an  allegory,  and 
even  as  a  fable  not  a  little  dangerous,  since 
that  book  was  forbidden  to  be  read  by  any 
before  they  had  attained  the  age  of  twenty- 
one.  The  Jews  knew  no  more  about  original 
sin  than  they  did  about  the  Chinese  cere- 
monies; and  although  divines  generally  dis- 
cover in  the  .Scriptures  everything  they  wish 
to  find  there,  either  totidem  verl)is,  or  totidcm 
Uteris,  we  may  safely  affirm  that  no  reason- 
able divine  will  ever  discover  in  it  thissur- 


prsiing  and  overwhelming  mystery." — Phil. 
Vict. 

From  ascertained  fact.s,  well  known  and  un- 
disputed among .scientilic  men,  in  Ethnology, 
Astronomy, Geology. Chronology,  and  Archa;- 
ology,  it  must  be  evident  to  all  rational  minds 
that  the  first  eleven  chapters  of  Genesis,  to 
the  history  of  Abraham,  are  wholly  symbolic 
and  unhistorical.  Dr.  Lepsius  {C'liron.  der 
yEgi/pten,  p.  176)  dates  the  age  of  Menes,  the 
first  Egyptian  king,  o893  B.  c,  or  5755  years  to 
I  the  present  time  [written  in  1802];  and  yet 
j  in  that  remote  time  Egypt  was  already  pos- 
sessed of  her  art«,  institutions,  and  hiero- 
glyphic language.  The  researches  of  the 
j  learned  Chevalier  Bunsen  furnish  nearly  the 
I  same  conclusions.  Of  the  great  antiquity  of 
I  the  human  species,  there  can  be  no  question. 
Dr.  Prichard  gives  it  as  his  matured  opinion, 
in  the  last  page  of  his  fifth  and  last  volume 
of  The  Renearches,  that  "  the  human  race  has 
1  been  chiliads  of  centuries  upon  the  earth." 
Proofs  of  the  vast  antiquity  of  the  earth 
and  of  man's  long  sojourn  upon  it  multi- 
ply every  day.  "  These  views,"  observes  Sir 
Cliarles  Lycll,  "have  been  adopted  by  all 
geologists,  whether  their  minds  have  been 
formed  by  the  literature  of  France  or  of 
Italy,  of  Scandinavia  or  England;  all  have 
arrived  at  the  same  conclusions  respecting 
the  great  antiquity  of  the  globe,  and  that, 
too,  in  opposition  to  their  earliest  prepo.s- 
sessions,  and  to  the  popular  belief  of  their 
age." — See  also  Nalt  and  Glyddon's  Types  of 
Mankind,  pp.  319,  326. 

It  is  not  a  little  remarkable,  and  has  not 
escaped  the  notice  of  many  commentators, 
that  the  names  of  all  the  ten  patriarchs,  from 
Adam  to  Noah,  descriptive  spiritually  of  suc- 
cessive states  of  delusion  in  the  Church,  and 
the  means  of  man's  future  deliverance  from 
hell  by  the  works  of  redemption  and  glorifi- 
cation, form  a  complete  sentence,  thus:— 


Adam, 

Seth, 

Enos, 

Cainan, 

Mahalaleel, 

Jarcd, 

Enoch, 

Methuselah, 

Lamech, 

Noah, 


man, 

appointed, 
miserable,  (and) 
lamenting, 
the  God  of  glory, 
shall  descend, 
to  instruct, 
his  death  sends, 
to  the  afflicted, 
consolation, 


earthy, 
set. 

fallen  man, 

praising  God, 
coming  down, 
taught, 

poor, 
ceasing. 


desperation. 

possession. 

God's  illumination. 

ruling. 

dedicated. 

the  spoil  of  his  death, 
humbled,  smitten, 
rest. 


The  ages  ascribed  to  the  above  patriarchs 
are  sufficient  to  prove  that  they  were  repre- 
sentative characters  only,  and  not  real  indi- 
viduals. 

"  Giants  in  the  earth  in  those  days."   A  strong 
or  mighty  man,  or  one  of  valor  and  bravery, 
is  called  Gibbor;  and  in  the  spiritual  sense 
is  one  who  is  governed  by  fantasy,  and 
21* 


distinguished  by  profanation  and  self-love. 
Those  who  are  represented  as  having  at- 
tained uncommon  stature  are  always  de- 
scribed as  men  of  violence,  the  enemies  of 
the  Lord  and  his  people;  as,  Goliath  of  Gath, 
Og,  king  of  Bashan ;  Saul,  king  of  Israel,  and 
the  sons  of  Anak  and  the  Nephilim.  They 
are  described,  therefore,  as  springing  from 


246 


THE  SCIEKCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES 


the  commerce  of  "  the  sons  of  God  and  the 
daughters  of  men,"  for  no  other  terms  could 
so  well  describe  these  holy  truths  of  revela- 
tion when  prostituted  to  selfish  lusts  and 
worldly  ends.  The  magnitude  of  their  bod- 
ies is,  in  all  cases,  but  the  outward  form  of 
their soulspuffed  up  and  expauded,orspread 
out  by  false  suggestions  and  evil  emotions, 
the  awful  and  gigantic  result  of  their  profa- 
nation, and  fantasy,  and  self-persuasion. 

'  In  the  writings  of  Moses,  chiefly  in  the 
beginn  ing  of  Genesis,  there  occur  documents 
of  much  higher  antiquity  than  Moses'  own 
writings."— i>r.  J.  Heringa's  Notes  to  Dr.  G.  F. 
Seller's  Biblical  Hermeneutics,  translated  by  the 
Set:  D.  M'.  Wright,  ed.  1835,  p.  93. 

"That  the  book  of  Genesis  wa.s,  in  part, 
composed  or  compiled  from  preriously  ex- 
isting documents,  or  from  true  traditionarj- 
accounts  existing  in  the  Church  at  the  time 
of  its  composition  by  Moses,  is  a  point  which 
is  now  very  generally  admitted  among  those 
who  are  conversant  with  Biblical  criticism. 
Thiswasalsotheopinionof  Vitringa.LeCene, 
Cahnet.and  Astruc." — See  the  Introd.ofHome, 
Eichom,  John,  and  Bertholdt,  Dr.  I.  P  Smith's 
Cong. Led.,  p.  '207,  and  Sluart  on  the  0.  T.  Canon, 
p.  54 ;  Dr.  Henderson  on  Divine  Inspiration,  p. 
312,  and  Note  T,  p.  488. 

"The  first  two  chapters  of  Genesis,  as  in- 
deed the  whole  of  the  first  eight  [or  rather 
eleven],  are  now  generally  admitted  by  schol- 
ars to  be  made  up  of  fragments  [or  are  re- 
mainsjof  earlier  books  or  earlier  revelations, 
the  exact  meaning  of  which  the  writers  of 
the  Pentateuch  seem  hardly  to  have  appre- 
ciated when  they  transcribed  them  into  the 
form  in  which  they  are  now  found.  The 
history  of  the  Jews  and  the  Jewish  religion 
commences  with  the  call  of  Abraham." — Sec 
Fergu.-'.ion's  T.  and  P.  M'orship,  pp.  (i,  7. 

[When  the  above  was  written  (1862),  com- 
paratively little  was  known  of  those  extraor- 
dinary evidences  of  the  antiquity  of  man  on 
this  globe  which  have  been  found  in  the  la- 
custrine cities  of  Switzerland,  the  shell  mid- 
dens of  the  Baltic  shores,  or  the  paleolithic 
and  neolithic  or  flint  ages.  For  years  the 
discoveries  were  regarded  by  many  with  sus- 
picion,— as  either  accidental  in  their  nature, 
or  as  the  results  of  deception ;  and  though 
of  late  years  the  evidences  on  this  subject 
have  been  greatly  extended,  and  their  field 
■widened,  the  health  of  the  author  was  so  far 
aflected  that  he  took  little  notice  of  them, 
and  probably  had  forgotten  this  note.  Mod- 
em discoveries  leave  no  doubt  that  man  wius 
coeval  with  the  extinct  mammoth,  whose 
remains  are  found  mingled  with  the  flint 
weapons  of  these  early  denizens  of  this 
world.  It  was  usual  for  those  who  accepted 
the  ordinary  Biblical  chronology  of  Usher, 
to  regard  the  whole  of  the  astronomical  cal- 


culations of  Egypt,  Assyria,  and  China  as  for- 
geries, and  their  lists  of  monarchs  as  mythic 
and  unreliable.  It  is  certain,  however,  now, 
that  even  these  ages,  though  they  carry  us 
back  so  far,  are  but  modem  as  compared 
with  the  paleolithic  age, — though  we  are 
dealing  not  with  the  freo/fonof  man,  butonly 
with  evidences  which  he  has  left  of  his  be- 
ing. Time  past  has  been  divided,  for  the 
sake  of  reference,  into  three  ages :  1,  the  flint 
age ;  2,  the  bronze  age ;  3,  the  iron  age.  The 
latter  is  identified  with  real  history,  and  the 
change  firom  the  2d  to  the  3d  appears  to  be 
the  boundary  between  real  and  mythic  his- 
torj'.  But  of  the  1st  era,  which  has  been  sub- 
divided into  the  paleolithic  and  neolithic 
ages,  no  remains  in  literature  are  extant;  it 
is  doubtful  whether  there  was  any  method 
in  use  for  the  transmission  of  thought  except 
by  word  of  mouth,  though  evidences  of  or- 
namentation and  drawing  have  been  found 
on  some  of  the  flints.  If  we  refer  to  Gen.  iv. 
22,  we  read,  "  And  Zillah,  she  also  bare  Tu- 
bal-Cain,  an  instructor  of  every  artificer  in 
brass  and  iron."  It  is  certain  that  the  metal 
called  brass  is  of  modern  invention,  or  pos- 
sibly copper  may  be  meant.  But  the  men- 
tion of  iron,  to  the  exclusion  of  flint  and 
bronze,  clearly  shows  that  the  passage  is  not 
historical.  According  to  the  Bible  chronol- 
ogy,  this  birth  took  place  about  3875  years 
B.  c,  or  5754  years  ago,  at  which  time  it  is  ex- 
tremely doubtful  whether  the  working  of 
iron  was  known.  But  even  granting  that  it 
was.  there  still  remain  beyond,  far  beyond, 
the  bronze,  the  neolithic,  and  the  paleolithic 
ages;  and  these,  as  we  have  seen,  carry  us 
back  to  ages  of  which  man  has  left  behind 
him  proofs  of  his  existence  scattered  over 
the  whole  globe.  These  remains,  however, 
are  all  in  the  superficial  strata,  and  in  fact 
yield  no  data  from  which  we  can  calculate 
the  antiquity  of  man.  This  field  of  investi- 
I  gation,  however,  is  one  uixju  which  scientists 
,  have  barely  entered.— Ed.] 
I  "  Many  of  the  proper  names  occurring  in 
I  the  tenth  chapter  of  Genesis  remain  un- 
changed, as  the  appellations  of  races  and 
kingdoms.  Others  are  found  in  the  plural 
or  dual  number,  proving  that  they  tjcar  a 
personal  and  national  rt-forence;  and  a  third 
cla.ss  have  that  peculiar  termination  which, 
in  Hebrew,  signifies  a  sept,  or  tribe." — Dr. 
Eadies  Early  Oriental  Hist.,  Enc.  Mel.,  1852, 
p.  2. 

"  Dr.  M.  will  have  it  that  the  Mosaic  account 
of  the  fall  is  an  allegory.  /  agree  it  is  so." — 
Bishop  M'arburton's  Letters  to  Bishrp  Ilurd. 

"  1  take  the  whole  of  this  narrative  to  be 
allegorical."— Notes  and  Oomments, 
1818,  p.  2. 

See  also  Appendix  on  the  various  styles  in 
which  the  Word  is  written. 


EXPLAINS  THE  FIRST  CnAPTERS  OF  GENESIS. 


247 


Again,  it  is  seen  bj-  this  science  that  the  garden  of  Eden  (Gen. 
ii.  15),  with  its  beautiful  scenery  and  delightful  fruits,  corresponds  to 
the  mind  of  man,  which  Adam is  therefore  commanded  "  to  dress 


^^Eden  means,  in  English, "  delight."— See 
Isa.  li.  3;  Ezek.  xxiii.  13;  xxxi.  9. 

"  It  is  observable  that  Aden,  in  the  Eastern 
dialect,  is  precisely  the  same  word  with  Eden, 
which  we  apply  to  the  garden  of  Paradise. 
It  has  two  senses,  according  to  a  slight  difler- 
encc  in  its  pronunciation;  its  fii-st  meaning 
is  a  settled  abode;  its  second,  dcliyld,  softness, 
or  tranquillity.  The  word  Edai  had  probably 
one  of  these  senses  in  the  sacred  text,  though 
we  use  it  as  a  proper  name." — Sir  W.  Jones's 
Works,  vol.  iv.,  p.  'y2S. 

"Know,"  says  Rabbi  Simon  Bar  Abraham, 
cited  by  Hutchinson  (Hebrew  Writings,  p.  21, 
from  Buxtorf),  "  that  in  the  trees,  fountains, 
and  other  tilings  of  the  garden  of  Eden,  were 
the  figures  of  most  curious  things  by  which 
the  first  Adam  [or  Church]  saw  and  under- 
stood spiritual  things;  even  as  God  hath 
given  to  us  the  forms  and  figures  of  the  tab- 
ernacle, of  the  sanctuary,  and  of  all  its  fur- 
niture, the  candlestick,  the  table,  and  the 
altars  for  types  of  intellectual  (subjects,  or] 
things,  and  that  we  might  from  them  under- 
stand heavenly  truths.  In  the  trees,  like- 
wise, and  fountains  or  rivers  of  the  garden, 
heprcfiguredadmirable  mysteries."— T/ieopA. 
Text  of  Prof.  Antiq.,  p.  137. 

Dr.  Adam  Clarke,  from  his  extensive  and 
learned  researches,  thus  enumerates  the 
opinions  of  Interpreters  on  the  locality  of 
Paradise.  "It  would  a.stonish  an  ordinary 
reader,  who  should  be  obliged  to  consult  dif- 
ferent commentators  and  critics  on  the  situa- 
tion of  the  terrestrial  Paradise,  to  see  the  va.st 
variety  of  opinions  by  which  they  are  di- 
vided. Some  place  it  in  the  third  heaven, 
others  in  the  fourth;  some  within  the  orbit 
of  the  moon,  others  in  the  moon  itself ;  some 
in  the  middle  regions  of  the  air,  or  beyond 
the  earth's  attraction;  some  on  the  earth, 
others  under  the  earth,  and  others  within 
the  earth;  some  have  fixed  it  at  the  north 
pole,  others  at  the  south;  some  in  Tartary, 
some  in  China ;  some  on  the  borders  of  the 
Ganges,  some  in  the  island  of  Ceylon ;  some 
in  Armenia,  others  in  Africa,  under  the  equa- 
tor; some  in  Mesopotamia,  others  in  Syria, 
Persia,  Arabia,  Babylon,  Assyria,  and  in  Pal- 
estine :  some  have  condescended  to  place 
it  in  Europe,  and  others  have  contended  it 
either  exists  not,  or  is  invisible,  or  is  merely 
of  a  spiritual  nature,  and  that  the  whole  account 
is  to  be  spiritually  understood  !  " — Comment,  in 
loci.  Another  writer  affirms  that  the  site  of 
Eden  is  now  at  the  bottom  of  one  of  the  great 
oceans. 


"  If  thou  wilt  keep  thy  habitation  and  pre- 
serve thy  dwelling-place  in  Paradise,  in  the 
garden  of  God,  thou  must  dress  it  and  keep 
it.  '  Keepthy  heart  with  all  diligence'  (Prov. 
IV.  23)." —  If'.  Sherwin,  a  writer  of  lite  seventeenth 
century, 

"  The  geography  of  the  rivers  in  Paradise 
is  inexplicable,  though  it  assumes  the  tone 
of  explanation." — F.  W.  Newman's  Phases  of 
Faith,  p.  110. 

'■  Many  learned  and  laborious  treatises 
have  been  published  on  the  site  of  Paradise, 
or  the  garden  of  Eden ;  some  affirming  it  to 
be  above  the  moon,  others  above  the  air; 
some  that  it  is  the  whole  world,  others  only 
a  part  of  the  north,  or  under  the  arctic  pole ; 
some  thinking  that  it  was  nowhere,  while 
others  supposed  it  to  be  somewhere  in  the 
West  Indies.  Rudbeck,  a  Swede,  asserts  that 
Sweden  was  the  real  Paradise.  The  learned 
Bishop  Huet  gives  a  map  of  Paradise,  and 
says  it  is  situated  upon  the  canal  formed  by 
the  Tigris  and  Euphrates,  near  Aracca;  an- 
other writer  in  the  place  possessed  by  the 
Caspian  Sea.  Mahomet  assured  his  followers 
that  Paradise  was  seated  in  heaven,  and  that 
Adam  was  cast  out  from  thence  when  he 
transgressed."  Humboldt  (see  Cosmos,  Bohn, 
vol.  i.,  p.  364-5)  brings  up  the  rear  with  tell- 
ing us  that  every  nation  has  a  Paradise  some- 
where on  the  other  side  of  the  mountains." 
— Bohn's  Hudibras,  vol.  i.,  p.  11.  ■ 

The  Greeks  had  their  garden  of  Alcinous; 
the  Romans,  their  garden  of  Flora;  in  Af- 
rica, they  had  the  garden  of  the  Hesperides ; 
and  in  the  East,  those  of  Adonis.— See,  also, 
Gardens  of  Epicurus,  Sir  W.  Temple.  See 
Spence's  Polymelis,  cited  in  Letters  on  Mythol- 
ogy, p.  126. 

Adam  means  "  man,"  and  is  a  generic 
term  for  the  whole  human  race  (Gen.  v.  2). 
Adam  was  the  name  given  to  the  most  an- 
cient Church  on  this  earth,  significative  of 
its  tnie  quality. 

"Adam,"  according  to  the  apostle  Paul, 
was  the  "  figure  of  Him  that  was  to  come." 
—Rom.  V.  14. 

"  The  Adam  and  Eve  of  sacred  writ  some 
(among  whom  I  think  is  Dr.  Warburton) 
have  supposed  to  have  been  allegorical  or 
hieroglyphic  persons  of  Egyptian  origin .  Ac- 
cording to  this  opinion  they  were  the  names 
of  two  hieroglyphic  figures  respecting  the 
early  state  of  mankind." — Dr.  Darwin's  Bot. 
Gard. :  Art.,  Portland  Vase. 

"The  Mosaic  history  of  Paradise  and  of 
Adam  and  Eve  has  been  thought  by  some  to 


248  THE  SCIEXCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES 

and  to  keep."  The  rivers  signify  the  inflowing  of  divine  wisdom  and 
truths,  which  promote  the  refreshment,  growth,  and  fruitfulness  of  all 
the  powers  and  principles,  virtues  and  graces  of  the  mind.  "  The 
tree  of  life  in  the  midst,"  signifies  the  Lord  Himself,  and  his  Word, 
and  thence  celestial  joy,  together  with  an  inmost  perception  and  ac- 
knowledgment that  all  life,  all  good,  all  knowledge,  and  all  delight, 
are  derived  from  Him,  for  He  alone  is  life  itself,  and  the  source  of 
all  life.    "  The  tree  of  knowledge  of  good  and  evil "     signifies  the 


be  a  sacred  allegrory,  designed  to  teach  obe- 
dience to  divine  commands,  and  to  account 
for  the  origin  of  evil:  as  otherwise  knowl- 
edge could  not  be  said  to  grow  upon  one 
tree,  and  life  upon  another,  or  a  serpent  to 
con-verse.  The  tree  of  the  knowledge  of 
good  and  evil,  and  the  tree  of  life,  must  have 
been  emblematical  or  allegorical." — Dr.  Dar- 
win's Temple  iif  Xatnrc. 

"Adam  and  Eve  arc  only  put  as  representa- 
tives, male  and  female,  of  the  entire  human 
.species  all  over  the  globe." — 0'  Brien's  Round 
Towers  of  IrelAnd,  2d  ed.,  p.  251. 

'•  Adam,  according  to  the  Cabalists,  was 
not  one  man.  but  the  whole  human  race."— 
Baruch,  liv.  3,  partic.  ch.  x. 

Vitringa,  in  his  dissertation,  "De  Arbore 
Pnidentiae  in  Paradiso,  cj  usque  mystcrio," 
contends  that  the  tree  of  the  knowledge  of 
good  and  evil  signifies  prudence,  and  that 
the  liistory  is  an  allegory. 

"The  first  Adam,  the  original  type  of  hu- 
manity, separated  from  Uod,  and  acted  dur- 
ing the  ages  of  unresisted  evil  as  the  god  of 
this  world,  striving  after  an  independent  and 
extra  divine  exi.'itence.  The  second  Adam, 
on  the  other  hand,  the  type  of  the  new  cre- 
ation, exhil)ited  tlie  return  of  man  to  a  per- 
fect union  with  the  divine  nature."— J/orctf  s 
Sketch  o/Schellings  Phil,  of  Hcv.,  Jlist.  of  Mod. 
Phil.,  vol.  ii..  pp.  l-'>2,  U>3. 

"  Paul  culls  .\dam  totoj  tou  /icAAovoto;,  i.e. 
a  type  of  Christ,"  Rom.  v.  I  I.  Comp.  1  Cor. 
XV.  iiy-i'.—Sluart'.t  Com.  on  the  Heb..  p.  125. 

"  In  human  beings,  the  mind  occupies  the 
rank  of  the  man  and  the  sensations  that  of 
the  woman." — Philo  Judanis :  Works,  vol.  i.,  p. 
49. 

"Adam  [man]  is  here  (Gen.  i.  27)  collective, 
lis  the  pronouns  and  verbs  following  show, 
but  never  a  pnipor  nnnie;  and  it  is  first  so 
employed  in  Tob.  viii.  K.  With  the  article, 
ddflm  signifies  the  human  race."—  loii  Bchlen, 
Int.,  p.  17. 

i«-'"Tlie  first  religious  ordinance  which 
was  conveyed  to  man,  was  under  the  com- 
bined symbol  of  the  trees  of  life  and  knowl- 
edge; and,  given  to  man  in  that  state  of  in- 


nocence and  purity,  was  evidently  designed 
as  the  mode  and  form  in  whicli  the  Deity 
would  ever  communicate  with  his  race.  As 
men  grew  and  multiplied  on  the  earth,  the 
symbolic  principle  thus  given  to  them  would 
gain  a  corresponding  strength  and  influ- 
ence. Thus  every  idea  of  worship  would 
naturally  possess  an  emblematic  character. 
It  would  be  inseparable  from  religion,  in  the 
minds  of  the  true  believers." — Tucker's  Scrip. 
Stud.,  pp.  270,  271. 

Origen  says,  "What  rational  man  will  be- 
lieve that  God.  like  a  husbandman,  planted 
a  garden,  and  in  it  a  real  tree  of  life  to  be 
tasted?  or,  that  the  knowledge  of  good  and 
evil  was  to  be  obtained  by  eating  the  fruit 
of  another  tree?  And  as  to  God  walking  in 
the  garden,  and  Adam  hiding  himself  from 
him  among  the  trees,  no  man  can  doubt  but 
that  these  things  are  to  be  understood  figu- 
ratively and  not  literally,  to  signify  certain 
mysteries,  or  recondite  sen.ses." — Philoc,  c.  i., 
p.  12. 

Augustin,  in  the  preface  to  his  twelve 
books  on  the  first  three  chapters  of  Genesis, 
sjiys,  "  No  Christian  will  say  that  tliey  are 
not  to  be  understood  figuratively,  when  he 
recollects  that  the  apostle  declares  how  all 
these  things  happened  to  them  in  a  figure." 

Heylin  well  observes,  that,  "In  forming 
our  notion  concerning  the  fall  of  man  from 
the  account  given  in  Scripture,  we  must 
make  due  allowance  for  the  imperfection 
of  human  language,  which  cannot  express 
spiritual  things  otherwise  than  by  figures 
founded  in  tlint  analogy  which  subsists  be- 
tween the  visible  and  the  invisible  world." 
"The  sacred  (writer]  was  obliged  to  repre- 
sent intellectual  things  by  sensible  images, 
which  he  uses,  if  I  may  .so  speak,  as  a  kind 
of  hieroglyphics.  Such  in  particular  is  the 
tree  of  knnirledge.  which  appears  to  have  been 
a  well-chosen  symbol,  and  well  understood 
by  the  Jews,  because  a  tree  or  plant  is  still 
frequently  used  by  the  .lewish  writers,  to  sig- 
nify some  principal  part  of  knowledge  im- 
planted in  the  mind.  Hence  otir  I^ord  him- 
self, after  reprobating  some  false  doctrines 


EXPLAINS  THE  FIRST  CHAPTERS  OF  GENESIS.  2-i9 


mere  pleasure  of  knowledge  for  selfish  purposes  and  for  selfish  con- 
siderations, together  Avith  tlie  fallacious  and  sinful  persuasion  that 
life,  goodness,  knowledge,  and  pleasure  are  self-derived ;  of  the  fruit 
of  which  man  is  solemnly  warned  "  not  to  eat,  lest  he  die.""'  Thus  a 
tendency  towards  God  and  goodness,  and  a  contrary  tendency  towards 
self  and  self-dependence,  are  denoted  by  these  two  remarkable  trees. 
By  the  serpent  tempting  and  seducing  the  woman,  is  signified  the 
sensual  nature  and  principle  of  the  mind,  which  is  ever  prompting 
man  to  throw  oflT  all  allegiance  to  God,  all  reverence  for  his  Word, 
all  reliance  on  the  Divine  Providence,  and  to  depend  upon  his  own 
miserable  prudence  and  self-will,  thus  to  regard  himself  as  the  source 
of  his  life  and  the  fountain  of  all  that  is  worth  calling  good.  AVhen 
thus  the  sanctity  of  goodness  and  truth  was  voluntarily  profaned, 
man  lost  his  innocence,  integrity,  and  tranquillity,  and  was  self-ex- 
pelled from  Eden  ;  and  instead  of  the  glorious  trees  of  paradise,  his 
mind  produced  nothing  but  "  thorns  and  thistles,"  and  with  a  wrath- 
ful spirit,  he  became  a  tiller  of  the  ground.  Hence  originated  all 
evil ;  and  it  is  still  the  same  serpentine  principle  that  lurks  in  every 
bosom,  and  tempts  man  to  every  act  of  disobedience  against  the  divine 
commandments, — to  substitute  fallacious  appearances  for  realities, 
and,  given  up  to  their  uncleanness,  through  the  lusts  of  their  own 
hearts,  to  "  change  the  truth  of  God  into  a  lie  "  (Rom.  i.  25).  Where- 


of the  Pharisees,  adds, '  Every  plant  which 
my  Fatlier  hath  not  planted,  shall  be  rooted 
up,'  i.e., '  Every  doctrine  which  Is  not  of  di- 
vine institution  shall  be  eradicated.'  When, 
therefore,  we  read  that  the  first  man  was 
placed  in  a  fruitful  garden,  we  must  infer 
that  his  mind,  too,  had  its  paradise  suited  to 
its  capacities,  and  abounding  with  its  vari- 
ous objects  of  knowledge."— /) /sc.  on  Original 
Sin. 

The  tree  is  neither  called  an  apple-tree, 
nor  by  the  name  of  any  other  natural  fruit 
tree,  but  "  tlie  tree  nf  the  knowledge  of  good  and 
evil;"  bearing,  therefore,  mental  or  spiritual 
fruit. 

"  The  fruit  of  a  material  tree  could  not.  by 
any  virtue  inherent  in  it,  convey  'the  knowl- 
edge of  good  and  evil'  or  cause  that,  by  eating 
it.  a  man  should  '  live  for  ever.'  " — Bp.  Home's 
Sermons,  p.  24. 

'•'Tis  but  one  and  the  same  soul  in  man 
entertaining  a  dialogue  with  herself,  that  is 
set  out  [in  Gen.  ii.l  by  these  parts:  the  ser- 
pent, Adam,  and  the  woman." — Man's  Cab. 
Def,  p.  228. 

"  .\n  idea  of  lost  integrity  seems  to  have 
pervaded  the  whole  Pagan  world,  and  to 


have  mingled  itself  with  the  religious  belief 
of  all  nations."  "  The  ancient  Celtic  Druids 
believed  in  the  defection  of  the  human  soul 
from  a  state  of  rectitude ;"  and  it  is  asserted 
to  be  the  invariable  belief  of  the  Brahmins, 
that  man  is  a  fallen  creature.  The  argu- 
ments in  both  these  cases  are  principally  de- 
rived from  the  severe  penitential  discipline 
to  which  tliey  submitted,  with  a  view  of  ulti- 
mately regaining  their  lost  perfection.  The 
Hindoos  have  an  entire  Purana  on  this  very 
subject. — See  Bridge's  Test,  of  Prof.  Antlq.,  p. 
144  ;  Faber's  Hor.  Mos.,  vol.  i.,  pp.  G5-71 ;  and 
Home's  Introd.  to  tlie  Crit.  Stud)/  of  the  S.  S..  8th 
ed.,  vol.  1.,  pp.  145, 14G,  where  authorities  are 
cited. 

'«  Heb.,  "Dying  thou  shalt  die." 

M.  Diderot,  one  of  the  class  uf  unbelievers, 
taking  the  gross,  literal  interpretation  for 
granted  as  being  the  true  one,  ridicules  the 
whole  hi.story  thus:  "The  God  of  the  Chris- 
tians, for  an  apple,  punished  all  the  human 
race,  and  killed  his  own  Son.  This  only 
proves  that  God  is  a  Father  who  makes  a 
great  deal  to  do  about  his  apples,  and  cares 
very  little  about  his  childrcu." — Thoughts  on 
Religion,  p.  9. 


250 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES 


fore  the  apostle  wrote  to  the  Corinthians,  "  I  am  jealous  over  you  with 
godly  jealousy :  I  fear,  lest  by  any  means,  as  the  serpent  beguiled  Eve 
through  his  subtilty,  so  your  minds  should  be  corrupted  from  the 
simplicity  that  is  in  Christ "  (2  Cor.  xi.  3). 

That  the  serpent,  in  all  its  varieties,  is  a  true  type  of  the  sensual 
principle  of  the  human  mind,  under  its  various  phases,  might  be 
proved  from  the  most  abundant  evidence."*    Distinguished  for  its 


144  '■  The  slyest  and  subtilest  of  all  the  ani- 
mal figurations,  the  serpent,  is  the  inordinate 
desire  of  pleasure.'' — Dr.  H.  More's  Moral  Cab., 
p.  70. 

Philo,  who  explained  the  allegories  of  the 
Mosaic  law  agreeably  to  the  ancient  belief 
of  the  Hebrews,  in  a  treatise  on  the  forma- 
tion of  the  world  according  to  the  account 
of  Moses,  says,  "These  are  not  fabulous  tales, 
such  as  the  poets  make  use  of,  but  tliey  are 
figurative  descriptions,  leading  us  to  allegor- 
ical and  recondite  senses,  to  which,  if  any 
one  rationally  attends,  he  will  see  that  the 
serpent  is  used  for  the  emblem  of  sensual 
pleasure;  he  lays  his  whole  stress  upon  his 
belly, — he  carries  poison  in  his  tongue  .... 
which  qualities  are  purely  descriptive  of  the 
sensual  [or  voluptuous]  man." — De  Opific. 
Mundi,  Secund  ilinjs.  Op.  (T.  1.,  p.  38;  cd.  Loud.) 
The  learned  Rabbi  Maimonides,  in  his  Mor. 
Nov.,  says  that  "  The  serpent  has  relation  to 
the  mind  of  man;  and  that  in  the  account 
that  is  given  of  the  creation,  tlie  ancient  Kab- 
bies,  from  the  time  of  Moses,  held  that  these 
things,  reduced  to  an  historical  form  in  the 
first  chapters  of  Genesis,  were  not  to  be  lit- 
erally understood ;  but  that  this  was  the 
method  by  which,  in  ancient  times,  they  in- 
structed the  people"  (cli.  xxix.,  pp.  26.'>,  272). 
Clemens  Alexandrinus,  who  lived  in  the  sec- 
ond century,  was  of  the  same  opinion. 

"  The  allegorical  meaning  of  the  first  chap- 
ters of  Genesis  is  also  fully  illustrated  by  .St. 
Paul  (2  Cor.  xi.  3).  '  I  fear,  lest  as  the  serpent 
beguiled  Eve,  through  his  subtilty,  so  your 
minds  should  be  oorrujjted  from  the  sim- 
plicity that  is  in  Christ.'  Thus  does  Paul  give 
the  true  meaning  of  the  allegory  ;  signifying, 
in  plain  language,  that  the  first  people  were 
beguiled,  or  seduced  from  their  native  sim- 
plicity, not  by  a  beast,  called  a  serpent,  but 
by  giving  way  to  their  sensual  passions.  For 
as  this  was  the  case  with  the  Corinthians,  the 
apostle's  comparison  would  not  have  been  at 
all  applicable,  unless  he  had  understood  the 
serpent  to  lie  the  symbol  of  the  sensual  prinri- 
pie  of  man,  as  the  most  ancient  Jews  did  be- 
fore him." — Bellamy  on  Genesis,  p.  !.">. 

"  In  the  above  passage  Paul  seems  to  un- 
fold tlie  true  meaning  and  hidden  sense  of 


the  Mosaic  parable  .  .  .  and,  in  applying  it 
to  the  case  of  the  Corinthians,  the  apostle's 
simile  would  not  be  pertinent,  unless  we  take 
the  serpent,  as  many  of  the  learned  have 
done,  to  be  the  symbol  of  lust  and  sensual 
pleasure."— Dr.  C.  Middlelon's  Essays,  etc. 

"In  the  mythology  of  most  ancient  nations 
there  are  traces  which  attest  that  the  idea  of 
the  serpent,  as  the  evil  principle,  prevailed 
from  the  most  remote  antiquity.  The  serpent 
is  represented  as  the  cause  of  the  first  trans- 
gression, and  fall  of  man ;  and  Arimanes, 
assuming  the  form  of  a  serpent,  seeks  in  vain 
to  overcome  his  antagonist,  Orosmandes,  who 
represents  the  good  principle  of  the  ancient 
Persians.  It  is  believed  that  the  ancient 
Greeks  made  choice  of  the  allegory  of  the 
great  serpent  killed  by  the  arrows  of  Apollo, 
to  represent  the  pestilential  vapors  ema- 
nating from  the  marshy  slime  which  covered 
the  earth  after  the  deluge,  or  after  ainntal 
inundations,  and  which  could  only  be  dissi- 
ivited  by  the  rays  of  the  sun ;  afterwards,  this 
Python  became  the  attribute  of  .-Vpollo  and 
his  priestes.ses  at  Delphi,  and  it  subsequently 
served  for  the  emblem  of  Foretelling  and  Div- 
ination. Analogous  circumstances  probably 
gave  rise  to  the  fable  of  the  Lern?ean  hydra, 
exterminated  by  the  labors  of  Hercules  and 
his  cinnpanion  lolas.  Among  the  ancient 
Egyptians,  the  serpent  was  the  symbol  of 
fertility.  They  represented  under  the  form 
of  a  serpent,  enclo.Ked  by  a  circle,  or  en- 
twined mund  a  globe,  the  Cneph  of  their 
cosmogcmy,  who  is  the  sjime  as  Amnion,  or 
the  Agatliodcmon,  the  spirit  or  soul  of  crea- 
tion—the principle  of  all  that  lives,  who  gov- 
erns and  enlightens  the  world.  The  priests 
of  that  people  kept  in  the  temples  living  ser- 
pents ;  and  when  dead,  interred  them  in 
those  sanctuaries  of  superstition.  As  an  em- 
blem of  prudence  and  circumspection,  the 
serpent  was  a  constant  attribute  of  yE.scula- 
pius,  and  the  same  veneration  was  paid  to 
those  reptiles  as  to  the  father  or  the  god  of 
medicine  and  magic.  The  Ophites  were 
Christian  sectaries,  who,  towanis  the  second 
century  of  our  era,  established  a  worship 
which  wius  particularly  distinguished  from 
thatofthe  Gnostics  in  this,— that  they  adored 


EXPLAINS  THE  FIRST  CHAPTERS  OF  GENESIS.  251 

subtlety  and  watchfulness,  its  incapability  of  locomotion,  except  by 
writhing  upon  its  belly,  its  peculiar  power  of  fascination  by  which  it 


a  living  serpent;  conforming  themselves  to  ! 
the  ancient  traditions  of  their  race,  they 
regarded  that  animal  as  the  image  of  wis- 
dom, and  of  the  sensual  emotions  which  it 
awakens.  The  monuments  of  the  Mexicans, 
of  the  Japanese,  and  of  many  other  nations 
who  owe  the  foundation  of  their  civilizatioii 
to  the  ancient  inhabitants  of  Asia,  attest  that 
the  serpent  played  also  a  part,  more  or  less 
important,  in  their  religious  mysteries;  but 
time,  and  tlie  relations  which  exist  between 
tliose  nations  and  Europeans,  have  partly 
abolished  these  usages ;  and  at  this  day  it  is 
only  among  negro  tribes,  and  on  the  west 
coast  of  Africa,  that  the  serpent  figures  among 
divinities  of  the  first  rank." — Schlegel's  Essay 
on  the  PIn/sioynomy  of  Serpents,  cited  j.V.  C.  Ad- 
vocate, vol.  li.,  p.  175. 

"  The  whole  of  the  conversation  between 
Eve  and  the  Nachash  may  be  allegorical, — 
a  hieroglypliical  description  of  that  which 
took  place  [in  the  mindj.  There  Ls  nothing 
new  in  this  mode  of  Interpretation;  it  has 
been  adopted  by  several  learned  commen- 
tators.— (See  Abarbaiiel;  Pol.  Synop.  Cintic.) 
Such  an  interpretation  of  the  passage  is  in 
unison  with  the  apostle's  allusion  to  Eve's 
transgression  :  '  I  fear  lest  by  any  means  as 
the  serpent  [is  represented  to  have]  beguiled 
Eve  through  his  subtilty,  so  your  minds 
should  be  corrupted  from  the  simplicity 
that  is  in  Christ ' "  (2  Cor.  xl.  3). — Dr.  La)nb's 
Heb.  Hiero.,  pp.  W\  106. 

"  This  [spiritual]  mode  of  interpretation," 
says  the  learned  Dr.  C.  Middleton,  "is  em- 
braced by  several  of  the  ancients,  particu- 
larly St.  Augustine,  who  tells  us  that  the 
same  thing  is  acted  over  again  in  every  one 
of  us  as  often  as  we  fall  into  sin,  that  was 
represented  by  the  serpent,  the  woman,  and 
the  man ;  for  there  is  first,  says  he,  a  sug- 
gestion or  insinuation,  either  by  a  thought, 
or  the  senses  of  the  body,  by  which  if  our  in- 
clination is  not  prevailed  with  to  sin,  then 
is  the  subtilty  of  the  serpent  baffled  and  van- 
quished ;  but  if  it  is  prevailed  with,  then  we 
yield,  as  it  were,  to  the  persuasions  of  the 
woman ;  and  when  our  reason  has  thus  con- 
sented to  execute  what  our  lust  had  moved, 
then  is  man  effectually  driven  out  and  ex- 
pelled from  all  possessions  of  happiness  as 
from  Paradise." — Dr.  Gene's  Cont.  Munich.,  I. 
ii..  c.  12;  Jb.,  c.  3. — Letter  to  Waterland. 

"This  kind  of  symbolical  representation 
of  the  serpent,"  says  Bellamy,  "  did  not  con- 
sist in  the  unmeaning  worship  of  the  image, 
but  wa-s  introduced  to  represent  the  sensual 
passions  and  aU'ecUons,  also  the  principle  of 


circumspection,  or  prudence  of  the  sensual 
principle  in  man;  for  which  qualities,  the 
serpent  was  then,  and  is  now,  allowed,  by 
the  best  writers  on  those  subjects,  to  be  more 
famous  than  any  other  animal "  (Lev.  xxx. 
31 ;  note,  p.  333). 

"  The  serpent  with  the  power  of  speech  is 
the  impulse  of  desire." — Teller. 

"  In  a  Tamul  verse,  tlie  serpent  is  called  a 
'  creature  of  deep  searchings  and  great  mys- 
tery.' Thus  it  is  a  proverb  among  the  Hin- 
doos of  this  day,  when  a  man  acts  with  such 
cunning  as  to  elude  the  observation  of  others, 
'Pambu  pambin  kal  areyum,'  that  is,  '  the  ser- 
pent knows  its  own  feet ; '  meaning  no  other 
is  acquainted  with  its  ways.  A  wicked  man 
is  called  'the  seed  of  the  serpent,'  and  he 
who  is  rapid  in  the  accomplishment  of  his 
vile  purposes,  is  called  'the  serpent-eyed  one.' " 
—Robert's  Oriental  Illustrations,  2d  ed..  p.  8. 

In  some  of  its  numerous  forms  the  ser- 
pent was  associated  by  the  Egyptians,  I'hoe- 
nicians,  etc.,  with  all  their  rituals  of  re- 
ligion ;  and  in  ages  of  darkness  and  corrup- 
tion, serpent  worship  prevailed  over  nearly 
the  whole  world,  and  was  introduced  into 
all  the  ancient  mysteries.  It  is  also  worthy 
of  remark,  that  the  leading  ideas  of  that  di- 
rect prophecy  of  the  Lord's  advent,  as  the 
bruiser  of  the  serpent's  head,  are  to  be  found 
among  the  traditions  of  both  oriental  and 
occidental  nations,  the  Indians,  the  Greeks, 
and  tlie  Goths  of  Scandinavia.  In  India, 
sculptured  figures  are  found  in  the  temples, 
which  represent  the  incarnation  of  one  of 
tlieir  personifications  of  the  triad  of  deity. 
Kreeshna  is  depicted  with  one  foot  on  a  ser- 
pent's head.  Anotlier  figure  is  encompassed 
with  the  folds  of  that  reptile,  which  is  in  the 
act  of  biting  his  heel. — (.See  Maurice's  Hist,  of 
Hind.,  plates,  vol.  2,  p.  290.)  In  the  same  my- 
thology, an  emblematic  compound  of  a  man 
and  an  eagle,  is  represented  as  placed  at  the 
portals  of  a  garden,  to  prevent  the  intrusion 
of  serpents.  He  is  said  to  have  destroyed 
them  all  e-xcept  one.  wliich  he  slung  round 
his  neck  as  a  trophy.— (See  Moor's  Hind. 
Panth.,  p.  336.)  The  Scandinavian  Thor  is 
said  to  have  bruised  the  head  of  the  great 
serpent,  and  it  is  predicted  that  he  shall,  in 
another  encounter  with  the  monster,  over- 
come and  .slay  him. — (£ddu.  fab.  32.)  The  true 
correspondence  of  the  serpent  in  Paradise, 
once  well  understood,  was  intermingled  with 
tlie  numerous  legends  of  the  Greeks.  Thus, 
the  garden  of  Hesperides,  with  its  tree  bear- 
ing golden  fruit,  was  said  to  be  guarded  by  a 
serpent.  Hercules  slew  this  serpent  and  bore 


252 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES 


seeks  its  prey,  its  poison-fang,  and  its  voracious  appetite,  no  other 
animal  is  so  complete  a  representative  of  the  sensual  principle  of 
man's  mind  and  life.  "  A  wicked  and  adulterous  generation  "  the 
Lord  calls  "a  generation  of  vipers"  (]\Iatt.  iii.  7;  xii.  34) ;  and  they 
are  also  described  in  Deuteronomy,  where  it  is  said,  "  Their  wine  is 
the  wine  of  dragons,  and  the  cruel  venom  of  asps"  (xxxiii.  33).  This 
principle,  like  the  serpent  in  a  bad  sense,  is  distinguished  for  its  wily 
prudence,  its  fascinating  influence,  and  its  deadly  venom ;  in  its  sen- 
suous reasonings  it  always  cleaves  to  the  ground,  and  is  ravenous 
after  all  kinds  of  carnal  pleasure.  And  when  man  listens  to  the  ser- 
pent's voice,  he  eats  of  the  forbidden  fruit,  and  forfeits  his  purity  and 
peace. 

From  this  interpretation  of  the  serpent,  we  may  see  the  reason  why 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, — the  Messiah, — Ln  the  earliest  prophecy  of  the 
Word  respecting  Him,  is  represented  under  the  figure  of  "  the  seed 
of  the  woman  "  that  should  "  bruise  the  serpent's  head."  For  He 
came  and  assumed  human  nature  with  all  its  hereditary  infirmities, 
being  born  of  a  woman,  that  He  might  subdue  the  sensual  principle, 
and  thus  destroying  in  his  Humanity  what  the  apostle  calls  "the 
works  of  the  devil,  that  He  might  give  authority  to  all  that  believe 


away  the  precious  fruit  in  triumph,  and  is 
therefore  represented  in  the  constellation  as 
trara])ling  on  the  serpent's  head. 

'•  We  liave  tlie  assurance  of  Bishop  Horslcy, 
that  the  Church  of  England  does  not  demand 
the  literal  understanding  of  the  document 
contJiined  in  the  second  (from  verse  Hiand 
third  chapters  of  Genesis  as  a  point  of  faitli, 
or  regard  a  diflerentinterpretiJtion  as  affect- 
ing the  orthodoxy  of  tlie  interpreter;"  "and 
indeed  no  unprejudiced  man  can  pretend  to 
doubt,  that  if,  in  any  other  work  of  Eastern 
origin,  he  met  witli  trees  of  life  and  knowl- 
edge, talking  and  conversable  snakes,  he 
would  want  no  other  proofs  that  it  was  an 
allegory  he  was  reading,  and  intended  to  lie 
understood  as  such." — Coleridge's  Aids  to  Re- 
fteclion.  p.  i'lO. 

"  The  legitimate  or  illegitimate  alternative 
of  human  activity,  rei>resented  in  the  first 
pages  of  tlie  Bible  by  tlie  tree  of  the  knowledge 
[or  distinction]  of  good  and  cviUQm.  ii.  17), 
is  expressed  in  a  general  manner  in  these 
words  of  .lesus;  'A  good  man,  out  of  the  good 
treasure  of  hit  lieart,  bringeth  forlli  good  things: 
and  an  evil  man,  out  of  the  evil  treasure,  bring- 
eth forth  evil  things'  (Matt.  xii.  :V> ;  Luke  vi.  to). 
On  the  allegory  of  the  forbidden  fruit,  see 
Book  11,  ell.  XX.,  note  7 ;  p.  60,  note  -IS."  The 


I  note  referred  to  is  as  follows :  "  The  fall,  re- 
'  lated  in  Gen.  iii.  1-6,  brings  into  action,  un- 
1  der  the  veil  of  an  allegory,  the  three  funda- 
!  mental  passions,  the  sources  of  all  sin,— the 
piussion  of  independence,  the  desire  to  act 
[  without  control,—'  Yea,  hath  God  said,  ye  shall 
not  eat  of  every  tree  of  the  garden?'— the  passion 
of  pride,  the  desire  of  becoming  greater,—'  Ye 
shall  be  as  gods,  knowing  good  and  cvii,' — and 
tlie  passion  of  sensuality,  tlie  '  fleshly  lusts 
tliat  war  against  the  soul , — '  The  tree  appeared 
'  good  for  food,  and  pleasant  to  tlw  eyes.'  He  who 
!  does  not  recognize  moral  evil  in  this  picture, 
is  l)ut  ill  acquainted  with  the  world  and 
!  with  his  own  heart.  It  ts  no  longkr  doiibt- 
KD  that  this  narrative  is  alle.gorical ;  and  we 
go  still  further,  it  was  fitting  that  it  should 
be  so  ;  an  exact  analysis  of  the  passions  was 
impossible  in  the  new-born  experience  of  the 
first  ages.  ...  In  order  to  relate  the  origin  of 
cril,  it  was  necessary  to  present  tlio  fact  in  an 
emblematic  picture." — Christianity :  itsperfect 
aiiaplaiion  to  the  Mental,  Moral,  and  Spiritual 
Xalurc  of  Man,  by  A.  Coiiuerel,  translated  by 
the  Kev.  I).  Davidson,  M.  A.,  witli  a  I'reface 
written  expressly  for  the  English  edition  by 
the  author.   This  work  has  been  received  ia 
England  with  signal  approbation. 


EXPLAINS  THE  FIRST  CHAPTERS  OF  GENESIS.  253 


on  Him  to  do  likewise  "  (1  John  iii.  8).  The  same  was  signified  by 
the  serpent  of  brass which  Moses,  by  divine  direction,  set  upon  a 
pole,  that  the  people,  when  grievously  bitten  by  the  poisonous  fiery 
serpents  of  the  wilderness,  might  look  thereunto  and  be  healed  (Num. 
xxi.  8,  9).  In  a  good  sense,  by  brass,  or,  as  it  should  be  ren- 
dered, copper,  is  signified  natural  goodness,  flowing  from  the  rational 
discernment  of  the  truth ;  as  by  gold  is  signified  goodness  of  a  celes- 
tial quality,  flowing  from  the  inmost  perceptions  of  love  and  faith. 
Hence,  in  describing  a  highly  advanced  state  of  the  human  mind  and 
the  church,  the  prophet  says,  "  For  brass  I  will  bring  gold  "  ( Isa.  Ix. 
17).  It  was  from  this  signification  of  brass,  that  it  was  required  to 
be  presented  to  the  Lord  in  the  free-will  oflerings  for  the  tabernacle, 
and  that  the  altar  of  burnt-oflTering  was  made  of  this  metal  (Ex.  xxv. 
3 ;  xxxix.  39).  The  serpent  of  brass,  therefore,  pointed  out  that  sin 
of  the  Israelites  which  was  the  immediate  cause  of  their  distress,  and 
directed  their  attention  to  the  only  certain  means  of  restoration. 
They  had  loathed  the  bread  of  heaven,  and  desired  the  means  of  in- 
dulging their  gross  sensual  appetites.  This  sensualism  was  repre- 
sented by  the  venomous  serpents  Avhich  bit  them.  But  Moses  made 
a  serpent  of  brass,  and  elevated  it  on  a  pole.  The  Holy  Word,  as 
the  great  prophet  of  God,  instructs  us  that  we  can  only  escape  the 
deadly  fangs  of  sensuality  by  subjugating  the  natural  mind,  becoming 
circumspect  in  all  our  conduct,  and  receiving  from  the  Lord  new  ex- 
ternal as  well  as  internal  principles  of  goodness,  which  will  sanctify 
our  lowest  desires,  and  exalt  them  into  connection  with  Himself.  The 
Lord,  in  this  respect,  is  our  Divine  exemplar.  He  bruised,  in  his 
Human  Nature,  the  serpent's  head.  By  his  inherent  omnipotence  He 
subdued  all  things  to  Himself.  He  glorified  his  Humanity,  and  united 
it  forever  to  Himself ;  thus  He  became  the  very  divine  good  even  to 
the  last  and  lowest  principles  of  rational  and  sensual  life.  He  alone 
is  omnipresent,  infinitely  circumspect,  and  provident  over  all,  so  that 
to  Him,  under  the  deadly  plague  of  sin,  are  we  to  look  for  deliverance 
with  faithfnl  and  obedient  hearts ;  that,  like  as  He  conquered  the 
serpent  and  glorified  his  Humanity,  so  we  may  experience,  through 
the  influence  of  his  Spirit,  a  full  renewal  of  our  carnal  minds,  that 


"5  Speaking  of  brass,  Harris  says  that  it 
"is  a  mixetl  metal,  for  the  making  of  which 
we  are  indebted  to  the  German  metallurgists 
of  the  thirteenth  century.  That  the  ancients 
knew  not  the  art  of  making  it  is  almost  cer- 
tain. None  of  their  writings  even  hint  at  the 
22 


process.  There  can  be  no  doubt  that  copper 
is  the  original  metal  intended  by  the  He- 
brew word  translated  brass,  and  which  lit- 
erally means,  to  scrutinize."— i\'a<.  Hist,  of  the 
Bible,  Eng.  ed..  p.  55. 


254 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


they  may  no  longer  be  at  enmity  with  Him.  He  therefore  says,  "  As 
Moses  lifted  up  the  serpent  in  the  wilderness,  even  so  must  the  Son 
of  Man  be  lifted  up,  that  whosoever  believeth  in  Him  should  not 
perish,  but  have  eternal  life  "  (John  iii.  14,  15). 

When,  however,  the  true  signification  was  lost,  the  Israelites,  prone 
to  adopt  the  idolatry  of  the  nations  around  them,  worshipped  the 
serpent  of  brass  as  a  god,  and  burnt  iiicense  to  it,  and  its  meaning 
then  became  reversed ;  wherefore,  Hezekiah,  the  good  king  of  Israel, 
broke  it  in  pieces  (2  Kings  xviii.  4).  To  instruct  us  that,  if  we  per- 
vert these  holy  truths  by  inwardly  cherishing  sensual  affections,  and 
substitute  for  real  goodness  the  specious  appearance  of  an  empty 
morality,  we  shall  be  tempted  to  look  to  it  in  the  dangerous  spirit  of 
vainglory,  and  even  to  rely  upon  it  for  acceptance  with  God.  Under 
this  superstitious  pretext  of  holiness  we  shall  become  worshippers  of 
ourselves,  and  make  our  lusts  our  lawgiver.  In  this  sad  state,  like 
the  wise  and  good  king  of  Israel,  we  must  break  our  idol  in  pieces, 
whatsoever  false  semblance  it  may  assume.  We  must  renounce  the 
infatuated  delusions  of  self-righteousness,  to  which  such  worship  gives 
birth ;  and  in  the  spirit  of  true  repentance  and  humility  we  must 
conform,  from  inward  motives  as  well  as  in  outward  life,  to  the  in- 
structions of  true  wisdom.  For  outward  conformity  to  truth,  without 
inward  goodness,  is  corrupt,  empty  "  as  the  sounding  brass ;  "  and,  in- 
stead of  being  available  to  promote  our  advancement  in  the  regener- 
ate life,  will  only  bring  us  iuto  states  of  eternal  condemnation.'" 


i<«  "  In  the  account  of  man's  fall,  it  will  be 
observed  that  there  is  no  mention  of  the  in- 
terference of  an  evil  spirit.  And  in  the  whole 
course  of  the  sacred  history  there  is  not  one 
text  from  which  we  can  rightly  infer  that 
there  is  an  order  of  beings,  such  as  are  gen- 
erally represented  by  the  fallen  angels,  or 
that  sin  existed  before  Eve's  transgression. 
.  .  .  How  incredible  it  is,  that  an  order  of 
angels,  who  enjoyed  much  nearer  commun- 
ion with  God  [than  man],  and  far  excelled 
him  in  every  intellectual  faculty,  should  be 
the  authors  of  sin.  .  .  .  The  two  passages  (2 
Pet.  ii.  4-fi.  and  Jude  5-7),  which  may  be 
thought  by  some  to  establish  the  received 
opinions,  evidently  allude  to  the  same  event, 
'  the  great  apostasy  of  Cain.'  .  .  .  And  no  ar- 
gument can  be  drawn  from  these  passages, 
unsupported  by  collateral  evidence,  in  favor 
of  the  generally  received  opinions.  There 
is  a  perfect  silence  in  Scripture  respecting 
any  fallen  angels,  or  the  exist<nice  of  sin 
prior  to  Adam's  transgres.sion ;  our  I/>rd  in 
liis  discourses  never  uses  an  expression 
which  implies  such  a  notion ;  nor  is  men- 
tion made  [by  Him]  of  any  separate  class  of 


beings  like  the  fallen  nngels.  .  .  .  By  the 
devil  and  his  angels  (Matt.  xxv. 41)  is  meant 
the  whole  body  of  w-ioked  souls.  .  .  .  This 
question  may  be  asked :  If  such  be  the  case, 
how  came  the  opinion  so  general  respecting 
fallen  angels,  and  whence  was  it  derived? 
There  can  be  no  doubt  respecting  the  source 
whence  it  was  obtjiined.  The  first  notion  of 
the  exi.«tcnce  of  a  fallen  angel  is  found  in  the 
Zcndavesta.  The  Ahriman  of  Zoroaster  is 
the  original  model  of  Satan.  The  later  Jews 
became  converssmt  with  the  Persian  mythol- 
ogy, and  introduced  this,  with  various  other 
notions,  into  their  writings;  and  it  seems  to 
have  been  adopted  by  the  early  Christians 
without  any  inquiry  into  the  Scriptural  au- 
thority upon  which  it  rested.  Our  immortal 
countryman.  Milton,  by  clothing  this  fiction 
of  the  Persian  niythologj'  in  all  the  beauty 
and  attraction  of  poetry, has  so  recommended 
it  to  our  imagination,  that  we  almost  receive 
it  as  of  divine  authority;  and  we  feel  a  re- 
luctance to  be  convinced  that  all  his  splen- 
did fabric  is  based  on  falsehood." — Dr. 
Lamb's  Ueb.  Hierog.,  p.  112  d  teg. 


CHAPTEE  XYIII. 


History  of  the  Flood,  the  Ark,  and  of  Noah  and  his  Posterity, 
AN  Allegory;  or,  rather,  a  Spiritual  History  clothed  in  the 
Divine  Language  of  Correspondences. 

THE  references  made  to  Noah  and  the  flood  in  the  Bible  are  very 
few,  viz. :  Isa.  liv.  9  ;  Ezek.  xiv.  20 ;  Matt.  xxiv.  38  ;  Luke  xvii. 
27  ;  1  Pet.  iii.  20 ;  2  Pet.  ii.  5  ;  iii.  6  ;  Heb.  xi.  7.  They  give  no  in- 
dication whatever,  when  properly  translated  and  rightly  understood, 
of  having  respect  to  any  physical  event. 

The  history  of  a  universal  flood  as  recorded  in  the  sixth,  seventh, 
and  eighth  chapters  of  the  book  of  Genesis,  is  not  an  inspired  account 
of  a  flood  of  literal  waters  sweeping  over  the  whole  earth,  but  of  a 
devastating  inundation  of  false  persuasions  and  evil  lusts,  superin- 
duced by  licentious  conduct  and  carnal  security,  over  the  whole  church 
collectively  and  the  mind  individually,  which,  sweeping  away  all  the 
landmarks  of  goodness  and  truth,  accomplished  a  judgment  upon  a 
perverted  generation.  "  The  flood  came  and  took  them  all  away " 
(Matt.  xxiv.  39),  and  thus  inaugurated  a  new  epoch  in  human  his- 
tory. A  new  dispensation  or  religion  was  mercifully  established,  sig- 
nified by  the  ark  in  which  righteous  Noah,  his  family,  and  all  kinds 
of  living  creatures  were  preserved  from  destruction.  Hence  the 
apostle  Peter  Avrites  concerning  the  ark,  and  speaks  of  it  as  the  means 
of  salvation,  saying,  "  The  like  figure  Avhereunto  even  baptism  doth 
also  now  save  us  (not  the  putting  away  of  the  filth  of  the  flesh,  but 
the  answer  of  a  good  conscience  toward  God),  by  the  resurrection  of 
Jesus  Christ"  (1  Pet.  iii.  21). 

Now,  the  flood  is  represented,  according  to  most  chronologists,  as 
having  taken  place  about  four  thousand  two  hundred  years  ago ;  yet 
there  are  trees  believed  to  have  been  in  existence  at  least  five  thousand 
years,  and  recent  researches  have  brought  Egyptian  monuments  to 
light  considered  to  be  above  six  thousand  years  old.  But,  I  would 
ask,  if  this  history  were  to  be  understood  in  its  merely  literal  sense, 
of  what  real  use  is  it  to  the  immortal  soul  ?    How  does  it  advance 

255 


256 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDEXCES. 


our  progress  in  the  divine  life  ?  How  does  it  prepare  us,  as  all  reve- 
lation professes  to  do,  for  the  kingdom  of  heaven  ?  It  must  refer  to 
a  far  more  terrible  judgment  than  that  which  includes  onlv  the  de- 
struction of  the  bodil_y  life,  even  of  the  mass  of  mankind  then  inhab- 
iting the  earth.  It  describes,  in  natural  and  figurative  language,  a 
flood  which  now  and  in  all  ages  ruins  and  sweeps  away  the  immortal 
soul,  and  teaches  us  that  an  ark  of  eternal  salvation  is  always  pro- 
vided for  the  humble,  penitent,  and  faithful  believer,  in  which  he  may 
be  prepared  for  an  eternal  state  of  blessed  association  with  angels  and 
conjunction  with  the  Lord. 

The  purpose  of  the  ark  is  described  to  have  been  the  preservation 
of  every  living  thing  of  all  flesh  ;  and  for  this  end  he  was  to  take 
into  the  ark,  firstly,  his  own  family,  consisting  of  eight  persons,  to- 
gether with  seven  pairs  of  all  clean  animals,  and  pairs  of  everything 
that  creepeth  upon  the  earth  ;  and,  secondly,  he  was  commanded  to 
take  into  the  ark  "  of  all  food  that  was  eaten  "  a  sufficiency  for  at 
least  a  year  and  ten  days.  Now,  the  ark,  bemg  described  as  three 
hundred  cubits  of  eighteen  inches  long,  fifty  cubits  broad,  and  thirty 
cubits  high,  could  not  have  been  of  larger  capacity  than  the  Great 
Eastern  steamship.  Sir  Isaac  Newton  and  Bishop  Wilkins  make  the 
tonnage  of  the  ark  less  than  that  vessel ;  but  Dr.  Arbuthnot,  by  in- 
creasing the  cubit  to  twenty-two  inches,  makes  the  dimensions  larger. 
But  we  may  judge  how  insufficient  such  a  vessel  would  be  from  the 
feet  which  Dr.  Pye  Smith  admits,  "  that  of  existing  mammalia  (or 
animals  which  suckle  their  young),  more  than  a  thousand  species  are 
known  ;  of  birds,  fully  five  thousand  ;  of  reptiles,  very  few  of  which 
can  live  in  water,  two  thousand  ;  of  insects,  using  the  word  in  the 
popular  sense,  the  number  of  species  is  immense,  to  say  one  hundred 
thousand  would  be  moderate ;  each  has  its  appropriate  habitation  and 
food,  and  these  are  necessary  to  its  life  ;  and  the  larger  number  could 
not  live  in  water.  Also  the  innumerable  millions  upon  millions  of 
animalcules  must  be  provided  for,  for  they  have  all  their  appropriate 
and  diversified  [food],  places,  and  circumstances  of  existence." — 
Relation  between  the  Hohj  Scriptures  and  Geological  Science,  page  135. 

Nor  do  these  numbers  form  the  only  difficulty ;  for,  as  the  ."ame 
writer  observes,  "  All  land  animals  have  their  geographical  regions, 
to  which  their  constitutional  natures  are  congenial,  and  many  could 
not  live  in  any  other  situation.  We  cannot  represent  to  oureelves  the 
idea  of  their  being  brought  into  one  small  spot,  from  the  polar  re- 
gions, the  torrid  zone,  and  all  the  other  climates  of  Africa,  Europe, 


MEANING  OF  TUE  FLOOD,  THE  ARK,  ETC. 


257 


America,  Australia,  and  the  thousands  of  islands,  millions  of  which 
live  only  on  animal  food,  and  the  disposal  of  them,  without  bringing 
up  the  idea  of  miracles  more  stupendous  than  anj'  which  are  recorded 
in  Scripture,  and,  may  we  not  add,  utterly  incredible."  On  the  other 
hand,  the  Doctor  gravely  concludes  that  the  flood  was  only  ])artial, 
and  not,  as  literally  described,  universal,  and  that  the  ark  only  con- 
tained the  animals  of  the  district. 

"  The  language  employed  [however]  in  Gen.  vii.  derives  its  force," 
says  Dr.  W.  T.  Hamilton,  most  truly,  "  as  expressive  of  complete 
universality,  not  merely  or  mainly  from  the  meaning  of  the  several 
individual  terms,  but  from  the  structure  of  the  whole.  The  complete 
covering  of  the  entire  earth's  surface  is  asserted,  and  the  submergence  of 
the  loftiest  mountain  summits,  not  merely  on  the  earth,  or  the  land,  but 
under  the  wlioh  heaven,  is  affirmed.  Further  still,  the  destruction  of 
animal  life,  human  and  brute,  is  declared  to  have  been  complete ;  and 
then,  as  if  to  make  assurance  doubly  sure,  the  saved  are  enumerated, 
Noah  and  those  with  him  in  the  ark,  and  these  are  declared  to  have 
been  the  only  living  creatures  preserved  from  destruction:  'And 
Noah  only  remained  alive,  and  they  that  were  with  him  in  the  ark.' 
This  closing  declaration  applies  to  the  human  race,  and  to  all  crea- 
tures in  which  was  the  breath  of  life,  not  merely  in  any  one  land,  or 
province,  but  under  the  ivhole  heaven." 

"  The  animal  distribution,"  again  writes  Milner,  "  from  one  com- 
mon centre,  the  mountains  of  Ararat,  to  repopulate  the  world,  it  is 
impossible  to  reconcile  with  zoological  facts,  without  supposing  a  series 
of  the  most  astounding  and  useless  miracles,  concerning  which  a  total 
silence  is  preserved  in  the  Scripture  narrative.  We  know  that  the 
kangaroos  and  emus  of  New  Holland,  the  llamas  of  Peru,  the  sloths, 
armadilloes,  and  ant-eaters  of  Paraguay,  to  mention  no  other  in- 
stances, never  could  have  accomplished  the  passage  from  the  places 
of  their  location  to  any  central  part  of  the  old  world  and  back  again, 
from  the  scene  where  the  ark  of  Noah  was  set  afloat,  by  natural 
means.  Neither  can  the  polar  bear,  the  hippopotamus,  the  ostrich, 
and  the  eider  fowl,  the  reindeer  and  the  giraffe,  to  refer  to  no  more 
examples,  exist  together  in  a  state  of  nature  requiring  a  great  diver- 
sity of  climates ;  and  supposing  them  aggregated  by  the  Divine  Power, 
and  sustained  in  a  common  temperature,  the  difficulty  of  conceiving 
a  building  capable  of  accommodating  a  tenth  of  the  single  pau's  of 
all  the  species  is  prodigious.  The  difficulty  increases  when  we  con- 
sider the  vast  number  of  fresh-water  fish  and  reptiles  of  the  rivers  to 
22*  R 


258 


TEE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


be  provided  for  [to  all  of  which,  as  well  as  those  fitted  to  live  in  the 
salt-water,  the  brackish  water  produced  by  the  rain  would  be  fatal]. 
To  supernatural  agency,  indeed,  all  things  are  [supposed  to  be]  pos- 
sible ;  but  when  nothing  is  said  of  its  action  in  the  record  (not  even 
the  slightest  hint  of  a  miracle), — when  the  object  imagined  to  have 
been  effected  by  it  must  have  been,  to  a  great  extent,  useless, — and 
when  the  congregation  of  the  animals  is  represented  as  in  the  main 
the  work  of  Noah  "  [we  may  well  imagine  that  some  other  explana- 
tion of  the  catastrophe  is  required,  and  must  be  foundl. 

The  e\'idence  as  to  the  actual  occurrence  of  the  Koachic  deluge, 
whether  universal  or  partial,  adduced  by  various  learned  writers  and 
commentators,  is  the  ancient  and  wide-spread  traditions  of  floods,  which 
are  said  to  have  taken  place  among  all  nations,  and  from  the  most 
remote  periods ;  including  those  of  the  Grecian  and  Roman  mythol- 
ogy. Dr.  Pye  Smith,  Dr.  Redford,  Harcourt,  and  Kitto  enumerate 
the  Chaldeans,  Phcenicians,  Assyrians,  Medians,  Persians,  Druids, 
Greeks,  Romans,  Africans,  Scythians,  Celtic  tribes,  Goths,  Hindoos, 
Chinese,  Burmese,  Mexicans,  Peruvians,  Araucania  Indians  of  South 
America,  Aztecs,  Miztics,  and  Apotees,  North  Americans,  Tahitians, 
Sandwich  Islanders,  AVestern  Caledonians,  and  the  Crees,  or  Arctic 
Indians ;  and  assert  that  all  preserve  in  their  mythologies  or  histories 
the  principal  facts  recorded  by  Moses.  But  much  that  has  been 
written  by  ancient  historians,  and  interpreted  by  modern  writers  on 
this  subject,  is  fanciful,  uncertain,  and  most  fiallacious.  The  alle- 
gories of  ancient  mythology  have  also  been  greatly  perverted  and 
much  misunderstood.  Hence  have  arisen  the  confused  and  contradic- 
tory opinions  attributed  to  them.  The  source  of  all  heathen  worship, 
and,  we  may  add,  of  all  heathen  mythology,  indeed,  was  the  corruption 
of  the  truths  of  revealed  religion ;  so  all  the  above  nations  derived 
their  views,  originally,  from  a  more  ancient  Word  than  we  now  pos- 
sess, altogether  written  according  to  the  science  of  Correspondences, 
and  of  which,  in  all  probability  the  first  eleven  chapters  of  Genesis 
formed  a  part.'"  From  a  profound  ignorance  of  this  science,  modern 
writers  have  either  wilfully  overlooked  or  totally  misapprehended  the 
myths  and  analogies  of'  the  ancient  world.  The  description  of  the 
Deluge  in  Genesis  is  altogether  a  divinely-inspired  parable,  a  spiritual 
or  mental  history,  arranged  in  the  form  of  a  narrative,  and  filled  with 


MI  See  the  interesting  aecountB  of  the  Chal-  I  the  British  Museum,  the  oripinals  of  which 
dean  account  of  the  creation  and  dehiptc.  dis-  !  were  presented  to  that  mui^eum. 
covered  and  read  by  Mr.  George  Smitli,  of 


MEANING  OF  THE  FLOOD,  THE  ARK,  ETC. 


259 


holy  instruction  and  heavenly  lessons  of  wisdom.  Over  the  inner 
glory  is  tlirowu  this  oiitward  covering,  which  has  protected  it  from 
fearful  abuse,  and  prevented  awful  profanation.  Many  have  been 
the  absurd  theories  proposed  to  account  for  the  waters  of  the  Deluge. 
Dr.  Burnett  supposed  that  the  surface  of  the  earth  was  smooth  and 
dry ;  that  the  outer  crust  or  shell  cracked  and  broke,  causing  the 
water  to  spread  over  it,  and  elevating  the  mountains  and  hills  from 
the  plain.  Whistar  considered  that  a  comet  was  brought  into  col- 
lision with  the  world,  which  broke  open  the  fountains  of  the  great 
deep,  and  that  the  waters  were  dried  up  by  a  miraculous  wind.  Others 
have  imagined  that  a  comet  both  brought  the  water  with  its  tail  and 
dried  it  up  again  after  the  flood.  Kircher  supposed  that  the  air  was 
converted,  for  the  time,  into  water,  without  reflecting  upon  the  neces- 
sity of  air  to  support  life,  and  that  if  the  whole  atmosphere  were 
compressed  into  water,  it  would  only  stand  thirty-two  feet  above  the 
surface, — not  sufficient  to  cover  a  single  hill  deserving  the  name.  The 
leading  commentators  are  satisfied,  however,  with  the  absurd  assertion 
that  there  was  a  miraculous  creation  of  Avater  sufficient  for  the  pur- 
pose, and  a  dissipation  or  annihilation  of  it  at  the  end  of  the  flood. 
Again,  the  heaviest  fall  of  rain  known  has  been  stated  at  about  seven 
inches  in  forty-eight  hours,  occasioning  most  devastating  floods ;  but 
the  waters  of  the  Deluge  must  have  risen  at  the  incredible  rate  of 
six  hundred  and  fifty  feet  every  twenty-four  hours,  for  forty  days  and 
nights  in  succession.  Indeed,  the  vast  rate  at  which  it  must  have 
fallen  may  be  best  imagined  when  we  consider  that  it  is  calculated  the 
amount  required  to  cover  the  mountains  would  be  forty  times  that  of 
all  the  oceans  on  the  face  of  the  earth.  Such  an  accumulation  of 
water  Avould  present  serious  astronomical  objections.  Both  the  bulk 
and  diameter  of  the  earth  Avould  be  so  increased  as  to  seriously  inter- 
fere with  the  diurnal  and  orbital  motions  of  the  earth,  and  these 
alterations  must  have  had  a  disturbing  influence  upon  the  whole  solar 
system.  Indeed,  Dr.  Pye  Smith  says  that  it  could  not  have  taken 
place  without  its  effects  being  felt  throughout  the  entire  stellar  uni- 
verse. While,  on  the  other  hand,  geologists  affirm,  with  one  consent, 
that  the  surface  of  the  earth  nowhere  exhibits  the  traces  of  a  univer- 
sal flood,  which  they  agree  to  regard  as  a  physical  impossibility. 

Think  of  the  vast  capacity  of  the  ark,  even  though  it  were  only 
that  of  the  Great  Eastern ;  yet  it  had  but  one  small  window  in  the 
upper  story,  aflTording  a  most  imperfect  light,  and  all  the  rest  must 
have  been  involved  for  more  than  a  year  in  entire  darkness.  Glass, 


260 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


even,  is  a  modern  discovery.  True,  some  enlightened  writers  aflSrm 
that  the  ark  was  illuminated  by  the  reflection  of  large  and  most  bril- 
liant gems  or  by  phosphorescent  substances.  Reason  revolts  at  the 
idea.  Again,  the  ark  had  also  but  one  door  on  the  vast  sides.  The 
accumulation  of  refuse  must  have  been  enormous,  and  nothing  is  said 
of  ventilation.  How  could  this  be  literally  understood  ?  We  might 
ask  where,  after  such  a  surging  flood,  was  the  olive  branch  to  be 
found  ?  And  from  whence  did  Noah  obtain  the  vines  he  planted  ? 
Other  difficulties  and  inconsistencies  are  to  be  found  in  the  narrative 
itself.  Noah,  for  instance,  was  commanded  to  admit  pairs  of  animals 
into  the  ark,  and  then  to  take  of  clean  beasts,  of  which  no  mention  is 
elsewhere  made  till  the  laws  of  Moses  were  compiled,  by  sevens. 
Some  explain  the  number  to  mean  seven  pairs,  and  others  seven  ani- 
mals. It  is,  however,  asserted  that  after  Noah  and  his  family  had 
gone  into  the  ark,  the  beasts,  birds,  and  creeping  things  went  in  unto 
Noah  "two  and  two  of  all  flesh,  wherein  is  the  breath  of  life.  And 
they  that  went  in,  went  in  male  and  female  of  all  flesh,  as  God  had 
commanded  him  :  and  the  Lord  shut  him  in." 

That  Noah  was  not  a  real,  but  a  representative  character,  like 
Adam,  Enoch,  Methuselah,  and  others,  seems  plain  from  the  length 
of  time  which  he  is  said  to  have  lived,  nine  hundred  and  fifty  years ; 
and  from  his  name,  which  means  rest,  or  consolation.  The  destruction 
or  end  of  one  church,  which  was  overwhelmed  by  evil  lusts  and  false 
persuasions,  and  the  commencement  of  another  in  which  righteousness 
and  truth  might  dwell,  was  indeed  to  all  a  source  of  divine  comfort. 
That  Noah,  the  ark,  and  the  flood  were  altogether  typical  of  this  great 
regenerating  change,  is  also  evident  from  what  the  apostle  Peter  says 
of  tliem  in  the  third  chapter  of  his  first  Epistle,  second  verse,  as 
"  being  the  like  figure  whereunto  even  baptism  doth  also  now  save  us 
(not  the  putting  away  of  the  filth  of  the  flesh,  but  the  answer  of  a 
good  conscience  toward  God),  by  the  resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ." 
For  what  does  the  sacrament  of  baptism  mean  but  to  present  to  us  a 
sign  of  purification  from  all  sinfulness  by  divine  truth,  and  tluis  sal- 
vation from  "the  floods  of  ungodliness"  and  iniquity?  Hereby  is 
attained  a  state  of  spiritual  rest  from  temptation,  affliction,  and  sor- 
row, and  of  divine  consolation  and  peace,  when  the  ark  rests  safely 
on  the  mountains  of  Ararat, — the  mountains  of  love  and  light,  as  the 
name  imports. 

We  seem  forced,  then,  from  these  and  a  multitude  of  other  consid- 
erations, to  regard  the  entire  narrative  of  the  Deluge  as  a  parable  or 


MEANING  OF  THE  FLOOD.  THE  ARK,  ETC. 


261 


allegory,  and  all  the  traditions  referring  to  it  as  of  the  same  charac- 
ter ;  with  this  exception,  that  the  parable  of  the  Bible  is  divinely 
inspired  in  its  spiritual  sense  and  import,  is  holy  and  true,  and  prac- 
tically good  in  every  particular,  while  the  pagan  traditions  are  but 
human  corruptions  of  the  remains  of  revealed  religion  existing  among 
them.  Noah  and  his  sons  were  adored  as  deities,  and  even  the  ark 
is  said  to  have  been  worshipped  as  a  goddess  under  various  names. 
The  whole  parable,  then,  instead  of  being  a  description  of  a  literal 
flood  of  water,  is  an  inspired  account  of  the  moral  condition  of  the 
human  race  at  that  time,  Mhen  they  had  become  completely  wicked, 
or  had  filled  up  the  measure  of  their  iniquities.  The  judgments  and 
providences  of  God,  temptations,  hei-esies,  profaneness,  and  persecu- 
tion, the  prevalence  of  eri-or,  trouble,  and  even  wars,  disease,  and 
death,  are  all  likened,  both  in  divine  and  ancient  writings,  to  irresist- 
ible and  destructive  floods.  Especially  is  the  end  of  one  church  or 
dispensation  of  religion  and  the  commencement  of  another  repre- 
sented in  divine  language  by  a  flood,  and  called  also  the  end  of  the 
Avorld.  Thus  the  end  of  the  Adamic  dispensation  is  represented  by 
Noah's  flood ;  the  end  of  the  Jewish  dispensation  is  foretold  by  Daniel 
as  a  flood ;  and  the  end  of  the  first  Christian  dispensation  is  pre- 
dicted by  the  Lord  Himself  as  like  Noah's  flood.  The  very  form  of 
the  ark,  in  general  so  like  the  temple  at  Jerusalem,  composed  of  three 
stories,  shows  that  it  was  designed  to  represent  the  mind  of  man,  with 
its  three  degrees ;  and  the  beasts,  birds,  and  creeping  things  denote 
the  affections,  the  thoughts,  and  the  lowest  principles  of  the  life.  By 
a  flood  is  signified  an  inundation  of  evil  and  falsity,  sin  and  folly ; 
and  it  is  in  the  ark  of  salvation,  provided  for  us  in  the  divine  Word, 
that  we  can  alone  find  safety,  as  it  is  narrated  they  of  old  did,  from 
the  overwhelming  torrents.  The  animals  entered  by  pairs  and  by 
sevens,  for  truth  must  always  be  united  to  its  true  partner,  goodness, 
in  order  to  be  fruitful ;  and  the  holy  quality  of  all  regenerate  princi- 
ples is  presented  to  us  in  the  septuple  of  the  clean  animals.  This 
flood  extinguished  the  life  of  God  Avithin  the  soul  of  the  ungodly, 
together  with  all  the  heavenly  principles  of  love  and  charity,  signified 
by  its  overwhelming  all  flesh,  and  covering  the  hills  and  mountains. 

That  the  ark  was,  in  all  its  measurements  and  arrangements,  a 
divine  figure  of  the  human  mind  in  the  process  of  being  regenerated 
or  redeemed  from  the  destructive  elements  of  evil  and  falsity,  thus 
preserved  from  the  powers  of  hell  and  death,  is  not  only  evident  from 
its  general  form,  but  from  all  the  other  particulars  named.  The 


262 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


three  stories,  or  mansions,  or  rooms,  signify  the  three  degrees  of  truth 
in  the  mind  and  all  its  faculties.  The  window  in  the  uppermost  story 
of  the  ark  means  intellectual  light,  received  by  the  church  and  by 
every  man,  from  Above,  or  from  the  Lord.  The  door  in  the  side,  or 
way  of  access  into  the  church,  and  that  which  admits  into  the  mind 
spiritual  life,  signifies  the  outward  doctrine  of  sacred  charity,  to 
which  we  hearken,  and  by  which  we  are  admitted  to  the  protection, 
peace,  and  blessedness  which  are  promised :  thus  internal  and  externl 
instruction.  Hence  all  this  is  said  to  be  done  to  establish  a  covenant 
between  God  and  man. 

Nor  is  it  to  be  passed  over,  as  of  trifling  significance,  that  the  same 
waters  which  destroyed  the  ungodly,  preserved  Noah  and  all  within 
the  ark  from  the  same  destruction.  The  forty  days  denote,  as  they 
always  do  in  the  Word,  all  the  states  of  grievous  temptation  through 
which  every  one  is  led  in  the  regenerate  life.  Hence,  to  signify  simi- 
lar things,  ]\Ioses  was  in  the  mount  forty  days  and  forty  nights ;  the 
children  of  Israel  sojourned  forty  years  in  the  wilderness ;  the  prophet 
Elijah  journeyed  forty  days  and  forty  nights  from  the  wilderness  to 
Horeb,  the  Mount  of  God,  on  the  strength  of  his  miraculous  food ; 
the  prophet  Ezekiel  was  commanded  to  bear,  representatively,  the 
iniquity  of  Judah  forty  days ;  and,  finally,  the  Lord  Jesus  was  led 
into  the  wilderness,  where  for  forty  daj  s  He  bore  grievous  temp- 
tations. 

And  the  ark  is  said  finally  to  have  rested  on  the  mountains  of 
Ararat,  which  implies  an  elevated  state  of  light  and  love.  Various 
states  of  fluctuation  and  change  in  the  regeneration  are  also  signified 
by  sending  forth  first  a  raven  and  then  a  dove  to  see  if  the  waters 
were  abated.  And  complete  regeneration  and  liberty  are  denoted 
by  going  forth  and  building  an  altar  to  sacrifice  to  the  Lord. 

The  literal  sense  is  clearly  untenable,  and  the  narration  could 
never  have  been  intended  to  be  understood  in  any  other  than  a  spirit- 
ual sense.  By  this  interpretaticm,  the  sacred  oracles  arc  preserved  from 
the  cavils  and  ridicule  to  which  they  have  been  subjected ;  science  is 
not  defied,  but  vindicated ;  and  reason  is  not  discarded,  but  honored. 
The  history  is  so  wonderfully'arranged,  as  to  every  particular,  that 
an  examination  of  it  by  the  inquiring  and  reflecting  mind  will  issue 
in  regarding  the  whole  narrative  as  a  holy  and  divinely-inspired  rev- 
elation of  Him  who  knoweth  the  secrets  of  every  heart, — a  symbolic 
mental  history  couched,  for  wisest  reasons,  in  the  language  of  simili- 
tude and  correspondence,  and  thus  most  worthy  of  God  to  give  and 


MEANING  OF  THE  FLOOD,  THE  ARK,  ETC. 


263 


of  man  to  receive.  Every  sentence  of  it,  when  properly  understood, 
is  filled  with  a  heavenly  meaning,  and  every  word  teems  with  light 
and  life. 

So,  also,  the  subsequent  history  of  the  Tower  of  Babel,'**  and  the 
confusion  of  tongues  said  to  have  been  consequent  on  its  unhallowed 
erection,  is  a  series  of  corresponding  images,  arranged  in  the  factitious 
form  of  a  narrative,  to  signify  and  represent  the  further  departure 
of  mankind  from  the  simplicity  of  truth  and  the  true  worship  of 
God.  "The  people  of  the  earth,"  it  is  said,  "journeyed  from  the 
east"  (Gen.  xi.  2),  that  is,  they  departed  from  a  holy  state  of  charity 
and  love,  denoted  by  the  east, — thus  from  the  Lord.  Their  worship 
became  more  profane  and  their  conduct  more  corrupt,  and  they  are 
represented,  therefore,  as  building  for  themselves  habitations  there, 
endeavoring  to  find  rest  and  security  in  the  degraded  plain  or  valley 
of  Shinar.'*'  In  that  loAV  state,  bricks,  or  false  principles  framed  from 
their  impure  imaginations,  originating  in  and  confirmed  by  the  burn- 
ing lusts  of  self-love  and  the  love  of  the  Avorld,  were  substituted  for 
the  stones  of  truth,  and  the  pure  doctrines  thence  derived ;  and  the 
slime,  or  pitch,  or  bitumen  of  unclean  concupiscence  was  supplied  in 
the  place  of  mortar, — the  conjoining  principles  of  aflTection  and  mu- 
tual love  springing  from  goodness.  The  sad  result  was  the  origina- 
tion and  multiplication  of  heresies,  idolatries,  and  countless  false  sen- 
timents in  religion, — the  increase  and  strengthening  of  numberless 
evil  lusts,  and  the  substitution  of  doctrines  of  faith  for  the  life  of 
charity,  thus  originating  all  kinds  of  doubt,  denial,  and  mental  con- 
fusion, ending  in  spiritual  destruction.  Thus  men  brought  upon 
themselves  the  direful  judgment  and  punishment  signified  by  the 
"  fire  and  brimstone  "  rained  upon  them  apparently  from  God  out  of 
heaven,  denoting  a  state  of  self-inflicted  torment,  directly  opposed  to 
the  divine  will  and  wisdom. 

According  to  this  view  of  the  nature  and  character  of  the  "Word, 
we  may  see  how  wicked  men  and  nations,  and  even  apparently  evil 
actions,  were  capable  of  representing  what  is  holy,  good,  and  true. 


Babel  means,  in  English,  "  perplexity," 
"confusion." 

Shinar,  in  English,  means,  "  the  watch- 
ing of  one  sleeping,"  or  "  the  charge  of  the 
city." 

"Contemplation  of  the  divine  essence  is  the 
noblest  exercise  of  man ;  it  is  the  only  means 
of  attaining  to  the  highest  truth  and  virtue, 
and  therein  to  hehold  God  is  the  consumma- 
tion of  our  happiness  here.  The  confusion 


of  tongues  at  the  building  of  the  tower  of  Ba- 
bel should  teach  us  this  lesson.  The  heaven 
those  vain  builders  sought  to  reach,  signifies, 
symbolically,  the  mind,  where  dwell  divine 
powers.  Their  futile  attempt  represents  the 
presumption  of  those  who  place  sense  above 
intelligence,  who  think  that  they  can  storm 
the  intelligible  by  the  sensible." —  Vaughan's 
Hours  with  the  Mystics,  vol.  i.,  p.  73.  Thera- 
peutx. 


264 


THE  SCIEXCE  OF  CORRESPOXDENCES. 


Both  the  unjust  judge  and  the  unfaithful  steward  represented,  in  the 
internal  sense,  the  Lord's  divine  operations  for  man's  welfere,  and 
what  we  are  required  spiritually  to  do,  in  order  to  secure  his  divine 
blessing  and  protection.  The  descendants  of  Israel,  though  as  a  people 
they  were  a  vile,  obstinate,  sensual,  and  rebellious  race  from  the 
beginning,'^  were  yet  made  subservient  to  the  divine  purposes,  in  rep- 
resenting a  true  spiritual  church,  without  being  one  themselves  ;  and 
though  they  "  made  the  AVord  of  God  of  none  effect  by  their  tradi- 
tions "  (Matt.  XV.  6),  yet  they  became  the  depositaries  of  that  Volume 
of  eternal  life,  in  which  the  particulars  of  their  own  history  were 
recorded  for  the  use  of  all  future  ages,  as  the  shadows  of  the  kingdom 
of  God  both  in  heaven  and  on  earth."*  Wicked  kings,  as  Saul  and 
Ahab,  by  virtue  of  their  regal  authority,  and  impious  priests,  as  the 
sons  of  Eli,  by  virtue  of  their  sacerdotal  character,  were,  under  that 
representative  dispensation,  and  in  a  good  sense,  types  of  the  Lord, 
and  are  called  "  the  Lord's  anointed."  Concerning  David,  Israel's 
king,  it  is  thus  written  in  a  prediction  of  the  advent  of  the  Saviour, 
whom  he  represented,  "  David,  my  servant,  shall  be  king  over  them, 
and  they  shall  have  one  Shepherd,  and  they  shall  dwell  in  the  land ; 
even  they  and  their  children,  and  their  children's  children  forever : 
and  my  servant  David  be  their  prince  forever"  (Ezek.  xxxvii. 
24,  25).  And,  again :  "  The  children  of  Israel  shall  return,  and  seek 
the  Lord  their  God,  and  David  their  king  "  (Hos.  iii.  5).  Thus,  in 
a  good  sense,  of  David,  notwithstanding  his  enormous  crimes,  it  is 
written,  not  of  his  personal,  but  of  his  representative  character,  that 
"  he  was  a  man  after  God's  own  heart "  (Acts  xiii.  22) ;  for  in  all  the 
particulars  of  hb  remarkable  history  he  was  the  chosen  representative 
of  the  Lord,  and  his  whole  life  was  representative  of  the  progress  of 
every  regenerating  mind.'"" 


""Ex.  X3xii.9;  Deut. ix.6-13:  2 Kings  xxL  |  Him  of  the  Church,  which  is  his  body,  and 
15:  John  viii.  4-1 :  Aclsvii.ol.  '  through  that  again  of  eadi  individunl  Ohris- 

m  ••  •  We  tind  St.  Paul  (says  Locke)  truly  a  tiau.  as  being  a  member  of  that  b(Kiy  :  and 
minister  of  the  spirit  of  the  laws;  espei-ially  therefore  the  P>alms  generally  are  adopted 
in  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  where  he  by  the  whole  Church  in  her  assemblies,  and 
shows  that  a  spiritual  saiu  runs  throughout  by  separate  believers  in  their  closets,  with 
the  Mosaic  institution  and  writings.'  He  equal  propriety,  as  the  language  of  their  de- 
shows  us  that  the  letter  is  only  as  the  veil  j  voUons;  they  are  an  inspired  Liturgy,  pro- 
which  conccale<i  the  brightness  of  the  face  ,  videti  for  all  ages  and  all  lands.'  —  Trarts  for 
of  Moses:  that  the  history  of  .\braham  aud  |  the  Tinus.  Ixxxix.,  p.  l-'9.  David  means,  in 
histwosons  isanallegory:  aud  that  Melchis-  |  English,  "beloved,  dear." 
edec  represented  thel>ord;  he  shows  us,  iu  ,  "Xothing  hasdone  more  hiirtamongOkri*- 
a  word,  that  'the  whole  difpcnmtion  uas  fo  tiant  than  taking  the  I'salms,  or  hymns  of 
conducted  as  to  be  the  figure  and  tlie  shadow  oj  David,  the  Bdoifd,  literally,  as  if  they  re- 
a  tpiriluni  system.'  "—Dr.  Blair.  lated  only  to  temporary  transactions  or  de- 

1"  David  i>  a  type  of  our  Lord,  and  through  >  liverances  wrought  for  the  Jews."  "None 


MEANING  OF  THE  FLOOD,  THE  ARK,  ETC. 


265 


but  the  reni  David  was  a  man  after  God's 
own  heart." — Bp.  Home' s  Abstract  of  Ilulchin- 
son's  Works,  p.  'Mi. 

"The  book  (of  the  I>salins]  contains  sub- 
jccls  far  more  sublime,  spiritaai,  and  interest- 
ing than  merely  the  liistory  of  David  and 
the  affairs  of  liis  kingdom.  We  cannot  for 
a  moment  suppose  that  the  trials  and  tri- 
umphs, the  joys  and  sorrows,  the  afflictions 
and  victories  of  the  sou  of  Jesse,  are  the 
subjects  which  the  God  of  heaven  has  ap- 
pointed to  promote  devotion  in  all  his  tem- 
ples; or  that  the  opposition  and  persecution 
which  David  met  with  at  the  hands  of  Saul, 
on  !iis  way  to  the  throne:  or  the  sorrows 
which  Absalom  occasioned  afterwards;  or 
the  victories  which  David  obtained  over 
Moab,  Jidom,  and  Philistia,  are  to  form  the 
songs  of  Siou  in  all  ages.  Nay,  it  would  be 
absurd  to  think  that  the  affaii-s  of  any  one 
man,  however  eminent,  should  be  ordained 
of  God  as  the  subject-matter  of  the  prayers 
and  praises  of  all  the  redeemed  in  all  lands 
[for  ever).  The  book  of  Psalms  doubtless 
sets  forth  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  aud  the  af- 
fairs of  his  kingdom  of  grace.  Its  main  de- 
sign is  to  set  forth  the  Saviour  of  the  world, 
aud  to  direct  our  eyes  and  hearts  to  the  true 
David,  king  of  Sion,  the  God  of  Israel.  In 
this  bright  mirror  we  behold  the  glory  of  his 
person,  kingdom,  and  priesthood ;  we  here 
see  his  humiliation,  conflicts,  and  sorrows. 
The  oppositions,  persecutions,  and  contempt 
which  he  endured,  and  the  glorious  victo- 
ries which  he  obtained,  are  here  set  before 
us.  It  is  a  clear  and  perfect  mirror  wherein 
the  Church  may  view  herself  in  all  the  dif- 
ferent states,  circumstances,  and  conditions 
she  passes  through  on  her  journey  heaven- 
ward. Here  we  behold  the  Church  of  Christ 
in  prosperity  and  adversity,  in  light  aud 
darkness,  in  joys  and  sorrows,  in  trials  and 
in  triumphs  by  turns.  At  one  time  we  see 
her  declining,  sinking  in  sin,  and  carried 
into  captivity;  then  reviving  again,  and  re- 
turning with  singing  unto  Sion.  At  times 
we  see  her  struggling  with  temptations,  af- 
flictions, and  trouble;  at  other  times  rising 
above  oppressions,  and  triumphing  in  her 
God.  To-day  in  sorrow,  weeping  in  the 
dust;  to-morrow  happy,  and  singing  on  the 
mount  of  joy.  The  book  of  Psalms  furnish- 
eth  us  with  a  full  view  of  the  Lamb's  wife 
through  all  the  heavenly  road,  and  with 
all  she  meets  with  during  her  pilgrimage 
through  the  wilderness,  till  she  arrives  at 
the  mount  of  God  in  the  Holy  Land.  Here 
her  beauty,  riches,  honors,  her  conquest, 
joy,  and  safety  are  all  correctly  described. 
The  hooks  of  Scripture  have  a  double  sense, 
the  literal  and  the  spiritual ;  this  cannot  be 
said  of  any  other  book  in  the  world ;  human 
writings  have  only  a  natural,  but  the  Bible 
23 


has  a  spiritual  sense  also,  which  proves  it  to 
be  tlie  book  of  God.  At  times  we,  through 
blindness,  can  discern  only  the  natural ;  and 
here  we  should  check  vain  conjectures.  At 
other  times,  the  spiritual  almost  appears; 
and  sometimes  both  are  discerned  with  equal 
clearness.  Upon  this  plan  we  are  to  inter- 
pret the  Psalms  as  having  a  double  meaning. 
Also,  the  Psalms  applied  to  Israel  are,  in  the 
higher  sense,  to  be  understood  of  the  spiritual 
Israel.  We  are,  in  a  far  higher  sense  than 
they,  delivered  from  bondage  and  slavery; 
we  go  through  the  sea,  and  travel  in  the  wil- 
derness. We  have,  spiritually,  God's  pillar, 
tabernacle,  and  mount;  we  have  bread  from 
heaven,  water  from  the  rock,  and  prospect 
of  a  land  of  rest.  We  have  enemies,  diffi- 
culties, and  dangers;  captivities  and  deliv- 
erances. In  like  manner  are  we  to  under- 
stand the  figures  borrowed  from  the  natural 
W'orld.  We  read  here  of  creation;  heaven, 
earth,  and  sea  ;  of  sun,  moon,  and  stars;  of 
air,  thunder,  dew,  and  rain;  of  light  and 
darkness,  summer  and  winter.  All  such 
things  are  figures  of  higher  things  in  the 
new  creation,  the  world  of  grace.  In  short, 
whatever  be  the  figures  used  in  the  Psalms, 
whether  David,  Israel,  the  ceremonial  law, 
or  anything  in  creation,  or  in  the  history  of 
man,  they  are  shadows  of  far  higher  and  bet- 
ter things  in  Christ's  kingdom." — See  Bishop 
Home  on  tke  Psalms,  condensed  from  Jones's 
Scripture  Directory,  ed.  IJil.'),  pp.  73-78. 

That  the  book  of  Psalms,  and  the  Prophets, 
throughout  the  inspired  pages,  contain  an 
internal  and  spiritual  sense,  they  themselves 
testify.  David,  "the  oldest  Psalmist  of  Israel" 
(2  Sam.  xxiii.l),  affirms  that  "  his  tongue  was 
the  pen  of  a  ready  writer"  (Ps.  xlv.  1) ;  and 
at  the  period  of  his  bodily  decease,  claims 
the  spirit  of  inspiration  for  his  sacred  songs, 
when  he  said,  "  The  .spirit  of  the  Lord  spake 
by  me,  and  his  word  was  upon  my  tongue" 
Ci  Sam.  xxiii.  2).  "  I,  Jehovah,  have  spoken 
by  the  prophets,  and  I  have  multiplied  vi- 
sions, and  used  similitudes  by  the  ministry 
of  the  prophets"  (Hosea  xii.  10).  We  have 
only  to  turn  to  the  New  Testament,  and  in 
the  Gospels,  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  the  Epis- 
tles, and  in  the  Book  of  Revelation  we  shall 
find  the  most  ample  evidence  of  this  inter- 
nal meaning,  especially  in  its  application  to 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  as,  in  that  sense, 
being  fulfilled  not  only  in  Him,  but  also  in 
the  constant  experience  of  every  Christian 
believer. — See  Acts  iv.  '2-t  ;  Heb.  ii.  G  ;  Acts  ii. 
2.J,  30 ;  Rom.  xv.  9 ;  x.  18 ;  Matt,  xxvii.  43 ;  Heb. 
X.  5;  John  xiii.  18;  Rom.  viii.  3(5 :  Heb.  i.  8; 
Eph.  iv.  7,  8;  Rom.  xi.9, 10;  Acts  i.  20;  Matt, 
xiii.  34;  iv.  6, 7;  Heb.  iii.,  iv. ;  Matt.  xxii.  44; 
Rom.  XV.  11 ;  Luke  xx.  17 ;  Acts  iv.  11 ;  1  Pet. 
ii.  7. 


CHAPTEE  XIX. 


Sacrificial  Worship. 

O  other  worship  but  what  was  internal,  such  as  prevails  in 
heaven,  existed  in  the  earliest  ages  among  those  of  the  most 
ancient  church,'"  signified  by  Adam ;  but  when  that  church  declined 
from  its  pristine  integrity,  purity,  and  spirituality,  men  had  no  longer 
an  intuitive  perception  of  correspondences,  as  heretofore,  and  then 
they  began  to  collect  and  cultivate  them  as  a  science.  Then,  also, 
external  worship,  representative  and  significative  of  internal,  was  first 
instituted,  and  stated  forms  were  established. 

According  to  correspondences,  the  firstlings  of  the  flock  signify 
worship  from  inmost  spiritual  afliection.  Thus,  the  offering  of  "Abel, 
a  keeper  of  sheep,"  which  signifies  worship  from  love,  was  said  to  be 
more  acceptable  to  Jehovah  than  the  offering  of  "  Cain,  a  tiller  of 
the  ground,"  which  signifies  worshijj  from  faith  without  inward  love. 
Abel's  offering  was  first-fruits ;  not  so  that  of  Cain  (Gen.  iv.).  The 
worship  of  the  ancient  church,  signified  by  Noah,  was  purely  rep- 
resentative. With  the  members  of  that  dispensation,  all  external 
objects  and  operations  whatever  symbolized  the  glorious  realities  of 
heaven,  representing  truths  with  their  perceptions,  and  affections  with 
their  delights,  together  with  all  the  activities  of  the  mind  into  which 
they  flowed.  Their  external  worship,  therefore,  was  a  precise  type 
of  their  internal  character,  and  was  represented  by  Noah's  sacrifice, 
of  which  we  read  that  "  He  builded  an  altar  unto  the  Lord ;  and 
took  of  every  clean  beast,  and  of  every  clean  fowl,  and  offered  burut- 


163  "The  man  of  the  most  ancient  church 
performed  no  other  worship  but  what  was 
internal,  such  as  prevails  in  lieaven,  for  with 
them  heaven  communicated  with  man.  so 
that  they  made  one;  that  communication 
was  perception;  thus  being  angelic  men, 
they  were  also  internal  men ;  they  were  sen- 
sible indeed  of  the  external  things  relating 
to  tlie  body  and  the  world,  but  they  cared 
not  for  them;  in  every  particular  object  of 
sense  they  perceived  somewhat  divine  and 


celestial :  as  for  example,  when  they  saw 
any  high  mountain,  they  did  not  perceive 
any  idea  of  a  mountain,  but  of  height,  and 
by  virtue  of  height  they  perceived  heaven 
and  the  Lord;  hence  it  came  to  pass  that 
the  Lord  was  said  to  dwell  on  the  highest, 
and  He  himself  was  called  The  Highest  and 
most  exalted,  and  afterwards  the  worship 
of  the  Lord  was  solemnized  on  mountains  ; 
the  case  was  similar  in  other  instances." — 
A.  a,  n.  920. 

266 


SACRIFICIAL  WORSHIP. 


267 


offerings  on  the  altar.  And  the  Lord  smelled  a  sweet  savor  "  (Gen. 
viii.  19,  20).  Here  the  clean  beasts  denote  the  different  degrees  of 
charity,  and  the  various  affections  of  goodness  in  the  heart,  both  with 
angels  and  men :  and  the  clean  fowls  signify  the  true  principles  of 
faith  in  the  understanding;  each  particular  kind  of  animal  corre- 
sponding to  some  specific  heavenly  virtue  or  grace  in  the  mind. 

In  succeeding  ages,  sacrificial  worship  became  established,  and  to 
slay  and  offer  the  sacrifice  signified  wholly  to  consecrate  to  the  Lord 
the  thing  denoted  thereby  ;  thus  indicating  the  change  effected  in  man 
by  regeneration,  when  his  natural  mind  or  unregeuerate  life  is,  as  it 
were,  slain,  that  he  may  receive  the  Lord's  life,  and  be  wholly  devoted 
to  his  service.  Fire,  we  have  seen,  signifies,  in  a  good  sense,  heavenly 
love.  To  offer  animals  by  fire  was  a  representative  act,  signifying 
worship  grounded  in  charity  and  obedience,  from  a  sincere  and  thank- 
ful heart,  which  the  Lord  is  said  "  to  smell  as  a  sweet  savor ; "  signi- 
fying that  such  worship  is  accepted,  and  causes  a  sensible  perception 
of  his  sacred  presence  to  be  experienced,  which  diffuses  angelic  joy 
over  the  whole  mind.'"  "Sacrifices  were  the  chief  representatives 
of  worship  in  the  Hebrew  church,  and  afterwards  in  the  Jewish. 
Their  sacrifices  were  made  either  from  the  herd  or  from  the  flock, 
consequently  they  consisted  of  animals  of  various  kinds,  which  were 
clean,  as  of  oxen,  cows,  he-goats,  sheep,  rams,  she-goats,  kids,  and 
lambs,  and  moreover  of  turtles  and  young  j^igeons.  All  these  signi- 
fied internal  things  of  worship,  that  is,  things  celestial  and  spiritual, 
the  animals  taken  from  the  herd  denoting  celestial-natural  things, 
and  those  from  the  flock  denoting  celestial-rational  things ;  and  as 
both  things  natural  and  things  rational  are  of  various  kinds,  being 
more  or  less  interior,  therefore  so  many  genera  and  species  of  those 
animals  were  made  use  of  in  the  sacrifices ;  which  may  appear,  also, 
from  this  consideration,  that  it  was  prescribed  in  the  burnt-offerings, 
and  also  in  the  sacrifices  of  divers  kinds,  as  in  the  daily  sacrifices,  in 
those  of  the  Sabbaths  and  feasts,  in  the  voluntary,  eucharistic,  and 
votive  sacrifices,  in  those  that  were  expiatory  of  guilt  and  of  sin,  and 
also  in  those  that  were  purificatory  and  cleansing,  and  likewise  in 
the  sacrifices  of  inauguration,  what  animals  should  be  offered.  The 
animals,  also,  were  expressly  named,  and  also  their  number,  in  every 
kind  of  sacrifice,  which  would  never  have  been  done  unless  each  had 
had  some  peculiar  signification,  as  manifestly  appears  from  those  pas- 


164  "  Spencer  traces  the  origin  of  sacrifices  to  the  iuventioii  of  heathen  nations." — Green- 
field's Cmmex.,  p.  481,  note  66. 


268 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


sages  where  sacrifices  are  treated  of,  as  Ex.  xxix.  ;  Lev.  i.,  iii.,  iv., 
ix.,  xvi.,  xxiii. ;  Num.  vii.,  viii.,  xv.,  xxix.  ...  As  to  what  concerns 
sacrifices  in  general,  they  were  commanded  indeed  by  Moses  to  the 
children  of  Israel ;  but  the  most  ancient  church,  which  was  before 
the  flood,  were  altogether  unacquainted  with  sacrifices,  nor  did  it  ever 
enter  into  their  minds  to  worship  the  Lord  by  the  slaying  of  animals. 
The  ancient  church,  which  was  after  the  flood,  was  likewise '  unac- 
quainted with  sacrifices ;  it  was,  indeed,  principled  in  representatives, 
but  sacrifices  were  first  instituted  in  the  succeeding  church,  which  was 
called  the  Hebrew  church,  and  thence  this  mode  of  worship  was  prop- 
agated among  the  Gentiles,  and  descended  to  Abraham,  Isaac,  and 
Jacob,  and  their  posterity."— A.  C,  n.  2180. 

No  portions  of  the  Old  Testament  have  been  less  understood  or 
more  misapprehended,  for  want  of  the  science  of  correspondences, 
than  the  rituals  and  sacrifices  of  the  Mosaic  economy.  A  general 
impression  has  indeed  prevailed  throughout  the  Christian  church,  that 
the  sacrifices  had  some  indistinct  reference  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
and  the  great  work  of  redemption  which  He  accomplished  ;  but  the 
views  held  have  been  so  external,  so  inconsistent,  so  limited  in  their 
application,  and  so  unsatisfactory,  as  to  have  left  this  important  sub- 
ject involved  in  the  most  perplexing  diflSculties.  The  Jewish  dispen- 
sation was  only  the  repi'esentative  of  a  true  spiritual  church.  Hence 
the  laws  and  ordinances,  rites  and  ceremonials,  of  the  Israelites  were 
denominated,  in  the  apostolic  age,  "  figures  of  the  time  then  present " 
(Heb.  ix.  9) ;  "  the  example  and  shadow  of  heavenly  things  "  (viii. 
5);'^^  also,  "patterns  of  things  in  the  heavens"  (ix.  23);  and  "shad- 
ows of  good  things  to  come"  (Col.  ii.  17;  Heb.  x.  1).  This  view  is 
a  key  to  their  history,  as  recorded  in  the  volume  of  inspiration.'*^ 

The  Jews  were  chosen,  agreeably  to  their  own  earnest  desire  (for  it 
could  not  have  been  otherwise),  to  represent  in  outward  form  a  spir- 
itual church,  or  the  inward  life  of  true  religion.  They  were  of  so 
external,  so  obdurate  a  character,  as  to  be  incapable  of  being  led  ex- 

I's  JiackniKht  translates  this  passage  more  I  prophets  plainly  set  forth  the  promise  of 
emphatically  thus :  "  Priests  who  serve  with  temporal  blessinRS,  and  that,  nevertheless, 
the  repre.sentative  and  shadow  of  heavenly  i  they  say  that  their  lanfruage  is  obscure,  that 
things."  !  their  meaning  is  not  that  which  they  openly 

166  To  see  clearly  that  the  Old  Testament  !  express,  and  that  it  will  u<it  he  iiinlerslood  till  the 
is  figurative,  and  that  by  temporal  blessings  '  endoftime.  Finally. itniust  be  remarked, that 
the  prophets  understood  other  blessings,  it  I  their  language  is  contradictory,  and  destroys 
is  only  necessary  to  observe,  in  the  first  itself,  if  one  should  think  that  they  meant 
place,  that  it  would  be  unworthy  of  (Jod  to  by  the  words  laio  and  sarriflcr  no  other  than 
call  men  only  to  the  enjoyment  of  temporal  '  the  law  and  sacrifices  of  Moses."— Po.<cn/'s 
felicities ;  secondly,  that  the  language  of  the  i  Thoughts,  tr.  by  D.  H.  H.,  Int.  Kep.,  1817,  p.  192. 


SACRIFICIAL  WORSHIP. 


2G9 


cept  by  the  hope  of  earthly  rewards  and  tlie  fear  of  temporal  punish- 
luents.  The  prophet  declares  that  they  "  perverted  the  words  of  the 
living  God,"  and  looked  upon  their  representative  service  as  burden- 
some and  grievous  ( Jer.  xxiii.  33-40) ;  "  Wherefore,"  says  the  Lord, 
"  I  gave  tliera  also  statutes  that  were  not  good,  and  judgments  whereby 
they  should  not  live  "  (Ezek.  xx.  25).  This  was  eminently  the  case 
with  the  burnt-offerings  and  sacrifices,  Avhich  they  regarded,  not  as 
means  of  attaining  purity  and  holiness,  but  as  piacular  substitutes  for 
obedience.  The  sacrifices  of  the  Jews  were  permitted,  not  com- 
manded, by  the  Lord,  because  of  the  hardness  of  their  hearts,  and 
their  proneness  to  the  most  cruel  rites ;  such  as  divorce  for  trivial 
offences  against  a  husband's  will,  and  the  law  of  retaliation  (Matt.  v. 
38,  39).  "  Thus  saith  the  Lord  of  Hosts,  the  God  of  Israel ;  put 
your  burnt-offerings  to  your  sacrifices,  and  eat  flesh.  For  I  spake  not 
unto  your  fathers,  nor  commanded  them  in  the  day  that  I  brought 
them  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt,  concerning  burnt-offerings  or  sacri- 
lices :  but  this  thing  commanded  I  them,  saying.  Obey  my  voice,  and 
I  will  be  your  God,  and  ye  shall  be  my  people  "  (Jer.  vii.  21-23). 
But  the  permission  of  sacrifices  was  so  overruled  by  an  inspired 
series  of  restrictive  laws  as  to  make  them  exactly  representative,  in 
every  particular,  of  the  voluntary  sacrifices  of  the  heart,  the  mind, 
and  the  life.  Other  most  important  reasons  may  be  adduced  for  their 
permission.  The  worship  of  the  Jews  was  to  be  directed  to  one  su- 
preme and  only  God,  free  from  idolatrous  rites,  because  it  was  figura- 
tive of  the  angelic  Avorship  which  exists  in  heaven,  and  hence,  as  we 
have  seen,  it  is  called  "  the  patterns  of  things  in  the  heavens," — 
"  figures  of  the  true  "  (Heb.  ix.  23,  24). 

During  its  continuance  they  were  required  to  fulfil  every  iota  of 
the  divine  law,  and  therefore  to  render  their  representations  complete; 
and,  that  the  Word  might  be  written,  they  had  to  offer  burnt-offer- 
ings and  sacrifices,  and  sin-  and  trespass-offerings.  It  is  never  once 
intimated  in  the  law  that  even  sin-  and  trespass-offerings  were  designed 
and  accepted  as  expiations  of  moral  turpitude,  for  such  presumptuous 
or  wilful  sinfulness  was  chiefly  punished  with  death  (Num.  xv.  30), 
but  as  propitiatory  sacrifices,  in  humble  acknowledgment  of  sins  of 
ignorance  and  ceremonial  uncleanness  and  neglect ;  and  without 
which,  so  degenerate  had  the  human  race  become,  the  Lord  could 
not,  previous  to  his  incarnation,  have  had  a  dwelling-place  with  his 
creatures. 

"  The  church  which  was  instituted  among  the  posterity  of  Jacob 

23* 


270 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPOXDEXCES. 


■was  not  essentially  a  cliurch,  but  only  the  representative  of  a  church. 
In  representations,  the  person  is  not  reflected  upon,  but  only  the  thing 
which  is  represented ;  wherefore  divine,  celestial,  and  spiritual  things 
were  represented,  not  only  by  persons,  but  by  things  inanimate,  as  by 
Aaron's  garments,  by  the  ark,  the  altar,  the  oxen  and  sheep  Avhich 
were  sacrificed,  by  the  candlestick  with  the  lights,  by  the  bread 
of  arrangement  on  the  golden  table,  by  the  anointing  oil,  the  frank- 
incense, and  other  similar  things.  Hence  it  was  that  kings,  both  bad 
and  good  alike,  represented  the  Lord's  regal  principle ;  and  the  high- 
priests,  both  bad  and  good  alike,  when  they  discharged  their  ofiice  in 
an  external  form  according  to  the  statutes  and  commandments,  rep- 
resented the  things  ajipertaining  to  the  Lord's  Divine  priesthood.  To 
the  intent,  therefore,  that  the  representative  of  a  church  might  exist 
among  them,  such  statutes  and  laws  were  given  them  by  manifest 
revelation  as  were  altogether  representative ;  wherefore,  so  long  as 
they  were  principled  therein,  and  observed  them  strictly,  so  long  were 
they  capable  of  representing ;  but  when  they  turned  aside  from  them 
to  the  statutes  and  laws  of  other  nations,  and  especially  to  the  wor- 
ship of  another  god,  they  deprived  themselves  of  the  faculty  of  rep- 
resenting; in  consequence  Avhereof  they  were  driven  by  external 
means,  which  were  captivities,  overthrows,  threats,  and  miracles,  to 
laws  and  statutes  truly  representative,  but  not  by  internal  means, 
like  those  who  have  internal  worship  in  the  external." — A.  C.  4281. 

When  the  Jews  fell  into  the  destructive  notion  that  their  sacrifices 
and  offerings  were  vicarious  equivalents  for  wilful  iniquity,  and  that 
by  their  means  moral  guilt,  equally  with  ceremonial  impurity,  and 
transgression,  and  sins  of  ignorance,  Avas  pardoned  in  the  divine  sight, 
the  Lord  thus  tenderly  expostulates  with  them,  and  exhorts  them  to 
Avorship  Him  from  the  heart,  to  hearken  to  his  voice,  and  to  keep  his 
commandments :  "  Hear,  O  my  people,  and  I  will  speak :  O  Israel, 
and  I  will  testify  against  thee :  I  am  God,  even  thy  God.  I  will  not 
reprove  thee  for  thy  sacrifices  or  thy  burnt-offerings,  to  have  been  con- 
tinually before  me.  I  will  take  no  bullock  out  of  thy  house,  nor  he- 
goats  out  of  thy  folds.  For  every  beast  of  the  forest  is  mine,  and  the 
cattle  upon  a  thousand  hills.  I  know  all  the  fowls  of  the  mountains : 
and  the  wild  beasts  of  the  field  are  mine.  If  I  were  hungry,  I  would 
not  tell  thee :  for  the  world  is  mine,  and  the  fulness  thereof.  Will  I 
eat  the  flesh  of  bulls,  or  drink  the  blood  of  goats  ?  Offer  unto  God 
thanksgiving;  and  pay  thy  vows  unto  the  Most  High  "  (Psalm  1.  7-14\ 
And,  again,  "  To  what  purpose  is  the  multitude  of  your  sacrifices  unto 


SACRIFICIAL  WORSHIP. 


271 


fne?  saith  the  Lord:  I  am  full  of  the  burnt-ofTerings  of  rams  and 
the  fat  of  fed  beasts ;  and  I  delight  not  in  the  blood  of  bullocks,  or 
of  lambs,  or  of  he-goats.  When  ye  appear  before  me,  who  hath  re- 
quired this  at  your  hand,  to  tread  my  courts?'"  AVash  you,  make  you 
clean  ;  put  away  the  evil  of  your  doings  from  before  mine  eyes ;  cease 
to  do  evil;  learn  to  do  well;  seek  judgment,  relieve  the  oppressed, 
judge  the  fatherless,  plead  for  the  widow.  Come  now,  and  let  us 
reason  together,  saith  the  Lord :  though  your  sins  be  as  scarlet,  they 
shall  be  as  white  as  snow ;  though  they  be  red  like  crimson,  they  shall 
be  as  wool.  If  ye  be  willing  and  obedient,  ye  shall  eat  the  good  of 
the  land :  but  if  ye  refuse  and  rebel,  ye  shall  be  devoured  with  the 
sword :  for  the  mouth  of  the  Lord  hath  spoken  it "  (Isa.  i.  11, 12, 16- 
20).  Moreover,  the  Lord  further  declares,  "  I  spake  not  unto  your 
fathers,  nor  commanded  them,  in  the  day  that  I  brought  them  out 
of  the  land  of  Egypt,  concerning  burnt-offerings  or  sacrifices :  but 
this  thing  commanded  I  them,  saying.  Obey  my  voice,  and  I  Mill  be 
your  God,  and  ye  shall  be  my  people :  and  walk  ye  in  all  the  ways 
that  I  have  commanded  you,  that  it  may  be  well  unto  you  "  ( Jer.  vii. 
22,  23).  That  obedience  was  what  the  Lord  commanded  and  desired, 
of  which  sacrifices  were  in  reality  representative  emblems,  is  con- 
stantly affirmed.  In  the  Proverbs  it  is  written,  "  To  do  justice  and 
judgment  is  more  acceptable  to  the  Lord  than  sacrifices  "  (xxi.  3). 
The  prophet  Samuel  reproved  Saul  for  his  disobedience  in  these  mem- 
orable words  :  "  Hath  the  Lord  as  great  delight  in  burnt-offerings  and 
sacrifices,  as  in  obeying  the  voice  of  the  Lord  ?  Behold,  to  obey  is 
better  than  sacrifice,  and  to  hearken  than  the  fat  of  rams.  For  re- 
bellion is  as  the  sin  of  witchcraft,  and  stubbornness  is  as  iniquity  and 
idolatry  "  (1  Sam.  xv.  22,  23).  Hence  the  important  question  of  the 
prophet,  "  Wherewith  shall  I  come  before  the  Lord,  and  bow  myself 
before  the  high  God  ?  shall  I  come  before  Him  with  burnt-offerings, 
with  calves  of  a  year  old  ?  Avill  the  Lord  be  pleased  Avith  thousands 
of  rams,  or  with  ten  thousands  of  rivers  of  oil  ?  He  hath  showed 
thee,  O  man,  what  is  good ;  and  what  doth  the  Lord  require  of  thee, 
but  to  do  justly,  and  to  love  mercy,  and  to  walk  humbly  with  thy 
God"  (Micah  vi.  6-8). 

The  Psalmist,  also,  in  his  prayer  to  God  for  the  remission  of  sin, 
says,  "  O  Lord,  open  thou  my  lips ;  and  my  mouth  shall  show  forth 


15'  "  None  of  those  who  offered  animals  in 
sacrifice  before  the  law,  did  it  by  divine  pre- 
cept."—(^iismers  to  the  Orthodox.)    "Most  of 


the  ancient  Fathers  came  to  the  same  con- 
clusion."— Outram's  Dissert,  on  Sacrifice,  p. 
14. 


272 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


thy  praise.  For  thou  desirest  not  sacrifice ;  else  would  I  give  it : 
thou  delightest  not  iu  burnt-oflering.  The  sacrifices  of  God  are  a 
broken  spirit :  a  broken  and  a  contrite  heart,  O  God,  thou  wilt  not 
despise"  (li.  15-17).  When  one  of  the  scribes  asked  the  Lord, 
"AYhich  was  the  first  commandment  of  all?"  He  answered  him, 
"  The  first  of  all  the  commandments  is,  Hear,  O  Israel ;  the  Lord 
our  God  is  one  Lord :  and  thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all 
thy  heart,  and  with  all  thy  soul,  and  with  all  thy  mind,  and  with  all 
thy  strength  :  this  is  the  first  commandment.  And  the  second  is  like, 
namely  this,  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbor  as  thyself.  There  Ls  none 
other  commandment  greater  than  these.  And  the  scribe  said  unto 
Him,  Well,  Master,  thou  hast  said  the  truth  :  for  there  is  one  God  ; 
and  there  is  none  other  but  He :  and  to  love  Him  with  all  the  heart, 
and  with  all  the  understanding,  and  with  all  the  soul,  and  with  all 
the  strength,  is  more  than  all  whole  burnt-offerings  and  sacrifices. 
And  when  Jesus  saw  that  he  answered  discreetly.  He  said  unto  him, 
Thou  art  not  far  from  the  kingdom  of  God  "  (Mark  xii.  28-34).  In 
an  exhortation  to  repentance,  the  prophet  Hosea  says,  "  For  I  desired 
mercy,  and  not  sacrifice ;  and  the  knowledge  of  God  more  than  burnt- 
offerings  "  (vi.  6) ;  and  the  Lord,  in  his  rebuke  of  the  Pharisees,  said, 
"  Go  ye,  and  learn  what  that  meaneth,  I  will  have  mercy,  and  not 
sacrifice "  (Matt.  ix.  13) ;  and,  again,  "  Woe  unto  you,  scribes  and 
Pharisees,  hypocrites !  for  ye  pay  tithe  of  mint  and  anise  and  cummin, 
and  have  omitted  the  weightier  matters  of  the  law,  judgment,  mercy, 
and  faith :  these  ought  ye  to  have  done,  and  not  to  leave  the  other 
undone"  (Matt,  xxiii.  23).  Thus  sacrifices  wore  never  required,  nor 
ever  accepted  as  substitutes  for  the  sinner's  disobedience.  This  David 
acknowledged,  and  therefore  said  to  the  Lord,  "  Sacrifice  and  offering 
thou  didst  not  desire ;  mine  ears  hast  thou  opened :  burnt-ofll'ring  and 
sin-offering  hast  thou  not  required.  Then  said  I,  Lo,  I  come  :  in  the 
volume  of  the  book  it  is  written  of  me,  I  delight  to  do  thy  will,  O 
my  God :  yea,  thy  law  is  Avithin  my  heart "  (Psalm  xl.  6-8).  This 
inspired  prayer  is  applied  by  the  writer  of  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews 
to  the  Lord  Himself,  and  to  the  works  of  the  glorification  of  his  Hu- 
manity and  the  redemption  of  the  human  race,  which  He  mercifully 
came  to  accomplish.  "  For  the  law,"  says  he,  "  having  a  shadow  of 
good  things  to  come,  and  not  the  very  image  of  the  things,  can  never 
with  those  sacrifices  which  they  offered  year  by  year  continually  make 
the  comers  thereunto  perfect.  For  it  is  not  possible  that  the  blood 
of  bulls  and  of  goats  should  take  away  sins.    Wherefore  when  lie 


SACRIFICIAL  WORSHIP. 


273 


Cometh  into  the  world,  He  saith,  Sacrifice  and  offering  thou  -vvouldest 
not,  but  a  body  hast  thou  prepared  me :  in  burnt-ofl'erings  and  sacri- 
fices for  sin  thou  liast  had  no  pleasure.  Then  said  I,  Lo,  I  come  (in 
the  volume  of  the  book  it  is  written  of  me)  to  do  thy  will,  O  God. 
Above  when  He  said.  Sacrifice  and  offering  and  burnt-offerings  and 
offering  for  sin  thou  wouldest  not,  neither  hadst  pleasure  therein ; 
which  are  offered  by  the  law ;  then  said  He,  Lo,  I  come  to  do  thy 
will,  O  God.  He  taketh  away  the  first,  that  He  may  establish  the 
second  "  (x.  1,  4-9). 

While  the  doctrine  of  obedience  to  the  divine  commandments,  as 
essential  to  salvation,  like  all  other  doctrines  of  genuine  religion,  is 
thus  draAvn  from  the  literal  sense  of  the  Scriptures,  and  confirmed 
thereby,  it  must  not  be  forgotten  that  every  passage  cited  from  the 
AVord  of  God  has  besides,  and  within  the  literal  sense,  a  spiritual 
signification.  Sacrifices  and  offerings  are  here  chiefly  mentioned  in 
their  opposite,  or  bad  sense,  as  denoting  external  profession  of  worship 
without  internal  life, — the  impious  and  vain-glorious  offerings  of  self- 
righteousness,  intelligence,  and  merit;  the  corrupt  sacrifices  of  self- 
will  and  self-prudence,  instead  of  the  humble,  teachable,  meek,  trust- 
ful, and  sanctified  affections  of  the  regenerate  mind. 

The  animals  belonging  to  the  flock  and  herd,  and  the  various  viands, 
which  were  thus  voluntarily  offered  to  the  Lord  in  the  Jewish  sacri- 
fices and  oblations,  were  not  arbitrarily  selected,  but  were  exact  rep- 
resentative types  and  figures  of  such  things  as  are  good'  and  true,  and 
of  the  various  thoughts  and  desires  of  the  mind,  which,  in  the  regen- 
eration, become  receptive  of  goodness  and  truth.  Each  offering,  and 
every  circumstance  connected  with  the  offering,  had  its  distinct  spir- 
itual signification."*    The  sacrifices  and  offerings  as  a  whole  repre- 


158  "The  Jews  (see  Hist.  Crit.  du  V.  T.,  liv.  iii., 
cap.  vii.),  of  which  number  St.  Barnabas  was 
himself  originally  one,  and  to  whom  he 
■wrote,  had  of  a  long  time  been  wholly  ad- 
dicted to  the  mystic  and  spiritual  method 
of  interpreting  the  law,  and  taught  men  to 
search  out  a  spiritual  meaning  for  almost 
all  the  ritual  commands  and  ceremonies  of 
it.  This  is  plain  from  the  account  which 
Aristeas  has  left  us  of  the  rules  which  Elea- 
zar,  the  high-priest,  to  whom  Ptolemy  sent 
for  a  copy  of  the  Mosaical  law,  gave  him  for 
the  understanding  of  it,  when  it  being  ob- 
jected to  him,  that  the  legislator  seemed  to 
have  been  too  curious  in  little  matters,  such 
as  the  prohibition  of  meats  and  drinks,  and 
the  like ;  he  showed  him  at  large  that  there 


was  a  further  hidden  design  in  it  than  what 
at  first  sigh  t  appeared ,  and  that  these  outward 
ordinances  were  but  as  so  many  cautions  to 
them  against  such  vices  as  were  principally 
meant  to  be  forbidden  by  them.  And  then 
he  goes  on  to  explain  this  part  of  the  law, 
according  to  the  manner  that  Barnabas  has 
done  in  [his]  epistle.  (Apnd  Eustb.  Pracparat. 
Evangel,  lib.  viii.,  cap.  ix.)  But  this  is  not 
all :  Eusebius  {Pi-aepar.  Evang.,  lib.  viii.,  cap. 
X.)  gives  us  yet  another  instance  to  confirm 
this  to  us,  viz.,  of  Aristobulus,  who  lived  at 
the  same  time,  and  delivered  the  like  spir- 
itual meaning  of  the  law  that  Eleazar  had 
done  before.  And  that  this  was  still  contin- 
ued among  the  Hellenistical  Jews,  is  evident 
by  the  account  that  is  left  us  by  one  of  them, 


274 


TEE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


sented  the  entii-e  process  of  the  Lord's  glorification  from  first  to  last, 
and,  consequently,  of  man's  regeneration.  Kow,  man  is  regenerated 
bj-  "  ceasing  to  do  evil,  and  learning  to  do  well "  (Isa.  i.  16, 17) ;  and 
to  do  these  great  works,  he  must  freely  receive  of  the  wisdom  and 
love,  the  strength  and  Ufe  of  the  Lord,  and  thus  be  conjoined  to  Him. 
Holy  worship  is  the  grand  preparative  for  this  conjunction.  With 
intense,  yea,  infinite  desire,  the  Lord  desires  spiritually  to  eat  the 
passover  with  us  (Luke  xxii.  15).  He  knocks  and  calls  that  we  may 
open  the  inner  door  of  our  minds,  when,  by  the  influence  of  his  Spu-it 
— the  spirit  of  his  love  and  wisdom — He  "  wUl  come  in  to  us,  and 
will  sup  with  us  "  (Rev.  iii.  20).  He  hungers  that  we  may  receive 
and  love  his  goodness.  He  thirsts  that  we  may  accept  and  believe 
his  truth.  He,  from  the  most  ardent  desire  for  the  salvation  and 
happiness  of  his  creatures,  deigns  to  impart  the  divine  principles  of 
his  own  Ufe  to  every  prepared  and  Avilliug  soul,  that  men  may  be 
eternally  conjoined  with  Him  in  heart,  and  mind,  and  life.  Hence, 
the  sacrifices  and  offerings  of  the  Jews  are  denominated  "  a  covenant " 
(Psalm  1.  5),  and  even  called  the  meat  and  bread  of  God  (Lev.  xxi. 
6) ;  and  the  altar  is  designated  his  table  (Ezek.  xli.  22).  Nothing 
can  be  presented  as  gratefiil  to  the  Lord  but  what  is  derived  from 
Him,  thus  what  is  pure  and  perfect,  what  is  clean  and  sound.  The 
inward  gifts  and  outward  graces  of  the  regenerate  mind  are  the  only 
oflferings  truly  acceptable  in  the  divine  sight.  In  their  sacrifices  and 
burnt-oflTerings,  their  meat-offerings  and  drink-offerings,  the  Jews  were 
on  this  account  forbidden  to  present  what  was  imperfect  or  polluted 


who  was  contemporary  with  St.  Barnabas, 
and  tlian  whom  none  has  been  more  famous 
for  this  way  of  writing:  I  mean  Pliilo  (Apud 
Eusfb.  Hist.  EccL,  lib.  ii.,  cap.  xvii.)  in  his  de- 
scription of  the  Therapeutac.  They  interpret 
the  Holy  Scriptures,  viz.,  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment, allegorically.  For  you  must  know, 
continues  he,  that  they  liken  the  law  to  an 
animal,  the  words  of  which  make  up  the 
body,  but  the  hidden  sense,  which  lies  un- 
der them,  and  is  not  seen,  that  they  think  to 
be  the  soul  of  it."— Arrhbishop  Wake's  Preface 
to  0>e  Epistle  of  Barnabas,  sees.  24-.S0. 

Origen  says,  "  Unless  they  [the  Levitical 
laws  and  ccremoniesl  be  all  taken  in  an- 
other sense  than  the  literal,  when  they  are 
recited  in  the  church,  as  we  have  frequently 
declared,  they  are  a  greater  stumbling-block, 
and  tend  more  to  the  subversion  of  the  Phris- 
tian  religion,  than  to  its  advancement  and 
edification."— /»!  Levit.,  cap.  vii.  And  again, 
"The  laws  of  the  sacrifices,  which  are  given 
in  the  book  of  the  Law,  are  to  be  fuliiUed 


according  to  their  spiritual  meaning:  forno 
man,  having  a  right  or  sound  reason,  can  ad- 
mit that  rams,  and  goats,  and  calves  are  fit 
offerings  for  an  immortal  and  incorporeal 
God."— /n  Lrrit..  cap.  iii. 

The  Rev.  W.  Greswell,  in  his  work  on  Tfie 
CurTe*pondency  of  the  Mosaic  Ritual  and  Chris- 
tian Reli(rion,  thus  writes ;  "  The  whole  body 
of  the  law  of  Moses  was  animated  by  a  spirit 
which  identified  it  with  the  gospel  of  Jesxis 
Christ  Ex  cry  part  o{  its  multiform  and  com- 
plicated ritual,  when  distinctly  examined, 
and  rightly  understood,  will  be  found  to  pos- 
sess a  fiffuratitv  or  tt/pical  sense  and  import, 
and  to  teach  some  gospel  truth." — Pref .  p.  \"iii. 
"  We  are  tjiught  to  believe  that  all  the  sacri- 
fices mentioned  in  the  Old  Testament,  and 
not  merely  the  sin  and  trespass  offerings  of 
the  laws,  ^eere  of  a  typical  import,  i.  e.  were  in- 
tended to  prefigure  siimfthing  under  the  Chris- 
tian dispensation  that  isqf  a  corresponding  na- 
ture."—p.  59. 


SACRIFICIAL  WORSHIP. 


275 


(Dent.  XV.  21),  for  worship  defiled  by  self-righteousness  and  self-de- 
rived intelligence  is  profane  and  condemnatory ;  therefore,  when  the 
prophet  is  describing  such  a  corrupt  state  of  the  church,  in  general 
and  in  particular,  he  says,  "  Ye  offer  polluted  bread  upon  mine  altar; 
and  ye  say,  Wherein  have  we  polluted  thee  ?  In  that  ye  say.  The 
table  of  the  Lord  is  contemptible.  And  if  ye  offer  the  blind  for  sacri- 
fice, is  it  not  evil  ?  and  if  ye  offer  the  lame  and  sick,  is  it  not  evil  ?" 
(Mai.  i.  7,  8.)'^ 

Various  degrees  of  goodness,  innocence,  and  charity — natural,  spir- 
itual, and  celestial — and  the  purified  affections  in  which  they  actively 
dwell,  and  the  states  which  they  induce  upon  the  mind,  are  signified,  in 
a  good  sense,  by  domesticated  animals  and  their  young, — the  flock  and 
the  herd,  the  lamb,  the  calf,  and  the  kid,  the  ram,  the  ox,'*"  and  the 
he-goat.  Different  kinds  of  truth,  wisdom,  and  intelligence,  received 
in  affection,  together  with  the  holy  thoughts  and  sentiments  to  which 
they  give  birth,  were  signified  by  the  clean  birds,  as  the  young  pigeon 
and  the  turtle-dove.  Thus  all  kinds  of  spiritual  nourishment  for  the 
support  of  the  will  and  the  understanding,  the  affections  and  the 
thoughts,  were  signified  by  the  meat-oflferings  and  drink-offerings, — 
the  cakes,  the  corn,  the  flour,  the  oil,  the  wine,  the  choicest  viands,  both 
liquid  and  solid,  which  were  presented  to  the  Lord ;  for  the  inward  gifts 
which  sustain  the  soul,  and  which  were  thus  represented,  appertain  to 
the  Lord  Himself,  from  whom  they  flow  into  his  kingdom  in  heaven 
and  on  earth,  as  the  food  of  angels,  the  support  of  all  spiritual  life. 

In  the  same  sense,  burnt-offerings  and  sacrifices  signified  in  general 
adoration  from  a  grateful  heart,  ftee-will  "  sacrifices  of  righteousness 
and  thanksgiving  "  (Psalm  iv.  5 ;  cvii.  22), — rendering  to  Him  "  the 
calves  of  our  lips  "  (Hos.  xiv.  2), — the  inward  acknowledgment  that 
all  our  blessings  of  love  and  wisdom,  charity  and  faith,  are  derived 
from  Him  alone, — the  consecration  of  all  our  faculties,  spiritual  and 
natural,  intellectual  and  voluntary,  our  affections  and  thoughts,  our 
words  and  deeds,  to  his  service.  Worship  from  love  and  charity  was 
represented,  in  a  good  sense,  by  burnt-oflferings  and  meat-oflTerings ; 
worship  from  wisdom  and  faith  was  signified  by  sacrifices  and  drink- 
offerings.    In  reference  to  this  spiritual  signification  and  application 


169  "As  things  which  were  imperfect,  un- 
clean, ill-favored,  ill-colored,  etc.,  were  em- 
blems of  vice  [or  various  vices]  and  deprav- 
it>-,  they  are  represented  as  odious  [to  God] : 
whilst  things,  clean,  odorous,  bright  [and 
perfect],  were  emblems  of  virtue  [or  various 
virtues],  aud  are  represented  as  acceptable 


[to  God]."— HvickiTwm's  Use  of  Reason  Recov- 
ered, p.  285. 

160  "  The  Hebrew  word  translated  ox,  means 
the  male  or  horned  cattle  of  the  beeve  kind, 
at  full  age,  when  fit  for  the  plough.  Younger 
ones  are  called  bullocks." — ."^ee  Harris's  NaL 
NUl.  of  the  Bible,  Eng.  ed.,  p.  21)8. 


276 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


of  the  sacrificial  worship  of  the  Jews,  the  apostle  Paul  thus  writes  to 
the  Romans,  "  I  beseech  you,  therefore,  brethren,  by  the  mercies  of 
God,  that  ye  present  your  bodies  a  living  sacrifice,  holy,  acceptable 
unto  God,  which  is  your  reasonable  service'""  (Rom.  xii.  1).  And 
in  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews  we  read,  "  To  do  good  and  communicate, 
forget  not:  for  with  such  sacrifices  God  is  well  pleased"  (xiii.  16). 
Nor  without  much  self-denial,  the  mortification  of  the  natural  mind, 
the  subjugation  of  the  fleshly  lusts,  is  that  state  of  mind  attained,  in 
which  such  living,  holy,  and  acceptable  worship  can  be  performed, 
or  those  precious  gifts  received  which  can  be  suitably  presented.  "  I 
will  not,"  said  David,  "  ofier  burnt-offerings  unto  the  Lord  my  God 
of  that  which  doth  cost  me  nothing  "  (2  Sam.  xxiv.  24). 

We  have  said  that  the  Jews  fell  into  the  fatal  delusion  that  their 
sacrifices  were  piacular.  Nor  has  this  great  error  been  confined  to 
Judaism.  It  has  been  interwoven,  in  all  its  deformity,  into  the  Chris- 
tian religion,  and  the  sacrifice  of  the  Lord,  or  the  glorification  of  his 
Humanity,  which  consisted  in  the  hallowing  and  consecrating  to  infi- 
nite purposes  the  entire  Humanity  which  He  assumed  in  the  world, 
with  all  its  faculties  and  powers,  has  been  extensively  and  most  mis- 
takenly regarded  as  a  vicarious  sacrifice  for  even  the  wilful  trans- 
gressions of  the  human  race,  and  represented  as  oflJered  by  the  second 
person  in  the  Trinity  to  the  first  person,  as  a  distinct  Being,  or  God, 
to  appease  his  wrath,  and  propitiate  his  favor ;  and,  moreover,  that 
his  sufiering  and  death  on  the  cross  being  a  vicarious  substitute  for 
the  punishment  of  sinners,  the  infinite  merits  of  his  spotless  right- 
eousness are  imputed  to  all  tliat  believe  in  Him.  How  full  of  mys- 
tery, perplexity  and  inconsistency  is  this  fatal  notion !  It  substitutes 
the  innocent  for  the  guilty,  although  guilt  and  innocence  cannot  be 
transferred  without  the  violation  of  all  justice.  Unless  there  be  more 
than  one  God,  it  represents  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  as  the  pacifier  and 
the  pacified,  the  priest  and  the  victim,  the  identical  God,  whose  ven- 
geance was  appeased  and  whose  justice  was  satisfied,  by  his  own  suf- 
ferings, while  it  confounds  all  rational  and  Scriptural  difference 
between  the  infinite  and  the  finite  by  imputing  the  incommunicable 
merits  of  the  Creator  to  the  finite  creature.  How  broadly  does  this 
system  contrast  with  the  simple,  glorious,  and  obvious  doctrines  of 


i«i  "  The  terms  here  usetl  are  sacrificial, 
and  forcibly  intimate  that,  as  under  the  Old 
Testament  dispensation  the  burnt-offerinBS 
were  wholly  the  Lord's  property,  so  Chris- 
tians are  required  to  K've  up  themselves  en- 
tirely to  the  service  o{iiod,."—UorxRomanit. 
note,  p.  G7. 


"Sacrifices  were  a  symbolical  address  to 
God,  intended  to  express  before  Ilim  the 
devotions,  aflections,  dispositions,  and  de- 
sin's  of  tlie  henrl,  by  si-jnificative  and  em- 
hlcmaticiU  actions."— i-'rn'p.  Doct .  of  the  Atone- 
meiU  Examined.   By  J.  Taylor,  1751. 


SACRIFICIAL  WORSHIP. 


277 


the  New  Testament !  The  atonement  or  at-one-ment  is  there  described 
as  a  work  of  reconciliation, — as  effecting  an  important  and  essential 
spiritual  change  in  man,  his  motives,  his  thoughts,  and  his  words  and 
works  thence  proceeding,  but  without  implying  any  change  whatever 
in  the  immutable  Godhead.  The  apostle  Paul,  therefore,  in  writing 
to  the  Romans,  says,  "  We  joy  in  God  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
by  whom  we  £not  God,  we]  have  now  received  the  atonement "  (v.  11). 
The  Greek  word  [Karaxxayi^i']  translated  here  atonement,  means  recon- 
ciliation, and  with  its  modifications  is  so  translated  wherever  else  it 
occurs  in  the  New  Testament. 

The  Lord  "  bore  our  sins  and  carried  our  sorrows  "  (Isa.  liii.  3)  by 
taking  upon  Himself  our  depraved  nature,  Avith  all  its  hereditary 
defilements,  and,  by  removing  these  evils  from  his  Humanity,  He 
"  consecrated  it  for  evermore  "  (Heb.  vii.  28),  and  thereby  received 
power  from  the  indwelling  Divinity  to  remove,  likewise,  the  evils  of 
all  those  who  look  unto  Him  and  put  their  trust  in  Him.  For  now 
"  He  is  able  to  save  to  the  uttermost  them  that  come  unto  God  [the 
indwelling  Divinity]  by  Him  [the  glorified  Humanity]  "  (Heb.  vii. 
25).  "  For  in  that  He  Himself  hath  suffered  being  tempted.  He  is 
able  to  succor  them  that  are  tempted  "  (Heb.  ii.  18).  Hence  we  fur- 
ther read,  that  "  When  the  even  was  come,  they  brought  unto  Him 
many  that  were  possessed  Avith  devils :  and  He  cast  out  the  spirits 
with  his  word,  and  healed  all  that  were  sick :  that  it  might  be  ful- 
filled which  Avas  spoken  by  Esaias  the  prophet,  saying.  Himself  took 
our  infirmities,  and  bore  our  sicknesses  "  (Matt.  viii.  16,  17). 

"  To  bear  our  sins,"  then,  Avas  to  sustain  temptation ;  and  to  put 
them  away,  signifies  not  only  that  He  conquered  all  evil  tendencies, 
and  removed  them  from  his  Humanity,  but  also,  that  in  the  hour  of 
severest  spiritual  trial  and  conflict  He  is  both  able  and  Avilling  to 
stretch  forth  his  gracious  hand  to  save  all  from  the  inherent  corruji- 
tions  of  their  nature,  as  Avell  as  their  actual  sins, — thus  to  deliver 
from  the  bondage  of  sin,  the  fears  of  eternal  death,  and  from  the 
miseries  of  hell,  all  who  acknoAvledge  their  transgressions,  belicA'e  in 
Him,  and  keep  his  commandments.  By  the  poAver  and  efiicacy  of 
divine  truth,  as  "  the  Word  made  flesh,"  Avhich  is  so  often  called 
"  the  blood  of  Christ,"  and  "  the  blood  of  the  Ncav  Covenant  [or  Tes- 
tament], shed  for  the  remission  of  sins "  (Matt.  xxvi.  28),  man  is 
cleansed  from  the  impurities  of  his  life  and  heart  just  in  proportion 
as,  by  obedience  thereto,  he  puts  his  evil  aAvay,  and,  by  divine  assist- 
ance, manfully  endures  the  temptations  and  trials  by  Avhich  the  work 
24 


278 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


is  accomplished ;  and  of  this  process  the  grievous  temptations  which 
the  Lord  endured  in  the  glorification  of  his  Humanity  Mere  repre- 
sentative. Thus  the  apostle  Paul  writes  to  the  Romans,  "  Therefore  we 
are  buried  with  Him  by  baptism  unto  death :  that  like  as  Christ  [the 
Lord's  Humanity]  was  raised  up  from  the  dead  by  the  glory  of  the 
Father  [or  the  indwelling  Divinity],  even  so  we  also  should  walk  in 
newness  of  life.  For  if  we  have  been  planted  together  in  the  likeness 
of  his  death,  we  shall  be  also  in  the  likeness  of  his  resurrection : 
knowing  this,  that  our  old  man  is  crucified  with  Him,  that  the  body 
of  sin  might  be  destroyed,  that  henceforth  we  should  not  serve  sin. 
For  he  that  is  dead  is  freed  from  sin.  Now  if  we  be  dead  with  Christ, 
we  believe  that  we  shall  also  live  with  Him.  .  .  .  For  in  that  He 
died.  He  died  unto  sin  once :  but  in  that  He  liveth,  He  liveth  unto 
God.  Likewise  reckon  ye  also  yourselves  to  be  dead  indeed  unto  sin, 
but  alive  unto  God  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord  "  (Rom.  vi.  4-11). 

The  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  then,  offered  a  perfect  sacrifice  of  obedience 
to  his  own  divine  law ;  "  He  consecrated  a  new  and  living  way  for  us 
through  the  veil,  that  is  to  say,  his  flesh  "  (Heb.  x.  20) ;  He  became 
our  example  (1  Pet.  ii.  21).  "We  are  exhorted  continually  to  approach 
Him  without  fear,  to  follow  Him,  to  be  like  Him,  who  was  made  "  per- 
fect through  sufferings"  (Heb.  ii.  10),  and  "  learned  obedience  by  the 
things  which  He  suffered ;  and  being  made  perfect,  He  became  the  au- 
thor of  eternal  salvation  unto  all  them  that  obey  Him  "  (Heb.  v.  8, 9). 

Like  as  the  Lord  gained  a  complete  victory  over  hell,  and  accom- 
plished his  work  of  glorification  by  laying  down  his  life  and  taking 
it  again  (John  x.  18),  so  man,  in  humble  and  full  dependence  upon 
Him,  must  work  out  his  own  salvation  (Phil.  ii.  12) ;  and  the  life- 
giving  blood  of  the  New  Covenant  will  supply  every  obedient  believer 
with  the  means  of  victory  over  death  and  hell  (Rev.  xii.  11).  We 
are,  coi>sequently,  "  to  follow  the  Lord  in  the  regeneration  "  (Matt, 
xix.  28),  not  by  the  observance  of  Jewish  sacrifices,  nor  yet  by  looking 
upon  the  Lord  as  a  piacular  victim,  who  suffered  death  in  our  stead, 
but  by  obedience  to  the  Divine  will  and  wisdom,  thus  by  shunning  the 
evil  which  that  wisdom  condemns,  and  doing  the  good  which  that  will 
approves ;  by  a  life  of  heavenly  "  charity  or  love  out  of  a  pure  heart, 
and  of  a  good  conscience,  and  of  faith  unfeigned  "  (1  Tim.  i.  5). 

Such  is  the  true,  spiritual,  and  only  acceptable  worship  of  which 
the  sacrifices  of  Abraham  and  the  patriarchs,  the  ceremonial  worship 
of  the  Israelites,  and  the  life  and  ministry  of  our  divine  Redeemer 
were  eminently  representative. 


CHAPTER  XX. 


The  Entike  History  of  the  Four  Gospels  Literally  True,  but  Sig- 
nificative AND  Representative  in  every  Particular  Recorded. — 
Illustrations  from  the  Lord's  Parables  and  Miracles,  His  Trans- 
figuration, Life,  Ministry,  and  Crucifixion. 

IN  the  parabolic  instruction  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour,  Jesus  Christ, 
in  the  miracles  which  He  wrought,  and  in  the  whole  progress  of 
his  life  and  ministry  on  earth,  as  recorded  in  the  four  Gospels,'*^  we 
have  the  most  incontestable  evidence,  and  the  most  positive  assur- 
ances, that  the  entire  literal  sense  was  designed  to  convey  a  more 
interior  signification.  Hence  He  made  a  most  remarkable  distinction 
between  understanding  his  speech,  and  hearing,  or  hearkening  to  his 
words  ;  between  what  He  said  and  what  He  spake  (John  viii.  43  ;  xii. 
49).  The  apparently  irrelevant  and  ambiguous  answers  which  the 
Lord  so  often  gave  to  the  queries  of  those  by  whom  He  was  sur- 
rounded, are  of  themselves  sufficient  to  prove  that  the  meaning  of 
all  He  said  and'  did,  could  not  be  discovered  in  the  letter,  or  from 
the  outward  form  of  the  event.  When  He  washed  his  disciples'  feet, 
an  act  which  represented  the  purification  of  the  externals  of  the  mind 
and  life,  in  which  work  we  are  privileged  to  help  each  other,  the 
Lord  did  not  explain  the  symbols  He  presented  before  them,  but  said 
to  Peter,  "What  I  do  thou  knowest  not  now,  but  thou  shalt  know 
hereafter  ; "  and,  again,  "  I  have  given  you  an  example,  that  ye  should 
do  as  I  have  done  to  you  "  (John  xiii.  4-17).  When  He  reproved 
the  disciples  for  ambition  and  the  love  of  dominion,  external  preten- 
sions to  holiness,  and  vainglory.  He  set  before  them  a  little  child, — 
whose  engaging  qualities  of  simplicity,  innocence,  honesty  of  purj^ose, 
humility  of  mind,  and  docility,  con-espond  to  the  Christian  charac- 
ter,— and  he  required  them  to  imitate  its  artless  conduct,  to  adopt  its 
unpretending  simplicity,  and  to  practise  its  filial  obedience.  When 
the  woman  of  Samaria  was  asked  for  water,  the  Lord  directed  her 
attention  to  Himself  as  the  fountain  of  "  living  water,"  "  the  Word 


182  For  the  reasons  why  there  were  four  Gospels,  see  Noble's  Plenary  Inspiration  of  the 
Scriptures  Asserted,  etc.,  pp.  580-585. 

279 


280  THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


made  flesli,"  the  well-spring  of  eternal  truth,  of  -which,  "  "WTiosoever 
drinketh,"  He  added,  "  shall  never  thirst "  (John  iv.  6-15).  When 
He  crossed  the  Lake  of  Tiberias  with  his  disciples,  and  they  had  for- 
gotten to  provide  themselves  with  bread,  He  said  unto  them,  "  Take 
heed  and  beware  of  the  leaven  of  the  Pharisees  and  of  the  Saddu- 
cees"  (INIatt.  xvi.  6);  and  because  they  interpreted  what  He  said 
unto  them  as  if  it  had  relation  to  their  neglect,  He  added,  "  How  is 
it  that  ye  do  not  understand  that  I  spake  it  not  to  you  concerning 
bread,  that  ye  should  beware  of  the  leaven  of  the  Pharisees  and  of 
the  Sadducees  ?  Then  understood  they  how  that  He  bade  them  not 
beware  of  the  leaven  of  bread,  but  of  the  doctrine  of  the  Pharisees 
and  of  the  Sadducees"  (11,  12).  When  the  Jews  required  from  Him 
a  sign  fiom  heaven,  in  attestation  of  his  authority.  He  "answered 
and  said  unto  them,  Destroy  this  temple,  and  in  three  days  I  will  raise 
it  up"  (John  ii.  19).  They  immediately  I'eferred  what  He  had  said 
to  the  erection  of  their  temple,  and  deridingly  replied,  "  Forty  and 
six  years  was  this  temple  in  building,  and  wilt  thou  rear  it  up  in  three 
days  ?  "  No  explanation  was  then  given,  but  it  is  added  that  "  He 
spake  of  the  temple  of  his  body.  When  therefore  He  was  risen  from 
the  dead,  his  disciples  remembered  that  He  had  said  this  unto  them ; 
and  they  believed  the  scripture,  and  the  word  which  Jesus  had  said  " 
(20-22). 

Many  other  similar  instances  might  be  adduced,  but  these  are  suffi- 
cient to  prove  most  unquestionably  that  all  which  the  Lord  said,  and 
what  is  said  of  Him,  was  significative,  and  that  all  his  divine  works 
were  representative. 

If  we  read  carefully  the  beautiful  parables  of  our  Saviour,  we  shall 
find  them  teeming  with  spiritual  instruction,  of  which  very  little  ap- 
pears on  the  surface  or  in  the  letter.  In  them  the  Lord  spake  by 
pure  correspondences,  and  each  single  expression  is  full  of  "spirit  and 
life."  Take,  for  example,  the  seven  parables  recorded  in  the  thirteenth 
chapter  of  Matthew.  Of  these,  a  learned,  pious  and  intelligent  writer 
has  made  the  following  truly  interesting  remarks : 

"  The  several  parables  contained  in  this  chapter  stand  in  a  con- 
nected order  as  to  their  internal  sense,  and  thus  follow  each  other  in 
a  regular  series  expressive  of  the  whole  process  of  regeneration,  com- 
mencing with  the  first  reception  of  heavenly  truth  from  the  Word, 
and  advancing  througli  all  gradations  of  its  growth  to  the  full  matu- 
ritv  of  heavenly  love  and  life.  Accordingly,  the  first  parable  of  the 
sower  describes  the  first  insemination  of  truth,  which  is  the  first  step 
towards  the  regenerate  life.    The  second  parable  of  the  tares  of  the 


THE  GOSPEL  mSTORY  ALL  SIGNIFICATIVE.  281 

field  describes  the  manifestation  of  evils  and  falses  in  consequence  of 
such  insemination,  which  is  a  second  step,  and  an  effect  of  the  first. 
The  third  jjarable  of  the  grain  of  mustard-seed  describes  the  small 
increment  of  heavenly  life,  whilst  man  supposes  that  he  doeth  good 
from  himself  alone,  and  not  from  the  Lord,  which  is  a  third  state  in 
the  regeneration.  The  fourth  parable  of  the  leaven,  etc.,  describes 
the  temptations  consequent  on  the  reception  of  heavenly  truth  and 
good,  Avhich  is  a  fourth  state.  The  fifth  parable  of  treasure  hid  in  a 
field,  describes  the  further  effect  of  the  reception  of  heavenly  truth 
and  good,  in  leading  man  to  renounce  his  proprium  or  his  own  proper 
life,  that  he  may  appropriate  the  life  of  heaven,  which  is  signified  by 
selling  all  that  he  hath  and  buying  the  field,  and  which  is  a  fifth 
state.  The  sixth  parable  of  the  merchant-man  seeking  beautiful 
pearls,  describes  the  effect  of  heavenly  truth  in  leading  man  to  the 
acknowledgment  of  the  Lord,  as  the  alone  source  of  all  good  and 
truth,  and  the  consequent  renunciation  of  self-love  and  its  guidance, 
which  is  a  sixth  state.  The  seventh  parable  of  a  net  cast  into  the 
sea,  describes  the  last  effect  of-  the  recej^tion  of  heavenly  truth  and 
good,  in  accomplishing  a  full  and  final  separation  between  goods  and 
evils,  and  between  truths  and  falses,  so  that  goods  and  truths  are 
brought  into  conjunctiou  with  heaven,  whilst  evils  and  falses  are  cast 
down  into  hell ;  and  this  is  the  seventh  and  last  state  of  the  regener- 
ate life.""^ 

The  miracles  of  our  Lord  were  not  only  works  of  mercy  actually 
done  on  behalf  of  a  few  individuals,  or  WTought  in  testimony  of  his 
exclusive  divinity  and  sovereignty,  but  were,  in  every  particular,  rep- 
resentative and  significative  of  what  He  is  still  doing,  and  will  be 
forever  doing,  to  promote  the  salvation  of  his  creatures.  Just  as  dis- 
eases, for  instance,  disorganize,  afflict,  and  destroy  the  pow'ers  of  the 
body,  so  sin  and  folly,  the  offspring  of  evil,  disturb  the  order  of  life 
and  destroy  the  spiritual  faculties  of  the  soul,  rendering  it  incapable 
of  receiving  the  vital  influences  of  heaven,  except  in  a  perverted 
degree.  Hence,  He  opened  the  e3'es  of  the  blind,  to  denote  that  the 
truth  of  his  Word  can  unclose  the  darkened  understanding  and  dis- 
sipate the  mists  of  spiritual  ignorance.  He  healed  the  sick,  to  signify 
that  He  only  can  restore  the  diseased  and  feeble  mind  to  spiritual 
health  and  strength.  He  cleansed  the  lepers,  to  signify  that  He  alone 
can  deliver  man  from  those  filthy  and  contagious  states  of  evil  in 


i«3  Gofpel  arcording  to  Matthew,  translated 
from  the  original  Greek,  and  illustrated  with. 
Extracts  from  the  writings  of  Swedenborg.  by  the 
Rev.  J.  Clotves,  M.  A.  See  Notes  to  chap.  xiii. 
"It  is  my  persuasion  that  the  [seven]  para- 
bles in  this  chapter  are  not  to  be  considered 
disjointedly,  but  to  be  taken  together  as  a 
24* 


connected  series."— ^toander  Knox's  Re- 
mains, vol.  i.,  p.  408. 

"  Doubtless  these  seven  [parables]  have  a 
certain  unity,  .succeeding  one  another  in 
natural  order,  and  having  a  completeness  in 
themselves."— rrencft's  Notes  on  the  Parables, 
p.  142. 


282 


THE  SCIEXCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


■n  hich  he  profanes  the  divine  truth.  He  opened  deaf  ears,  and  com- 
manded the  dumb  to  speak,  and  caused  the  lame  to  Avalk,  in  order  to 
exhibit  the  process  of  those  inward  operations  of  his  mercy  by  which 
men  are  prepared  to  listen  to  the  instructions  of  true  wisdom,  are 
disposed  to  offer  thanksgiving  to  Him  in  the  grateful  acknowledgment 
that  He  is  the  only  giver  of  "  every  good  and  perfect  gift,"  and  are 
enabled  to  walk  in  the  way  of  the  divine  commandments.  He  raised 
the  dead,  to  prove  that  He  alone  possesses  the  ability  to  awaken  man 
from  the  lethargy  and  corruption  of  spiritual  death,  and  to  give  im- 
mortal life  to  the  soul,  once  "  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins  "  (Eph.  ii.  1), 
for  "  to  be  carnally-minded  is  death,  but  to  be  spiritually -minded  is 
life  and  peace.  Because  the  carnal  mind  is  enmity  against  God " 
(Rom.  iii.  6,  7).  He  cast  out  devils,  to  show  that  by  faith  and  love, 
derived  from  Him  as  their  divine  source,  man  may  reject  from  his 
natural  mind  those  unclean  lusts  and  affections,  and  those  false  and 
foul  pereuasions,  thence  derived,  which,  before  the  work  of  regenera- 
tion is  begun,  obsess  his  spirit.""  He  walked  on  the  tempestuous  sea, 


1^  The  following  extracts,  from  various 
authors,  will  serve  to  show  that  a  very  gen- 
enil  perception  of  the  truth,  on  this  impor- 
tant subject,  has  existed  in  the  Christian 
Church. 

"  There  is  a  remarkable  fragment  of  Ori- 
gen  produced  by  the  martyr  Pamphilus, 
which  represents  him  as  speaking  of  the 
evangelical  narrative  generally:  'Though 
these  things  have  a  spiritual  meaning,  yet 
the  truth  of  the  history  beingy!rs(  eslablithed. 
the  spiritual  sense  is  to  be  t.iken  as  some- 
thing over  and  above.  For  what  if  our  Lord, 
in  a  spiritual  sense,  be  always  curing  the 
blind,  when  He  casts  his  light  on  minds 
blinded  with  ignorance;  yet  lie  did  not  the 
less  at  that  time  heal  one  corporally  blind. 
And  He  is  ever  raising  the  dead ;  yet  He  did 
then  really  perform  wonders  of  that  kind 
also,  as  when  He  rai.sed  JairiLs's  daugliter. 
and  the  widow's  son,  and  Lazarus.  And 
though  at  all  times,  when  awakened  by  his 
disciples.  Ho  quiets  the  storms  and  wliirl- 
winds  of  his  church  :  yet  it  is  unquestiona- 
ble that  tho.se  things  also,  which  are  related 
in  the  hi.story,  really  took  i)lace  on  that  oc- 
ca-sion.'" — Apol.  pro.  Orig.,  p.  36;  D.  ad.  Oilc. 
Orig.  Kd.  Bened.,t.  iv.,  cited  in  Tracts /or  the 
Timen,  Ixxxix.,  p.  58. 

"The  works  wliich  Jesus  then  did,  were 
the  symbols  of  those  things  which  He  by  his 
power  is  always  doing." — Oriijen  in  Malt., 
cap.  XV.  "Whatsoever  Jesus  did  in  the  flesh  ^ 
was,  as  to  every  particular,  a  similitude  and  ; 


t}-pe  of  what  He  will  do  hereafter."— 7n  Isa., 
cap.  vi.  "The  true  miracles  of  Christ,  and 
the  healing  of  tlie  sick,  are  of  a  spiritual 
kind." — In  Matt.,  cap.  xxv.  He  explains  the 
miracles  of  healing  allegorically ;  for  in- 
stance, the  lunatic  in  Matt.  xiv.  "  is  a  spirit- 
ually diseased  man,  who  at  one  time  is  vir- 
tuoiLs,  but  more  frequently  assailed  by  the 
epilepsy  of  sinful  passions."— T.  xiii.,  s.  4. 

"  To  the  same  purpose  Athanasius.  with  re- 
spect to  our  manner  of  tliinking  and  speak- 
ing of  things  divine  and  the  mysteries  of  the 
gospel,  with  great  truth  and  elegance  ex- 
presseth  himself  thus :  '  These  things  are  ex- 
pressed indeed  after  the  manner  of  men,  or 
in  liuman  language;  but  they  are  conceived 
in  a  godlike  or  heavenly  manner.'  " — Tilings 
Divine,  and  Supernatural  conceived  by  Analogy 
with  things  yatural  and  Human,  by  the  author 
of"  The  Procedure,  Extent,  and  Limits  of  the 
Human  Understanding."  p.  87.  London  :  1733. 

".Vlthough  tlie  works  of  Jesus  were  done 
at  this  time,  we  should  consider  well  what 
their  signification  is  in  relaticm  to  future 
times ;  .  .  .  for  the  then  present  ivc-ts  of  the 
I>ird  declare  the  form  of  the  future."— i/iV<i)-j/, 
in  Mail.,  cap.  x.,  s. .'),  et  cap.  xxi. 

"  The  cures  wliit  h  Jesus  wrought  upon  the 
blind  were  indeed  great,  but.  unless  He  daily 
do  as  miglity  works  to  us,  they  are  not  great." 
— John  of  Jtrusalem,  Homil.  xxx. 

"  If  there  had  been  nothing  more  than  a 
temporal  use  to  be  gained  by  [tlie  miraeulons 
cure  of  the  sick  J,  then  did  He  [the  Lord  J  noth- 


THE  GOSPEL  HISTORY  ALL  SIGNIFICATIVE.  283 


and  rebuked  the  winds  and  waves,  not  only  to  prove  that  He  was  the 
God  of  nature,  in  human  form,  but  to  signify  that  his  omnipotent 
power  alone  can  subdue  and  control  the  raging  influence  of  hell,  and 
that  He  is  ever  in  the  act  of  assuaging  the  troubles,  and  dissipating 
the  doubts  and  fears,  of  his  faithful  followers.  He  miraculously  in- 
creased a  small  quantity  of  food,  and  supplied  the  wants  of  multi- 
tudes, to  signify  his  ability  and  willingness  to  impart  in  rich  abun- 
dance, to  all  who  truly  come  unto  Him,  the  elements  which  are 
needed  for  the  support  of  spiritual  life  and  energy  in  the  soul. 

"  Divine  miracles,"  says  Swedenborg,  "  differ  from  magical  mira- 
cles, as  heaven  from  hell.  Divine  miracles  ^jroceed  from  divine  truth. 


ing  of  great  importance  to  those  who  were 
healed  by  Him." — Irenxus,  lib.  v.,  cap.  xii.,  s. 
6.  "The  different  kinds  of  sickness  and  dis- 
ease existing  at  that  time  among  the  people 
whom  the  Saviour  cured,  relate  to  the  spir- 
itual infirmities  of  human  souls."— /ra  Matt., 
cap.  xvii. 

"  He  is  at  this  day  performing  those  still 
greater  cures,  on  account  of  which  He  con- 
descended to  exhibit  those  lesser  miracles" 
(Auf/usliiie  in  Serm.  88);  and  that  "our  Lord 
intended  that  those  cures  which  He  per- 
formed bodily  should  also  be  underetood 
spiritually."— 7n  Scrm.  98,  s.  3. 

"When  He  [the  Lord  Jesus]  healed  the  sick, 
gave  sight  to  the  blind,  and  enabled  the  lame 
to  walk,  He  not  only  proved  his  authority, 
but  suggested  the  inference  that  He  had 
come  to  restore  our  corrupted  nature  to  its 
original  purity,  to  enlighten  the  ignorant,  as 
all  men  were,  and  to  enable  us  to  stand  in  the 
path  of  life." — Hind's  History  of  Christianity, 
vol.  i.,  p.  ys. 

"  The  miracles  of  our  Lord  on  the  bodies 
of  men  .  .  .  appear  .  .  .  not  merely  as  indica- 
tions of  a  divine  power,  which  had  author- 
ity to  command,  but  also  as  themselves  the 
vehicles  of  spiritual  instruction.  .  .  .  Our 
Lord  himself,  in  his  cures,  did  sometimes 
studiously  connect  the  external  malady  with 
the  diseases  of  the  soul;  or  we  may  say, 
seemed  earnestly  to  endeavor  to  turn  the 
thoughts  of  the  bystanders  from  the  bodily 
disease  to  the  sins  that  occasioned  it,  and 
were  connected  with  it;  as  by  using  the 
words, '  Thy  sins  be  forgiven  thee,'  instead 
of  merely  dispelling  the  disease.  .  .  .  And  of 
course,  a  good  man  would  not  limit  the  in- 
structions, thus  conveyed,  to  those  particular 
instiinces  themselves;  but  would  consider 
them  rather  as  intimations  of  a  great  system, 
and  of  an  extensive  correspondence  in  the 
evils  of  the  body  and  soul,  which  we  know 


not  how  to  limit,  any  more  than  we  can  limit 
the  divine  order  and  arrangement  of  all 
things.  .  .  .  From  all  this  analogy,  the  thought 
will  occur  to  one,  whether  every  bodily  dis- 
temper may  not  be  but  the  analogy  or  figure 
of  some  corresponding  malady  of  the  soul, 
not  of  cour.se  existing  in  the  same  person,  as 
they  are  often  most  free  from  any  such  con- 
nection; but  implying  some  resemblance  in 
the  diseases  and  distempers  which  prevail 
in  the  two  worlds  of  matter  and  spirit.  .  .  . 
Nothing  (again]  is  more  frequent  than  the 
words  of  hearing  and  of  seeing,  and  of  deaf- 
ness and  blindness,  as  applied  to  the  soul. 
Our  Lord  himself  repeatedly  uses  this  figura- 
tive language;  and  on  one  remarkable  oc- 
casion connects  the  lesson  of  spiritual  blind- 
ness with  that  of  the  bodily  eye,  and  draws 
the  attention  from  one  to  the  other;  for  on 
healing  the  man  that  was  blind  from  his 
birth.  He  declared  of  the  Pharisees,  '  I  am 
come,  that  they  who  see  not  may  see,  and 
that  they  who  see  may  be  made  blind.'  " — 
Thouffhts  on  the  Study  of  the  Holy  Gospels,  etc., 
by  the  Rev.  Isaac  Williams,  B.D.,  late  Felloio  of 
Trinity  College,  Oxford,  pp.  247-253. 

"Oh,  Jesus !  once  tossed  on  the  breast  of  the 
billow, 

Aroused  by  the  shriek  of  despair  from  thy 
pillow. 

Now  seated  in  glory,  the  mariner  cherish. 
Who  cries  in  his  danger, '  Help,  Lord,'  or  we 
perish." 

And,  oh,  when  the  whirlwind  of  passion  is 
raging, 

When  hell  in  our  hearts  his  wild  warfare  is 
waging. 

Arise  in  thy  strength  thy  redeemed  to  cher- 
ish. 

Rebuke  the  destroyer — 'Help,  Lord,'  or  we 
perish."  Bishop  Ueber. 


284 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


and  go  forward  according  to  order ;  the  effects,  in  ultimates,  are  mira- 
cles, when  it  pleases  the  Lord  that  they  should  be  presenled  in  that 
form.  Hence  it  is  that  all  divine  miracles  represent  states  of  the 
Lord's  kingdom  in  the  heavens,  and  of  the  Lord's  kingdom  in  the 
earths,  or  of  the  church  ;  this  is  the  internal  form  of  divine  miracles. 
Such  is  the  case  Avith  all  the  miracles  in  Egypt,  and  also  with  the 
rest  that  are  mentioned  in  the  "Word.  All  the  miracles,  also,  which 
the  Lord  Himself  wrought  when  He  was  in  the  world,  signified  the 
approaching  state  of  the  church,  as  the  opening  the  eyes  of  the  blind, 
etc.,  signifying  that  such  as  are  represented  by  the  blind,  etc.,  would 
receive  the  Gospel,  and  be  spiritually  healed,  and  this  by  the  coming 
of  the  Lord  into  the  world.  Such  are  divine  miracles  in  their  inter- 
nal form.  Magical  miracles  appear  like  divine  miracles,  because  they 
flow  from  order,  and  order  appears  like  in  the  ultimates  Avhere  mira- 
cles are  presented.  [But]  although  in  the  external  form  [magical 
miracles]  appear  like  divine  miracles,  they  nevertheless  have  in  them 
a  contrary  end,  viz.,  of  destroying  those  things  which  are  of  the 
church  ;  whei-eas,  divine  miracles  have  inwardly  in  them  the  end  of 
building  up  those  things  Avhich  are  of  the  church." — -A.  C,  n.  7337. 

"  The  miracles  which  the  Lord  performed  when  He  sojourned  on 
the  earth  were  actual  facts,  as  well  as  representative  works.  Their 
performance  was  not,  as  many  suppose,  effected  by  the  exercise  of 
arbitrary  power  in  opposition  to  the  laws  of  creative  order,  but 
dispensing  with  those  mediums,  or  the  setting  aside  of  those  inter- 
mediate modes  of  operation  by  which  the  great  Creator  brings  forth 
all  effects  in  the  order  of  nature, — thus  the  activities  of  the  spiritual 
world,  whose  creations  are  instantaneous,  and  not  progressive,  being 
brought  near  the  natural  world,  and  acting  more  directly  upon  mat- 
ter, control  or  suspend  all  mediums,  and  produce  a  spontaneous  and 
instantaneous  effect  both  on  organized  forms  and  natural  substances. 
Hence,  at  the  Lord's  presence  infernal  spirits  were  compelled  to  retire, 
inveterate  diseases  were  healed,  new  arrangements  of  internal  and 
external  structure  were  supplied,  withered  limbs  wore  restored,  health 
was  infused  into  the  disordered  frame,  the  very  dead  were  raised  to 
life,  water  was  turned  into  wine,  bread  was  multiplied  by  a  word,  the 
raging  sea  was  calmed.  It  was  an  extraordinary  descent  of  spiritual 
force  into  nature,  or  into  the  tilings  of  the  natural  world,  which  thus 
effected  all  known  miracles.  They  were  no  direct  breach  of  divine 
order,  but  rather  a  manifestation  of  that  superior  order  which  prevails 
in  the  sj)iritual  world,  and  wiiich,  when  permitted  to  enter  into  the 
natural  world,  supersedes  or  extinguishes  for  the  moment,  and  within 
the  space  allotted  for  its  action,  the  common  order  of  nature,  just  as 
a  vivid  concentrated  sunlieam,  or  a  flash  of  lightning  from  heaven, 
supersedes  and  extinguishes  all  minor  earthly  flames." — Hindmursh's 
Essay  on  the  Lord's  Resurrection,  page  70. 

Nor  should  it  be  forgotten  that  these  mighty  works  cannot  be  done 
in  man,  and  for  him,  without  his  own  free  and  hearty  cooperation 


THE  GOSPEL  HISTORY  ALL  SIGNIFICATIVE.  285 


with  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  his  God  and  Saviour,  from  whom  all 
power  is  derived.  Wherefore  He  says,  "  Behold,  I  give  you  jwwer 
to  tread  on  serpents  and  scorpions," — that  is,  power  to  subdue  all  the 
false  and  deadly  persuasions  of  sensuality, — "  and  over  all  the  power 
of  the  enemy,  and  nothing  shall  by  any  means  hurt  you  "  (Luke 
X.  19). 

The  works  of  the  Saviour  were  likewise  representative,  as  must  be 
evident  from  his  own  divine  declaration,  where  He  says,  "Verily, 
verily,  I  say  unto  you.  He  that  believeth  on  me,  the  works  that  I  do 
shall  he  do  also ;  and  greater  works  than  these  shall  he  do ;  because 
I  go  unto  my  Father "  (John  xiv.  12),  where  we  are  taught  that 
these  mighty  works  are  to  be  wrought  in  us  by  the  combined  activi- 
ties of  love  and  wisdom,  signified  in  the  spiritual  sense  by  the  Father 
and  the  Son ;  that  they  are  to  be  done  by  the  united  operation  of 
the  human  Avill  with  the  Divine  will ;  and  that  they  are  as  much 
greater  than  those  which  had  reference  to  the  renovation  and 
preservation  of  the  body  as  the  soul  is  su^jerior  to  its  earthly  taber- 
naclf. 

As  an  example  of  the  manner  in  which  the  Lord's  miracles  are  to 
be  explained  and  understood,  we  will  briefly  instance  the  deeply  in- 
teresting one,  literally  performed  at  the  marriage  in  Cana  of  Galilee, 
and  recorded  in  the  first  twelve  verses  of  John  ii.  Cana  was  a  city 
of  the  Gentile  nations,  which  signifies,  in  the  spiritual  sense,  the  state 
of  those  who  acknowledge  their  destitution  of  divine  truth,  and  who, 
in  consequence  of  their  ignorance  of  the  Word  of  God,  are  preserved 
from  the  dreadful  evils  of  profanation,  which  had  consummated  a 
previous  dispensation.  It  was  to  enlighten  and  instruct  such  humble 
minds,  that  the  Lord  condescended  to  sojourn  in  the  flesh ;  and,  to 
represent  his  divine  purposes  and  operations  more  vividly.  He  made 
the  first  wondrous  display  of  his  mercy  on  the  delightful  occasion 
of  a  nuptial  ceremony  in  Galilee  of  the  Gentiles.  A  marriage,  we 
have  seen,  signifies  the  union  of  love  and  wisdom  in  the  will  and  un; 
derstaiiding ;  hence,  also,  conjunction  with  the  Lord,  for  without  such 
a  union  of  the  constituent  principles  of  the  church,  and  of  every 
individual,  no  such  conjunction  can  be  experienced.  When  the  sin- 
cere desire  for  it  exists,  however,  the  Lord  is  said  to  be  called  or 
invited  to  the  feast.  He  is  present,  as  to  his  divine  love,  denoted  by 
his  name,  Jesus ;  for  it  is  from  the  infinite  ardor  of  his  love  that  He 
wills  to  "  save  his  people  from  their  sins  "  (Matt.  i.  21).  He  is  present 
together  with  the  inward  good  affection,  denoted  by  the  Mother  of 


286 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


Jesus,'*^  which  prompts  the  perception  of  that  holy  principle,  and 
with  his  disciples,  significative  of  all  the  divine  truths  and  doctrines 
derived  from  Him  through  his  Word,  and  needful  to  supply  the  ful- 
ness of  instruction.  The  third  day  denotes  a  complete  state  of  prep- 
aration. The  feast  commenced,  but  it  was  suggested  by  ^lary,  who 
represented  heavenly  affection,  that  they  had  no  wine.  External 
truth,  signified  by  the  water,  with  its  cleansing  and  refreshing  quali- 
ties, existed  in  abundance  ;  but  interior  truth,  signified  by  wine,  which 
exhilarates  the  inmost  principles  of  the  soul,  was  wanting.'**  "When 
the  Lord  was  thus  applied  to,  He  apparently  gave  a  discouraging 
answer,  but  in  reality  teaches  that  internal  truth,  however  desired, 
cannot  be  given  till  the  hour  or  state  arrives  in  which  man  is  duly 
prepared  for  it,  and  which  is  induced  by  a  willing  and  simple  obe- 
dience to  the  truths  already  acquired.  The  servants  are  therefore 
directed  to  do  whatsoever  the  Lord  saith.  The  six  water-pots  of 
stone,  "  set  after  the  manner  of  the  purifying  of  the  Jews,  containing 
two  or  three  firkins  apiece,"  signify  the  divine  Word  itself,  and  the 
purifying  tendency  of  its  doctrines ;  and  their  numbers  and  measiyes 
denote  fulness,  adapted  to  every  state  of  the  church  and  the  mind. 
To  be  filled  to  the  brim  signifies,  that  as  the  Word  is  obeyed,  it  is  seen 
to  be  replenished, — to  overflow  with  an  infinite  abundance  of  truths. 

To  select  one  more  illustration  of  the  internal  sense  of  the  Gospels, 
let  us  refer  to  the  narrative  of  the  Lord's  transfiguration  on  the 
mount,  related  by  three  of  the  Evangelists  (Matt.  xvii. ;  Mark  ix. ; 
Luke  ix.).  This  wonderful  event  was  designed  in  general  to  teach 
that  the  whole  Word  bears  unbroken  witness  to  the  great  truth  that 
the  divine  love,  wisdom  and  power  are  the  indwelling  attributes  of 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Three  of  the  disciples,  Peter,  James  and 
John,  were  present.  I  may  observe  that  the  Lord  was  so  seen  by 
these  disciples,  when,  being  withdrawn  from  the  body,  their  spiritual 
sight  was  opened.  Though  it  is  described,  like  the  ancient  prophetic 
visions,  as  if  it  had  happened  in  the  natural  world,  it  was  in  reality 
a  transaction  wliich  took  place  in  the  spiritual  world.  We  have 
before  observed,  that  by  the  three  disciples,  Peter,  James  and  John, 


105  See  Luke  viii.  21 ;  John  ix.  27. 

"  Wine,  in  many  passages,  is  put  by  us 
for  the  Holy  Scriptures,  which  contnin  within 
them  tlic  purest  force  of  heavenly  wisdom, 
by  which  the  understandings  of  men  are 
■warmed,  and  their  affections  inebriated. 
While  Christ  wrought  in  Cana  of  Galilee, 


arc  removed,  and  the  truth  is  presented  to 
view.  The  good  wine  is  the  Old  Testament, 
but  this  fgood  wine)  docs  not  appear,  unless 
in  the  letter  it  be  spiritually  understood." — 
Auffiifline  /1pp.  in  Serm.  xc. 

•'  By  wine,  the  spiritual  intelligence  of  the 
divine  law  is  denoted.   Whence  the  lyord  at 


they  wanted  wine,  and  wine  is  produced  for  the  marriage  in  Quia  turned  the  water  into 
them;  that  is,  the  shadows  (of  the  letter)  .  wiue." —Durandus  on  Symbolism,  p.  IbS. 


THE  GOSPEL  HISTORY  ALL  SIGNIFICATIVE.  287 


are  signified  the  three  essentials  of  all  religion,  viz.,  faith,  charity  or 
love,  and  good  works  or  the  fruits  of  charity.  None  but  those  in 
whom  these  ennobling  principles  are  found  united  and  active  can 
spiritually  discern  the  Lord's  glory  in  his  Word.  It  is  said  that  after 
six  days  the  Lord  took  them  up  into  a  high  mountain  apart.  After 
six  days  signifies  a  state  of  rest,  peace  and  joy,  denoted  also  by  the 
Sabbath, — a  holy  and  heavenly  state  which  can  only  be  attained  by 
passing  through  the  previous  states  of  labor  and  trial,  and  by  endur- 
ing the  severe  conflicts  of  temptation,  signified  by  the  six  days  in 
which  man  has  to  do  "  all  his  work."  By  a  high  mountain,  called 
by  an  apostle  "  the  holy  mount "  (2  Pet.  i.  18),  is  signified  a  state  of 
inmost  affection ;  denoting,  when  predicated  of  the  Lord,  his  divine 
love  for  his  creatures,  and  when  predicated  of  them,  their  love  towards 
Him.  High  signifies  what  is  exalted  and  interior  ;  and  apart  denotes 
the  separation  which  obtains,  in  this  exalted  state,  between  what  is 
earthly  and  heavenly.  By  the  Lord  being  transfigured is  not  meant 
that  there  ever  v/as,  or  can  be,  any  change  in  Him ;  but  He  so  repre- 
sented Himself  in  the  presence  of  his  disciples  to  denote  that  the 
effulgence  of  his  inmost  Divinity  can  only  be  revealed  to  those  who 
are  prepared  to  ascend  the  mount  of  love.  There  they  can  see  and 
commune  with  their  God  and  Saviour.  From  that  lofty  elevation, 
losing  sight  of  his  sufferings  and  sorrows, — his  states  of  humiliation 
and  temptation, — He  is  beheld  in  all  the  splendors  of  his  glorified 
Humanity.  Nor  is  the  glory  which  is  thus  manifested,  any  extrane- 
ous appearance  assumed  in  a  moment,  and  for  temporary  purposes, 
but  it  is  an  inward  emanation,  perpetually  flowing  from  the  inherent 
essentials  of  his  own  divine  nature.  The  Lord's  face,  which  Avas  re- 
fulgent as  the  sun,  signified  his  infinite  goodness  and  mercy,  beaming 
with  splendors  from  his  divinely  glorified  Person.  His  garments, 
which  appeared  white  as  the  light,  signified  those  sacred  and  eternal 
truths  in  all  their  radiant  purity,  with  which  He  clothes  or  invests 
Himself  as  with  raiment  (Psalm  civ.  2).  By  Moses  and  Elias  are 
not  only  signified  the  great  lawgiver  and  the  prophet,  but  the  AVord 
itself,  which  they  were  instrumental  in  recording ;  Moses  denoting 
the  historical  portions,  and  Elias  the  prophetical.  Their  conversation 
with  the  Lord  was  unquestionable  evidence  that  the  whole  Word 
treats  concerning  Himself  and  his  divine  operations.  Through  the 
same  holy  medium,  man  also  may,  as  it  were,  hold  converse  with  his 
God.  By  Peter  saying,  "  Lord,  it  is  good  for  us  to  be  here  :  if  thou 
w  Lit.,  "  He  transfigured  himself." 


288 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


wilt,  let  us  make  here  three  tabernacles ;  one  for  thee,  and  one  for 
Moses,  and  one  for  Elias,"  is  denoted  the  blissful  perceptions  given  to 
a  true  faith,  that  the  highest  privilege  of  the  Christian  is  to  hold  in- 
tercourse with  the  Lord  through  his  Word,  thus  to  open  the  mind 
towards  Him,  that  dwelling  with  us  and  in  us  He  may  continually 
replenish  all  the  faculties  of  the  soul  with  his  divine  gifts.  The  cloud 
into  which  the  disciples  entered,  and  with  which  they  were  overshad- 
owed, represented  the  literal  sense  of  the  Word,  which,  veiling  its 
inward  truths,  accommodates  them  to  the  state  of  the  beholder,  and 
becomes  a  "  light  or  bright  cloud,"  when  these  truths  are  seen  to  shine 
through  it.  A  voice  out  of  the  cloud  is  the  response  or  confirmation 
of  divine  truth,  as  heard  in  the  pure  doctrines  of  religion,  and  taught 
even  in  the  letter  of  the  Word.  These  doctrines  instruct  us  that  the 
Lord  glorified  his  maternal  or  material  Humanity,  and  made  it  divine 
according  to  his  own  infinite  will  and  good  pleasure ;  that  all  the  ful- 
ness of  the  divinity  dwells  in  the  glorified  Humanity,  the  "  beloved 
Son  ;  "  and  that  having  learned  this  all-important,  all-glorious  truth, 
we  must  ever  harken  to  the  still  small  voice, — the  dictates  of  a  gen- 
uine conscience  formed  by  the  plastic  and  vital  operation  of  truth. 
By  the  disciples  heirring  the  voice,  falling  on  their  fiices,  and  being 
sore  afraid,  is  signified  a  disposition  to  obedience,  adoration  from  the 
deepest  humiliation  of  heart,  and  thence  inward  reverence  for  the 
Lord  and  dread  of  evil.  Jesus  touching  them  signifies  divine  com- 
munication of  new  strength  and  life  from  Himself.  His  saying, 
"Arise,  and  be  not  afraid,"  signifies  the  consequent  elevation  of  state, 
from  which  all  fear  is  banished,  because  the  Lord  is  seen  as  "  mighty 
to  save,"  and  as  saving  to  the  uttermost  all  who  come  imto  Him. 
And,  lastly,  by  the  disciples  "  lifting  up  their  eyes  and  seeing  no  man 
save  Jesus  only,"  is  meant,  that  in  this  exalted  state  of  the  under- 
standing, and  so  far  as  finite  power  can  discern  the  infinite,  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  is  perceived  in  all  his  grandeur  and  glory,  and  acknowl- 
edged from  the  heart  to  be  the  only  God  of  angels  and  men, — the 
Creator,  Redeemer  and  Saviour  of  his  creatures,  the  All  in  all  of  the 
church  in  heaven  and  on  earth,  "  the  Alpha  and  the  Omega,  the  be- 
ginning and  the  ending,  who  is,  and  who  was,  and  Avho  is  to  come, 
the  Almighty"  (Rev.  i.  8). 

The  Lord's  birth  into  the  world,'**  his  baptism,  temptations  and 


From  the  earliest  ages  of  Christianity, 
this  glorious  vision  has  been  rocrnrded  ns 
containini:  an  inward  sijjnifipation.niul  even 
some  perception  of  its  spiritual  imi)ort  may 


be  traced  in  various  authors;  thus  John  of 
Jerusalem  writes,  "  He  who  follows  the  let- 
ter of  the  Scripture,  and  remains  exclusively 
in  the  valley,  cannot  see  Jesus  clothed  in 


THE  GOSPEL  UISTORT  ALL  SIGNIFICATIVE.  289 


ministry,  his  crucifixion,  resurrection  and  ascension,  were,  as  to  every 
historical  circumstance  recorded  in  the  holy  Gospels,  not  only  true 
as  to  the  literal  facts  (see  ante),  but  also  significative  of  his  approach 
to  the  church  in  general,  and  to  every  prepared  mind  in  particular, 
and  of  his  reception,  acknowledgment  and  glorification  in  the  regen- 
erating mind ;  and  thus,  by  consequence,  they  are  made  to  represent 
all  the  various  steps  and  degrees  in  the  spiritual  pathway  through 
which  we  must  walk  to  obtain  an  everlasting  state  of  conjunction 
with  Him,  and  the  blessings  of  his  salvation."^"  The  temptations  in 
the  wilderness,  or  the  grievous  assaults  and  suggestions  of  the  infernal 


white  raiment;  but  he  who  follows  the  Word 
of  God  up  the  mountain,  that  is,  he  who  as- 
cends the  sublime  sense  of  the  law,  to  him 
Jesus  is  transfigured.  So  long  as  we  follow 
the  obscurity  of  the  letter,  Moses  and  Elias 
do  not  tiilk  with  Jesus ;  but  if  we  understand 
it  spiritually,  then  straightway  Moses  and 
Elias,  that  is  the  law  and  the  prophets,  come 
and  converse  witli  the  (iospel."— (//oin/Z., 
x.xxii.)  So  again  Origen  writes,  "Unless  thou 
ascend  the  mountain  of  God,  and  there  meet 
with  Moses;  unless  thou  ascend  the  lofty 
sense  of  the  law;  unless  tliou  reach  the 
height  of  spiritual  intelligence,  thy  raoutli  is 
not  opened  by  God.  If  thou  abide  in  the 
low  plain  of  the  letter,  and  do  no  more  tlian 
make  Jewish  narratives  of  historical  texts, 
thou  hast  not  met  Moses  on  the  mount  of 
God,  neither  hath  (Jod  opened  thy  mouth, 
nor  taught  thee  what  thou  oughtest  to  say." 
—[In  Ex.,  cap.  iv.]  In  another  place,  speak- 
ing of  the  same  subject,  he  observes,  "  Moses 
and  Elias  appeared  in  glory  when  they  talked 
with  Jesus,  and  in  this  fact  the  law  and  the 
prophets  are  shown  to  agree  with  the  Gos- 
pels, and  to  be  resplendent  with  the  same 
glory,  when  spiritually  understood."— (/h 
Epist.  ad  Rom.,  cap.  i.)  He  also  says,  "Christ 
is  transfigured,  when  He  is  discerned  theo- 
logically in  the  Spirit,  according  to  his  high 
dignity ;  and  not  according  to  the  simple  no- 
tions of  the  illiterate  multitude.  The  shining 
raiment  means  his  discourses,  and  the  evan- 
gelical and  apostolic  writings.  Whosoever 
discerns  Christ  in  this  way,  also  beliolds  Mo- 
ses and  Elias,  who,  by  synecdoche,  are  put 
for  all  the  prophets." — Comment,  in  Matt.,  t. 
xii.,  f  :57. 

169 "  Did  ^ve  really  lay  it  to  heart,  as  we  read 
verse  after  verse  of  the  gospels,— did  we  in 
earnest  put  our  minds  to  the  thought,— that 
this  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  the  Son  of  Mary,  is 
indeed  the  Most  High  God,  Creator  and  Pos- 
sessor of  heaven  and  earth,  and  of  all  things 
visible  and  invisible;  did  we  realize  our  con- 
viction of  this  truth  in  connection  with  each 
and  all  of  his  actions  and  discourses,  and  of 
25 


the  scenes  and  circumstances  in  which  we 
find  him  engaged,  we  should,  ofcour.se,  feel 
on  all  these  subjects  that  which  considerate 
persons  feel  in  regard  of  all  God's  words  and 
works,  viz.,  that  the  least  of  them  is  far  too 
deep  for  us ;  the  most  trivial  of  his  com- 
mandments is  exceeding  broad ;  the  slight- 
est, to  our  conception,  of  bis  acts  must  have 
eternal  and  infinite  associations  and  conse- 
quences. The  words,  then,  and  doings  of 
our  Blessed  Saviour,  being  as  they  are  the 
words  and  doings  of  God,  it  cannot  be  but 
they  must  mean  far  more  than  meets  the  ear 
or  the  eye  ;  they  cannot  but  be  fully  charged 
with  heavenly  and  mysterious  meaning, 
whether  we  are,  as  yet,  competent  to  discern 
some  part  of  that  meaning  or  no;  and  to 
look  at  them  in  that  light  may  be  called 
Mysticism ;  but  is  it  any  more  than  the  nat- 
ural and  necessary  result  of  considerate  faith 
in  his  divine  nature?" — Tracts  for  the  I'imes, 
Ixxxix.,  p.  119. 

"On  the  whole,  there  seems  no  want  of 
Scriptural  authority  for  the  allegory  as  ap- 
plied by  the  Fathers  to  the  New  Testament, 
considered  both  in  what  it  includes  and  in 
what  it  omits.  Most  modern  interpreters 
even,  and  almost  all  devotional  writers,  i-ec- 
ognize  it  in  principle,  some  perhaps  more 
or  less  unconsciously;  but  the  great  differ- 
ence between  them  and  the  ancients  seems 
to  lie  rather  in  this— that  the  ancients  fear 
not  to  carry  it  out,  in  every  part  of  the  Gos- 
pels, and  as  far  as  it  will  go  in  every  case, 
whereas  we,  in  modern  times,  each  draw  his 
own  arbitrary  line,  according  to  our  own 
taste,  or  our  notions  of  what  is  useful  or 
convincing,  or  out  of  deference  to  the  judg- 
ments we  expect  from  others." — Tracts  /or 
the  Times,  Ixxxix.,  p.  133. 

Neither  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles  nor  the 
Epistles  are  treated  in  this  way  by  any  of  the 
Fatliers  as  having  a  parabolical  sense  or 
spiritual  meaning,  except  where  citations 
are  made  from  what  the  Lord  said  in  the 
Gospels,  or  what  Moses  and  the  prophets 
had  written,  or  where  some  evident  allu- 


290 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


powers,  signified  by  the  devil  and  satan,  were  endured  by  our  blessed 
Lord  in  their  utmost  intensity,  while  He  was  clothed  with  an  infirm 
Human,  which,  with  all  the  hereditary  proclivities  and  corruptions 
of  our  degenerate  nature,  He  had  assumed  fiar  our  redemption,  or 
deliverance  from  hell.  They  are  very  briefly  portrayed  by  the  pen  of 
inspiration  (Matt.  iv. ;  Luke  iv.),  and  can  ouly  be  rationally  under- 
stood from  a  knowledge  of  the  inward  sense,  in  which  they  describe 
the  states  of  direful  temptation  and  inconceivable  anguish  that  He 
passed  through,  as  He  subjugated  the  infernal  hosts  in  that  wonderful 
process  by  which  He  delivered  man  from  their  influence,  and  made 
his  Humanity  Divine.  In  a  subordinate  sense,  as  the  Lord  was 
"tempted  in  all  points  like  as  we  are"  (Heb.  iv.  15),  the  inspired 
account  of  his  temptations  must  of  necessity  be  significative  of  the 
discouragements,  trials,  temptations  and  suflerings  with  which  every 
Christian  is  exercised  in  a  finite  degree,  as  he  faithfully  follows  the 
Lord  in  that  purifying  process  of  regeneration,  whereby  man  is  eter- 
nally saved  from  death  and  hell.  When  He  presents  Himself  to  our 
minds,  and  we  are  unprepared  for  his  glorious  presence,  because  we 
are  unwilling  to  cast  out  the  subtle  and  impure  afl^ections  and  thoughts 
which  fill  our  unregenerate  bosoms,  it  is  then  said  that  "  there  is  no 
room  for  Him  in  the  inn  "  (Luke  ii.  7) ;  and,  again,  in  tenderest  ac- 
cents we  hear  Him  bewailing  our  condition  in  language  of  love  and 
pity,  saying,  "  The  foxes  have  holes,  and  the  birds  of  the  air  have 
nests,  but  the  Son  of  Man  hath  not  where  to  lay  his  head  "  (Matt, 
viii.  20  ;  Luke  ix.  58) ;  for,  alas !  human  cunning  is  preferred  to 
divine  wisdom,  s^elf-dependence  to  Divine  Providence,  and  the  heart 
is  filled  witli  unclean  and  selfish  desires,  and  the  understanding  is 
overwhelmed  with  worldly  solicitude,  and  no  preparation  can  be  made 
for  the  reception  of  Him  who,  as  the  Son  of  Man,  presents  Himself 
befoi-e  us  in  his  own  blessed  Word.  "  He  cometh  to  his  own,  and  his 
own  receive  Him  not"  (John  i.  11).  In  their  perversity  of  soul  they 
say,  "  We  will  not  have  this  man  [the  eternal  Truth]  to  reign  over 
us"  (Luke  xix.  14) ;  we  acknowledge  no  sovereign  as  ruling  over  us 
but  "the  prince  of  this  world  "  (Luke  xix.  14) ;  "  We  have  no  king 
but  Csesar"  (John  xix.  15).  The  circumstances  attending  our  Lord's 
crucifixion  were  significative  of  a  depraved  state  of  the  church  and 
the  human  mind.  Swedenborg  places  this  subject  in  a  powerful 
light.    He  says : 

sions  are  made  to  what  is  there  recorded;  |  cation  of  a  few  proper  names,  under  which 
or  in  cxplnnntion  of  visions,  as  Paul's  con-  '  they  thought  some  mysteries  might  be  con- 
version and  Peter's  vision,  and  the  signili-  eealcd 


THE  GOSPEL  HISTORY  ALL  SIGNIFICATIVE.  291 


"That  the  Lord  Himself,  as  the  chief  Prophet,  represented  the 
state  of  the  church  in  its  relation  to  the  Word,  appears  from  the  cir- 
cumstances attending  his  passion ;  as,  that  He  was  betrayed  by  Judas  ; 
that  He  was  taken  and  condemned  by  the  chief  priests  and  elders ; 
that  they  buffeted  Him  ;  that  they  struck  Him  on  the  head  with  a 
reed ;  that  they  put  a  crown  of  thorns  on  his  head  ;  that  they  divided 
his  garments,  and  cast  lots  for  his  vesture ;  that  they  crucified  Him  ; 
that  they  gave  Him  vinegar  to  drink ;  that  they  pierced  his  side ; 
that  He  was  buried,  and  rose  again  on  the  third  day.  His  being  be- 
trayed by  Judas,  signified  that  He  was  betrayed  by  the  Jewish  nation, 
who  at  that  time  were  the  depositaries  of  the  Word ;  for  Judas  rep- 
resented that  nation.  His  being  taken  and  condemned  by  the  chief 
priests  and  elders,  signified  that  He  was  taken  and  condemned  by  the 
whole  Jewish  church.  Their  scourging  Him,  spitting  in  his  face, 
buffeting  Him,  and  striking  Him  on  the  head  with  a  reed,  signified 
that  they  treated  in  a  similar  manner  the  AVord,  Avith  respect  to  its 
divine  truths,  all  which  relate  to  the  Lord.  Their  putting  a  crown 
of  thorns  on  his  head,  signified  that  they  had  falsified  and  adulterated 
those  truths.  Their  dividing  his  garments  and  casting  lots  for  his 
vesture,  signified  that  they  had  divided  and  dispersed  all  the  truths 
of  the  Word,  but  not  its  spiritual  sense,  which  his  vesture  or  inner 
garment  represented.  Their  crucifying  Him,  signified  that  they  had 
destroyed  and  profaned  the  whole  world.  Their  giving  Him  vinegar 
to  drink,  signified  that  all  was  falsified  and  false,  and  therefore  He 
did  not  drink  it,  but  said,  '  It  is  finished.'  Their  piercing  his  side, 
signified  that  they  had  entirely  extinguished  every  truth  and  every 
good  of  the  Word.  His  being  buried,  signified  the  rejection  of  the 
residue  of  the  Humanity  taken  from  the  mother ;  and  his  rising  again 
on  the  third  day,  signified  his  glorification.  Where  these  circum- 
stances are  predicted  in  the  Prophets  and  the  Psalms,  their  signifi- 
cation is  similar." 

1'"  D.  i.,  n.  16.  I    Cunning  is  preferred  to  divine  wisdom, 

John  of  Jerusalem  observes,  "  Do  not  sup-  and  self-dependence  to  the  Divine  Provi- 
pose  that  it  was  only  in  former  times  Christ  '  dence;  and  the  heart  is  filled  with  unclean, 

selfish  desires,  and  the  understanding  is 
overwhelmed  with  worldly  solicitude,  and 
no  preparation  can  be  made  for  the  recep- 
tion of  Him  who,  as  the  Son  of  Man,  pre- 
sents Himself  before  us  in  his  own  blessed 
words,  "  He  Cometh  to  his  own,  and  his  own 
receive  Him  not"  (John  i.  11).  In  their  per- 
versity of  soul  they  say,  "  We  will  not  have 
this  man  [the  eternal  Truth]  to  reign." 


was  betrayed  by  the  priests,  condemned  by 
them,  and  delivered  over  to  be  crucified,  but 
even  now  He  is  betrayed  and  condemned  to 
death ;  for  Christ  is  the  Word  of  Truth,  and 
they  who  falsely  interpret  the  Word  of  Truth, 
betray  Him  to  be  mocked  and  crucified."— 
In  Matt.,  cap.  xx. 

The  apostles  also  make  a  practical  appli- 
cation of  the  Lord's  crucifixion. — See  Rom. 
Vi.  6 ;  Gal.  ii.  20,  v.  24,  vi.  14 ;  Heb.  vi.  4-6. 


292 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

The  Book  of  Revelation  Wholly  Composed  of  Divine  Symbols  or 
Correspondences. 

TPIE  Apocalypse,  or  Book  of  the  Revelation,  is  the  last  of  the 
inspired  \Yord,  and  is  Avholly  composed  of  divine  symbols.'"' 
Like  the  books  of  Daniel,  Ezekiel,  etc.,  it  has  been  looked  upon  as 
awfully  mysterious,  and  is  commonly  and  variously  interpreted  as 
having  reference  only  to  historical  events  relating  chiefly  to  the  polit- 
ical changes  -which  either  have  taken  place,  or  may  hereafter  take 
place,  in  the  outward  forms  of  the  church  and  among  the  several  em- 
pires and  kingdoms  of  the  world.  Many  of  the  predictions  scattered 
throughout  the  prophetical  portions  of  the  Word  have  indeed  been 
permitted  to  have  some  visible  and  very  general  accomplishment  in 
historical  facts,  for  important  reasons  already  adduced ;  and,  also,  be- 
cause of  the  close  connection  which  exists  between  natural  and  spir- 
itual events. 

Such  were  the  predictions  of  the  Lord's  first  coming,  the  overthrow 
of  Babylon,  Nineveh,  Tyre,  etc.,  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  the 
dispersion  of  the  Jews,  the  establishment  of  the  Christian  church, 
and  many  others.  By  this  means,  a  devout  reverence  for  the  sacred 
Word,  as  a  revelation  from  God,  has  been  preserved  among  the  human 
race  amid  ages  of  darkness  and  desolation ;  and  although  the  Apoca- 
lypse could  not  hitherto  be  expounded  in  its  internal  sense,  because 
the  key  to  its  interpretation  had  not  yet  been  given,  still  the  reading 
and  study  of  it  must  have  been  attended  with  permanent  and  incal- 
culable advantages.  It  completed  the  canon  of  the  plcuarily-inspired 
Word.  It  has  excited,  in  every  age,  an  earnest  desire,  and  an  ardent 
expectation,  that  the  time  would  come  when  its  hidden  wonders  and 
wisdom  Avould  be  discovered  to  the  faithful. 

The  all-important  doctrines  of  the  sole  and  exclusive  divinity  of 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, — of  keeping  the  divine  precepts  as  the  ap- 


171"  The  inspired  title  (if  tliis  last  hook  of 
the  New  Testament  conveys,  most  pointedly, 
the  idea  of  instruction  superuaturaUy  com- 


municated."—i>r.  Henderson's  Inspiration,  p. 
330. 


TUE  BOOK  OF  REVELATION. 


293 


pointed  means  of  salvation, — of  the  resurrection  from  the  dead,  and 
of  states  of  eternal  life  or  eternal  death  as  awaiting  every  one  in  the 
spiritual  world, — of  the  blessedness  and  realities  of  heaven,  and  the 
disorders  and  miseries  of  hell, — all  these,  and  numerous  other  subjects 
of  Christian  life  and  doctrine,  are  unequivocally  recorded  in  the  very 
letter  of  the  Apocalypse.  "  Blessed,"  therefore,  as  it  is  written  in  the 
introduction,  "  Blessed  is  he  that  readeth,  and  they  that  hear  the 
words  of  this  prophecy,  and  keep  those  thmgs  which  are  written 
therein  "  (i.  3) ;  while  we  are  admonished,  at  the  conclusion,  neither 
to  add  thereto  nor  to  diminish  therefrom  (xxii.  18,  19). 

This  truly  wonderful  book  is  composed,  then,  as  to  every  single 
expression,  agreeably  to  the  science  of  correspondences ;  and  now  the 
arcana  of  its  internal  signification  are  unfolded  (of  wdiich  many  strik- 
ing examples  have  been  given  in  these  pages),  it  is  seen  to  be  a  living 
spring  of  divine  wisdom,  to  treat  of  the  states  of  the  Christian  church 
at  the  period  of  its  final  consummation,  and  of  the  Lord's  Second 
Advent,  not  in  person,  but  " in  the  clouds  of  heaven"  (Rev.  i.  7),  in 
"  the  power  and  great  glory  "  of  his  Word,  to  establish  a  new  and 
everlasting  dispensation  of  love  and  wisdom  in  the  hearts  and  minds 
of  men,  called  the  New  Jerusalem.  In  the  last  two  chapters,  this 
New'  Church,  both  as  to  her  establishment,  internal  quality  and  exter- 
nal form,  is  treated  of  under  the  sublime  and  magnificent  description 
of  "  a  new  heaven  and  a  new  earth,"  which  it  is  promised  should 
"  descend  from  God  out  of  heaven,"  as  "  the  holy  city,  New  Jerusa- 
lem," having  precious  stones  for  her  foundation,  golden  streets,  walls 
of  jasper,  gates  of  pearl ;  Avhose  length,  breadth  and  height  are  equal ; 
as  having  a  river  of  the  water  of  life,  and  the  tree  of  life ;  and  as 
being  "  the  bride  and  wife  of  the  Lamb."  "'^ 

The  bright  and  morning  Star  of  Truth,  then,  has  arisen  upon  a 
benighted  world.  The  Sun  of  Righteousness  is  dissipating  "  the  face 
of  the  covering  cast  over  all  people,  and  the  veil  spread  over  all  na- 


i'2  For  an  exposition  of  the  book  of  Revela- 
tion, see  Swedenborg's  Apocalypse  Ex-plained, 
6  vols.,  8vo,  and  Apocalijpse  Eevcakd,  2  vols., 
8vo.  See  also  A  Review  of  the  Principles  of 
Apocalyptical  Interpretalion .  2  vols.,8vo,  by  the 
Rev.  Ausrnstiis  Clissold,  M..^.,  formerly  of  Ex. 
Col.,  Oxford ;  containing  an  examination  of 
the  opinions  of  Protestant  expositors.  The 
object  of  the  learned  and  intelligent  author  i 
in  this  work  is  "  to  show  that  the  systems  of 
interpretation  wliich  have  been  prevalent 
have  entirely  failed ;  and  that  the  only  re- 
25* 


source  for  the  church  is  in  the  spiritual 
[system],  as  explained  by  Svvedenborg." 
And  by  the  same,  An  Exposition  of  the  Apoc- 
alypse, 4  vols.,  8vo. 

"  In  all  Scripture  there  is  a  spiritual  sense, 
a  spiritual  Cabala,  which,  as  it  tends  directly 
to  holiness,  so  it  is  best  and  truest  understood 
by  the  sons  of  the  Spirit,  who  love  God  and 
i  therefore  know  Him.  E\'erything  is  best 
known  by  its  own  similitudes  and  analo- 
gies."— Jeremy  Taylm-'s  Sermons. 


294 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


tions  "  (Isa.  xxv.  7)  ;  men  need  no  longer  "  walk  in  darkness,"  amid 
the  uncertain  glimmerings  of  imagination  and  corrupt  traditions,  nor 
sit  in  "  the  gloom  and  shadow  of  death."  The  laws  by  which  the 
life-giving  pages  of  the  Word  of  God  may  be  distinguished  from 
human  compositions,  and  consistently  and  with  certainty  expounded, 
are  now  revealed  from  heaven,  and  unfolded  to  human  percejition. 
The  key  is  supplied  to  unlock  this  glorious  cabinet  of  jewels,  and  the 
good  and  wise  may  enrich  themselves  with  eternal  treasures.'"  The 
"wells  of  salvation"  are  opened,  and  "  living  waters"  can  flow  forth 
in  health-restoring  streams,  to  refresh  and  bless  every  prepared  mind. 
But,  in  the  language  of  the  prophet,  lo !  a  divine  voice  is  heard  to 
utter,  "  None  of  the  wicked  shall  understand,  but  the  wise  shall  un- 
derstand "  (Dan.  xiii.  9,  10). 


The  truth  of  the  science  of  correspond- 
ences, as  well  as  its  importance  in  the  in- 
terpretation of  Holy  Scripture,  may  be  seen 
exemplified  in  Part  II.  of  this  work,  Chap. 


X.,  p.  549,  where  it  is  rigidly  applied,  as  a 
method  of  interpretation,  to  the  principal 
symbols  in  Rev.  XXI.  chapter. 


COKCLIISIOTnT. 


To  conclude :  The  Word  of  God  is,  in  its  literal  sense,  by  virtue  of  its 
inward  life  and  spirit,  in  "  its  fulness,  its  sanctity,  and  its  power." 
Its  literal  sense  was  represented  by  the  emblematic  cherubim,  said 
to  have  been  placed  at  the  entrance  of  the  garden  of  Eden,  with 
a  flaming  sword  to  prevent  the  intrusion  of  the  unworthy  and  profane 
within  its  hallowed  enclosure ;  but  its  spiritual  sense  is  the  tree  of  life 
in  the  midst,  bearing  all  kinds  of  delicious  fruits,  to  which  the  faith- 
ful are  declared  to  have  "  a  right,"  or  power  to  appropriate  them,  and 
whose  "  leaves,"  or  eternal  doctrines  and  truths  of  piety,  charity,  and 
usefiilness,  are  designed  "  for  the  healing  of  the  nations  "  (Gen.  iii. 
24 ;  Rev.  xxii.  2).  The  interior  truths  and  doctrines  of  the  spiritual 
sense  are  "  the  upper  springs,"  and  the  exterior  knowledges  and  doc- 
trines of  the  literal  sense  are  "  the  nether  springs," — the  blessings  of 
a  "  south  land," — the  gifts  of  our  heavenly  Father  to  every  faithful 
Christian  who,  in  the  divine  strength,  overcomes  his  spiritual  enemies 
(Joshua  XV.  19).  Instruction  from  the  letter  of  the  AVord  is  "the 
former  or  early  rain"  at  seed-time,  while  "  the  latter  rain,"  which 
ripens  and  matures  the  harvest,  denotes  instruction  from  the  spiritual 
sense  (Joel  ii.  23).  And,  again,  speaking  of  the  Lord,  and  of  the 
descent  of  the  divine  blessings  and  influences  of  his  Holy  Word,  in- 
ternal and  external,  to  refresh  and  renovate  the  soul,  the  Psalmist 
says,  "  He  shall  come  down  like  rain  upon  the  mown  grass,  as  showers 
that  water  the  earth  "  (Psalm  Ixxii.  6). 

The  Word  externally  is  the  wondrous  bush  which  Moses  saw,  burn- 
ing and  shining  with  inward  fire,  yet  unconsumed  (Ex.  iii.  2-4  ;  Deut. 
xxxiii.  16).  It  was  also  signified  by  the  breastplate  of  Aaron,  set 
exteriorly  with  twelve  precious  stones,  but  from  which  issued  the 
Urim  and  Thummim,  the  light  and  flame  of  justice  and  judgment 
(Ex.  xxviii.  30).  The  literal  sense  is  the  dark  vapor  obscuring  the 
glorious  sky,  its  inward  sense  is  the  resplendent  bow  rich  with  every 
heavenly  hue  of  comfort  and  happiness  (Gen.  ix.  13).  The  Holy 
Word  is  signified  by  the  marvellous  ladder  seen  in  vision  by  the  pa- 
triarch ;  by  means  of  it  man  holds  consociation  with  angels  and  com- 

295 


296 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPOXDENCES. 


muuiou  with  God.  Its  foot,  or  literal  sense,  in  accommodation  to  our 
low  estate,  rests  upon  the  earth ;  but  its  summit,  or  inmost  sense, 
reaches  the  heavens.  The  divine  glory  is  above  it,  and  as  we  read 
and  meditate  on  its  holy  pages  in  faith  and  love,  angels  ascend  and 
descend  upon  its  sacred  steps  (Gen.  xxviii.  12, 13 ;  John  i.  51 Rev. 
xiv.  6).  Its  literal  sense  is  "  a  field  which  the  Lord  hath  blessed ; " 
its  spiritual  sense  is  the  concealed  treasure  which  enriches  the  happy 
possessor  more  and  more,  even  into  the  countless  ages  of  eternity.  Its 
literal  sense  was  signified  by  the  Lord's  outer  garments,  which  the 
soldiers  parted  among  them,  for  it  is  capable  of  being  wrested  to  con- 
firm the  most  opposite  doctrines ;  but  its  glorious  spiritual  sense  was 
represented  by  the  Lord's  "  vesture,"  or  inner  garment,  "  woven  with- 
out seam  from  the  top  to  the  bottom  "  (John  xix.  23  ;  Psalm  Ixxii.  17, 
18).  Its  literal  sense  is  the  cloud  that  accommodates  the  rays  of  the 
sun  to  every  beholder,  but  a  knowledge  and  perception  of  its  inward 
sense  presents  the  sun  in  all  its  iueflTable  splendor,  and  is  the  Lord's 
advent  to  the  soul  "  in  power  and  great  glory  "  (Mark  xiii.  26 ;  Luke 
xxi.  27 ;  Matt.  xxiv.  30).  The  tables,  or  literal  sense,  are,  under 
divine  direction,  the  workmanship  of  Moses ;  but  the  writing,  or  spir- 
itual sense,  is  the  writing  of  God  (Ex.  xxxiv.  1).  Like  the  heaven- 
descended  manna,  the  Word  is  thus  adapted  to  every  state,  "  He  that 
gathcreth  much  hath  nothing  over,  and  he  that  gathereth  little  hath 
no  lack.  Every  man  nuvy  gather  according  to  his  eating."  The 
Lord  is  here  and  elsewhere  in  the  Gospels  called  the  Son  of  Man,  in 
relation  to  his  word  of  divine  truth.  He  was  "  the  Word  made  flesh" 
(John  i.  14 ;  Ex.  xvi.  18).  This  view  of  the  Word  of  God  gives  "  a 
fulness  "  to  it  which  produces  a  constantly-increasing  conviction  of 
its  "sanctity,"  and  stamps  it  with  the  impress  of  "  divinity."  It  re- 
veals it  as  "a  mine  in  which  we  may  continually  dig,  and  still  find 
beds  of  inexhaustible  spiritual  wealth  to  reward  our  unwearied  re- 


"<  The  sublime  and  beautiful  vision  of 
the  Cherubim,  seen  by  the  prophet  Ezekiel 
and  described  in  the  first  chapter  of  his 
prophecy,  is,  in  every  particular,  descriptive 
of  the  Word  of  God,  both  as  to  its  hidden 
contents  and  outward  form,  its  inmost  es- 
sence and  outward  influences.  Swedenborg 
thus  briefly  and  beautifully  opens  the  inter- 
nal sense  and  meaning  of  the  entire  chapter. 
"The  divine  external  sphere  of  the  Word  is 
described,  verse  4.  Is  reprcicnted  as  a  man, 
verse  .I.  Its  conjunction  with  spiritual  and 
celcj?tial  thiuRS,  verse  fi.  The  natural  sense 
of  the  Word,  its  quality,  verse  7.  The  spir- 
itual and  cielestial  sense  of  the  Word  con- 


joined with  the  natural,  its  quality,  verses 
8,  9.  Divine  love  of  goodness  and  truth, 
celestial,  spiritual,  and  natural,  therein  dis- 
tinct and  united,  verses  10,  11.  That  they 
regard  one  end,  ver.se  12.  The  sphere  of  the 
Word  is  from  the  Divine  Good  and  the  Di- 
vine Tnith  of  the  Lord,  from  which  the 
Word  lives,  verses  13,  14.  The  doctrine  of 
goodness  and  truth  in  the  Word  and  from 
it,  verses  15-21.  The  Divine  IX^ence  of  the 
lyord  above  it  and  in  it,  verses  22,  2.S;  and 
from  it,  verses  21,  2.').  That  the  Lord  is  above 
the  heavens,  verse  21).  And  that  He  is  Di- 
vine I<ove  and  Divine  Wisdom  itself,  verses 
27,  28."— S.  S.  97. 


CONCLUSION.  297 

search ; "  for  "  the  deeper  it  is  worked,  the  incher  and  more  abundant 
the  jjrecious  ore  becomes.'"'^  The  truths  which  are  thus  unfolded 
are  perpetually  opening  anew,  and  are  ever  increasing  in  brilliancy 
and  beauty  and  expanding  in  glory  and  authority  before  the  inward 
vision  in  proportion  to  the  soul's  progress  in  the  Christian  life  (Prov. 
iv.  18 ;  John  xvi.  18 ;  2  Peter  iii.  13)  ;  for  to  this  mighty  end  was  it 
given,  to  aid  our  advancement  in  goodness  and  truth,  not  only  on 
earth,  but  in  the  never-ending  ages  of  eternity ; or,  to  adopt  the 


i'5  Dr.  Henderson. 

It  was  a  "  general  custom  among  the 
Fathers  to  suppose  that  Scripture  contains 
latent  mysterious  meanings  beyond  the 
letter,  the  appreliension  of  which  is  dis- 
closed to  a  faithful  life. 

"  Now  this  mode  of  interpretation  is  so 
general  ir.  the  Ancient  [Christian]  Church, 
that  something  of  the  l;ind  may  be  consid- 
ered as  tlie  characteristic  difference  between 
the  interpretation  of  catholic  Christians  and 
those  of  heretical  teachers;  that  the  latter 
lower  and  bring  down  the  senses  of  Scrip- 
ture as  if  they  were  mere  human  words, 
while  the  former  consider  the  words  of  Di- 
vine Truth  to  contain  greater  meanings  than 
we  can  fathom,  and  therefore  amplify  and 
extend  their  signification  as  if  they  were 
advancing  onward  into  deeper  ar.d  higher 
meanings,  till  lost  in  ever  increasing  and  at 
length  infinite  light  and  greatness,  beyond 
what  the  limited  view  of  man  is  capable  of 
pursuing. 

"  Nor  does  it  appear  at  all  unreasonable 
beforehand— before  considering  it  as  a  mat- 
ter of  fiict.  that  this  should  be  the  case :  I 
mean  that  the  Divine  Word  should  be  in  its 
secret  range  thus  vast  and  comprehensive, 
as  the  shadow  of  the  heavens  in  still  and 
deep  waters. 

"  But  it  might  be  said  that  this  mode  of 
interpretation  has  arisen  from  the  nature  of 
the  Hebrew  language,  in  which  each  word 
contains  many  deep  and  ulterior  meanings, 
which  may  be  considered  as  types  of  each 
other.  But  this  observation  will,  in  fact, 
lead  us  to  the  same  conclusion  of  its  Divine 
character:  it  is,  indeed,  only  going  further 
into  the  subject— sending  us  back  one  step 
more  in  tracing  the  chain  which  reaches 
from  God's  throne.  For  if  the  sacred  lan- 
guage which  the  Almighty  has  chosen  in 
order  to  reveal  Himself  to  mankind  is  of 
this  typical  nature,  it  proves  that  such  is  the 
language  of  God  :  that  in  numerous  analo- 
gies and  resemblances,  differing  in  time, 
importance,  and  extent,  but  with  one  drift 
and  scope.  He  is  used  to  speak  to  us,  blend- 
ing figure  with  word  spoken.  But  when  we 


come  to  the  matter  of  fact,  as  proved  by  the 
Scriptures  themselves,  the  principle  itself 
must  be  allowed  as  right,  whatever  limita- 
tions men  may  prescribe  to  the  application 
or  use  of  it.  It  is  very  evident  how  much 
our  blessed  Lord  has  Himself  pointed  out  to 
us  these  deep  and  latent  meanings,  where  we 
could  not  otherwise  have  ventured  to  sup- 
pose them  to  exist;  as,  for  instance,  in  the 
sign  of  the  prophet  Jonah  and  the  lifting  up 
of  the  serpent  in  the  wilderness.  And  in 
almost  all  his  references  to  the  Old  Testa- 
ment, our  Lord  has  led  us  to  seek  for  mines 
of  secret  information  disclosed  to  the  eye 
of  faith,  beyond  the  letter.  And  it  is  to  be 
observed  that  Scripture  has  not  generally 
pointed  out  to  us  those  instances  in  which 
allegorical  interpretation  is  most  obvious 
and  important,  but  often  those  in  which  it 
is  less  so;  as  if,  thereby,  it  rather  suggested 
to  us  a  general  law  than  afforded  any  direc- 
tion respecting  its  limit  and  extent.  If  from 
our  Lord's  own  example  we  pass  to  the  writ- 
ings of  St.  Paul,  it  is  needless  to  mention  the 
numerous  striking  instances  in  which  he  has 
unfolded  to  us  the  spiritual  and  high  senses 
of  the  Old  Testament.  And  passing  from 
Apostles  to  Apostolical  writers,  we  find  the 
same  system  acknowledged,  as  if  it  were 
incidentally,  but  almost  universally. 

"  With  regard,  therefore,  to  this  system  of 
interpretation,  we  have  in  many  instances 
Divine  authority  for  it ;  and  beyond  where 
we  have  this  authority,  it  might  be  thought 
that  we  have  no  sanction  for  such  applica- 
tions and  explanations;  in  which  case  it 
would  be  similar  to  the  moral  principles  or 
doctrines  that  are  deduced  from  Holy  Scrip- 
ture, which  may  be  said  to  flow  more  or  less 
clearly  from  the  Word  itself,  and  to  be  sup- 
ported by  analogy,  natural  consequence,  or 
agreement  with  other  passages;  and  these 
to  be  decided  by  the  judgment  of  individ- 
uals, and  that  natural  weight  of  authority 
which  we  allow  to  be  due  to  the  opinions 
of  great  and  good  men.  But  further  than 
this,  as  with  regard  to  moral  principles  of 
doctrine,  so  also  with  respect  to  such  partic- 
ular interpretationSjjt  is  puiya^  the^ase 

/:-~    V\ 

i  It'  \ 


298 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


language  of  a  truly  great  and  good  man,  "  It  has  God  for  its  author, 
salvation  for  its  end,  and  truth  without  any  mixture  of  error  for  its 
matter." 

But,  you  are  ready  to  ask,  is  this  "wonderful  science  of  correspond- 
ences, that  so  miraculously  unfolds  the  sacred  pages,  difficult  to  ac- 
quire? I  answer,  No.  Even  children  may  be  readily  taught  to 
understand  much  concerning  it."'  It  is,  in  fact,  the  earliest  language 
of  nature,  and  the  language  from  which  true  poetry  and  eloquence 
derive  all  their  charms.  It  is  the  most  impressive  and  delightful 
form  of  instruction,  and  supplies  the  most  healthful  and  elevating 
exercise  to  the  imagination  and  reason.  All  other  kinds  of  knowledge 
are  handmaids  in  its  service,  and  tributary  to  its  confirmation. 
^Tiile  the  internal  meaning  is  hidden  from  those  who  are  unprepared 


(as  it  has  been  well  observed),  that  for  some 
of  them  there  may  be  such  a  concurrent  tes- 
timony in  early  and  distinct  churches  as  to 
amount  to  a  catholic  consent,  which  consent 
would,  of  course,  have  the  same  kind  of 
sacred  authority  as  would  attend  a  similar 
agreement  with  respect  to  doctrine. 

"  Sufficient  for  our  purpose  it  is  that  such 
a  method  of  considering  Holy  Writ  is  cath- 
olic, not  to  say  Apostolical  and  Divine." — 
Tracts  jor  the  Times,  on  Rcscn-e,  pp.  21-25. 

I  subjoin  the  following  remarkable  passage 
from  The  Go^el  Treasury  Opened,  in  several 
sermons  preached  at  Kensington  and  else- 
where, by  John  Everard,  D.D.  It  is  extracted 
from  one  of  four  sermons  on  Joshua  xv.  16, 
17.    London,  2d  edition,  1679. 

"  If  the  literal  Scriptures  were  the  Word 
of  God,  why  doth  the  Holy  Ghost  so  often 
say,  'he  that  hath  ears  to  hear,  let  him 
hear"?  And  why  doth  the  prophet  Isaiah 
say.  that  •  hearing  they  may  hear  and  not 
understand,  and  seeing  they  may  see  and 
rot  perceive?  Make  the  heart  of  this  people 
fat,  their  ears  dull,  and  their  eyes  heavy,  lest 
they  should  see  with  their  eyes,  and  hear 
with  their  ears,  and  understand  with  their 
heart;,  and  be  converted,  and  I  should  heal 
them.'  This  is  spoken  not  in  ro.gnrd  of  those 
that  are  ignorant,  but  of  those  that  are  very 
knowing,  and  yet  their  knowledge  and  gifts 
and  preci.se  holiness,  according  to  the  letter, 
is  but  a  stumbling-block  and  an  occasion  of 
their  falling  into  death  and  destruction :  and 
thus  to  know  all  things  is  but  to  be  ignorant 
of  all  things. 

"  Beloved,  the  Word  of  God  is  subtile,  pure, 
high,  holy,  heavenly,  powerful,  quickening, 
spiritualizing:  bvit  llie  letter  is  not  only  dead 
in  these  regards,  but  killing  and  destructive 


I  in  that  sen-'e  formerly  expressed.  If  you  live 
and  die  with  this  Word,  it  will  do  you  no 
good ;  I  mean  the  letter  of  the  Word,  and  the 
grammatical,  external  sense,  which  these 
j  men  call  the  Word  of  God.  Yet  1  tell  ye  all 
this  is  nothing,  though  you  have  it  exactly 
by  heart;  yet  this  can  be  of  no  service  to 
God  nor  profit  to  you;  this  is  but  bodily  la- 
bor and  bodily  exercise,  which  profiteth 
j  nothing;  this  is  but  the  flesh,  this  is  but 
I  man's  teaching;  the  spirit  of  it.  the  Word 
i  of  God,  you  never  yet  found.   But  yet  let  us 
I  not  say,  if  the  spirit  be  all,  what  do  we  want 
with  the  letter''  let  us  then  cast  it  away. 
1  No,  no :  by  no  means.  The  letter  is  of  use 
'  to  regulate  the  flesh,  and  to  prescribe  and 
I  direct  the  outward  man  in  bodily  exercises: 
but  I  sjiy  it  teaches  not.  nor  feeds  not  tlie 
inward  man  and  the  heart.  That  must  be 
j  that  bread  which  the  Father  giveth,  which 
comes  down  from  heaven.    'Tis  neither 
I  Moses,  nor  the  knowledge  of  the  whole  law. 

nor  of  all  the  Scriptures  can  give  us  that 
j  bread :  as  Christ  saith,  John  vi.32,;t{, '  Verily, 
I  verily.  Moses  gave  them  not  that  bread  from 
heaven,  but  my  Father  giveth  you  tlie  bread 
from  heaven ;  for  the  bread  of  God  is  He 
which  cometh  down  from  heaven  and  giveth 
life  to  the  world." 
[    "And  yet  this  is  that  I  advise  still ;  be  sure 
to  maintJiin  the  letter  nndefiled.  untouched, 
j  uncorrupted.   Let  his  tongue  cleave  to  and 
1  forever  n)t  in  his  mouth,  that  goes  about  to 
abrogate  the  letter;  fur  without  the  letter 
you  cannot  have  the  spirit." 

"Sensual  man  requires  sensible  objects 
as  symbols  of  spiritual  things."— I'andcr- 
tWde. 

I  See  Reed's  f'ltnday  Lessons  on  Correspond- 
'  ences  /or  ChUdrai. 


CONCLUSION. 


299 


for  more  than  the  sum  of  the  letter,  and  from  the  unhallowed  gaze 
of  the  worldly  prudent,  to  babes  it  is  promised  that  wisdom  shall 
be  revealed  (Matt.  xi.  25),  and  to  the  pure  in  heart,  that  they  shall 
see  God  (Matt.  v.  8).  "  The  secret  of  the  Lord  is  with  them  that 
fear  Him  "  (Ps.  xxv.  14).  "  I  understand  more  than  the  ancients, 
because  I  keep  thy  precepts"  (Ps.  cxix.  100). 

Let  us  bring,  therefore,  to  the  study  of  this  heavenly  doctrine, 
pure  desires,  serious  thoughts,  enlightened  reason,  an  humble  and 
sincere  faith,  an  ardent  love,  a  teachable  disposition,  a  pious  and  useful 
life ;  for  "  if  any  man  will  do  his  will,  he  shall  know  of  the  doctrine 
whether  it  be  of  God  "  (John  vii.  17).  To  this  must  be  added  an 
intimate  acquaintance  with  the  literal  sense  of  the  Word,  a  knowledge 
of  the  mental  faculties,  a  devout  habit  of  reflection  on  the  divine 
operations  as  exemplified  in  the  world  of  nature,  and  on  the  forms, 
qualities,  and  uses  of  the  objects  with  Avhich  we  are  constantly  sur- 
rounded, and  its  general  principles  become  easy  of  attainment,  and 
every  step  we  take  is  attended  with  accessions  of  intelligence  and 
delight.  Even  a  small  degree  of  information  on  this  momentous  sci- 
ence is  an  inexpressible  blessing.  The  longer  and  closer  it  is  studied, 
the  dearer  it  becomes  to  its  possessor,  because  it  leads  him  to  love  the 
sacred  Word  of  God  with  increased  fervor,  to  trust  revealed  truth 
with  a  firmer  and  daily-increasing  confidence,  and  to  recognize  it  as 
the  divinely-appointed  means  of  filling  the  humble  and  faithful  soul 
to  all  eternity,  with  wisdom,  love,  peace,  and  unutterable  joy.  It  is 
endless  in  its  onward  and  upward  progression,  because  the  things  of 
the  natural  world,  which  as  outward  effects  correspond  to  the  objects 
of  the  spiritual  world,  as  their  inward  causes,  exist  in  indefinite  vari- 
ety ;  for,  "  all  the  powers  and  activities  of  nature,  all  its  laws,  its 
substances,  its  forms  and  changes,  are  at  once  the  effect  and  the  mirror 
of  spiritual  energies;"  and  because,  further,  man  is  not  only,  as  we 
have  already  said,  a  world  in  its  least  form,  having  within  him  the 
various  principles  to  which  all  things  in  the  created  universe  corre- 
spond ;  but,  by  regeneration,  he  becomes  a  heaven  in  its  least  form, 
possessing  ever-growing  faculties  of  eternal  life,  corresponding  with 
all  the  glorious  realities  of  the  heavenly  world  above.  Of  such  the 
Lord  speaks  Avhen  He  says,  "  The  kingdom  of  God  is  within  you  " 
(Luke  xvii.  21). 

The  practical  influence  of  this  great  doctrine  of  the  Sacred  Scrip- 
tures on  the  heart,  the  mind  and  the  life,  is  invaluable.  It  brings 
from  the  clouds  of  heaven  "  showers  of  blessing"  (Ez.  xxxiv.  26).  Its 


300 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  CORRESPONDENCES. 


cordial  reception,  and  the  inwrought  persuasion  of  its  truth,  cannot 
fail  to  assist  in  purifying  the  heart  and  renovating  the  character.  It 
is  the  loftiest  and  most  authoritative  standard  of  righteousness  and 
truth.  It  is  an  unerring  criterion  for  the  detection  of  evil  and  error. 
It  tears  away  the  flimsy  veil  of  iuditference  or  conceit.  It  searches 
out  our  most  secret  transgressions.  It  is  "the  key  of  [saving]  knowl- 
edge "  (Luke  xi.  52).  To  you  it  may  be  given  to  know,  by  its  means, 
"  the  mysteries  of 'the  kingdom  of  heaven"  (Matt.  xiii.  11). 

"  Ho,  every  one  that  thirsteth,  come  ye  to  the  waters ;  and  he  tliat 
hath  no  money,  come  ye,  buy,  and  eat ;  yea,  come  buy  wine  and  milk 
without  money  and  Avithout  price.  For  as  the  rain  cometh  down,  and 
the  snow  from  heaven,  and  returneth  not  thither,  but  watereth  the 
earth,  and  maketh  it  bring  forth  and  bud,  that  it  may  give  seed  to 
the  sower,  and  bread  to  the  eater :  so  shall  my  word  be  that  goeth 
forth  out  of  my  mouth  :  it  shall  not  return  unto  me  void,  but  it  shall 
accomplish  that  which  I  please,  and  it  shall  prosper  in  the  thing 
whereto  I  sent  it"  (Isa.  Iv.  1,  10-13).''" 

"8  "The  Word  of  the  Lord  is  compared  to  |  in  the  memory, but  bccomesspiritual  by  love, 
rain  and  snow  coming  down  from  heaven,  i  as  snow  becomes  rain-water  by  warmth." — 
because  by  rain  is  signified  spiritual  truth,  i  See  A.  E.  644;  Clowes's  Misc.  Thoughts,  elc,  p. 
which  is  appropriated  to  man ,  and  by  snow  150. 
natural  truth,  which  is  as  snow  whilst  only  | 


PART  II. 


CONTAINING 

ADDITIONAL  ILLUSTRATIONS  AND  CONFIRMATIONS 
OF  THE  DOCTRINE  OF  CORRESPONDENCE. 

BY 

DIFFERENT  AUTHORS. 
26  301 


ADDITIONAL 

ILLUSTRATIONS  AND  CONFIRMATIONS 

OF  THE 

DOCTRINE  OF  CORRESPONDENCE. 


THE  KEY  OF  KNOWLEDGE: 
BY  THE  USE  OF  WHICH  THE  HOLY  SCKIPTUEES  ARE  OPENED 
AND  THEIR  HEAVENLY  MEANING  REVEALED* 

By  Rev.  THOMAS  GOYDER. 

Woe  tmlo  you,  lawyers .'  for  ye  have  taken 
away  the  Key  of  Knowledge. — Luke  xi.  52. 

CHAPTER  I. 

Introduction — Creation  of  the  World — Contradictory  Views  of 
Chronologers  Concerning  the  Age  of  the  World — Geology  in 
Harmony  with  Scripture — The  Sun  the  Instrumental  Cause  of 
Creation — Sir  Humphry  Davy's  View — Connection  between  the 
Creator  and  His  Works — Plenary  Inspiration  of  the  Word  of  God 
— Correspondence,  the  sure  Rule  of  Scripture  Interpretation. 

Inttoduction. 

THE  Bible  is  universally  admitted  by  the  Christian  world  to  be  a 
Divine  Revelation  from  God  to  man,  and  considered  the  stand- 
ard and  test  of  all  religious  truth.  No  Christian  can  be  indifferent 
to  its  precepts  or  regardless  of  its  reproofs.  It  is  believed  to  contain 
the  very  riches  of  heaven,  which,  if  received  in  the  human  under- 
standing and  life,  will  make  man  mentally  rich,  wise  and  happy. 
Any  work  which  opens  up  its  sacred  contents,  or  reveals  some  uniform 
method  of  interpretation  whereby  its  heavenly  and  true  meaning 
may  with  certainty  be  obtained,  must  be  considered  a  desideratum 


*  First  published  in  London,  June,  1838. 


303 


304 


THE  KEY  OF  KNOWLEDGE. 


of  the  highest  value,  and  would  tend  much  to  the  throwing  down  of 
the  boasted  strongholds  of  infidelity,  as  well  as  to  the  furtherance  of 
the  interests  of  vital  Christianity. 

The  Christian  religion  undoubtedly  surpasses  all  other  systems  of 
Theology  in  the  known  world.  It  is  purely  of  a  spiritual  cast,  relat- 
ing to  the  mind  of  man,  and  to  all  those  varied  changes  and  progres- 
sions of  his  will  and  understanding  in  love  and  wisdom,  which  suc- 
cessively follow  in  the  course  of  his  progress  in  the  Divine  life.  These 
states  or  changes  are,  in  general,  treated  of  in  Scripture  in  a  variety 
of  pleasing  ways,  in  the  parables,  miracles  and  narratives ;  and  are 
also  more  particularly  shadowed  forth  in  the  literal  history  of  the 
Israelitish  journey  from  Egypt  to  Canaan.  It  is,  therefore,  hoped 
that  the  following  pages  may  be  found  useful  in  assisting  the  pious 
Christian  in  his  spiritual  contemplations,  so  that  while  his  eyes  are 
opened  to  a  clear  perception  of  Divine  Truth,  in  his  bosom  may  be 
enkindled  a  more  ardent  and  pure  love  to  Him  who  is  the  Author 
and  Giver  of  every  real  blessing. 

Ivo  contemplative  man  who  carefully  studies  the  harmonies  of 
nature,  can  fail  of  knowing  that  every  object  in  the  created  universe 
is  an  effect  springing  from  a  prior  cause  ;  and  that  such  cause  must 
owe  its  birth  to  some  end  which  the  Creator  had  in  view  in  the  won- 
derful productions  of  his  plastic  hand.  The  end,  which  is  the  good 
intended  by  the  Creator  to  the  forms  He  proposes  to  bring  into  exist- 
ence, is  the  Divine  Love ;  the  cause  is  the  Divine  Wisdom  which  the 
love  of  Deity  uses  as  a  means  to  accomplish  the  designs  purposed ; 
and  the  effects  are  the  results  of  the  Divine  Operative  Energy  in  all 
the  outward  forms  of  which  the  created  universe  is  composed.  There 
is  a  real  connection  between  the  end  and  its  cause,  and  also  between 
the  cause  and  its  effect.  No  effect  can  possibly  exist  independent  of 
its  cause,  neither  can  there  be  any  cause  in  which  the  end  is  not 
inwardly  concealed. 

Here,  then,  we  learn  a  most  cheering  truth:  that  creation  is  safe 
while  Wisdom,  the  Divine  cause  of  its  existence,  remains,  and  that 
it  must  continue  everlastingly  fresh  and  imperishable  while  the  Love 
of  God,  as  the  end,  shall  fill  it  with  life  and  vigor.  When  God's  lore 
shall  be  no  more,  his  wisdom  as  the  first-begotten  will  die,  the  Divine 
Spirit  will  cease  to  operate,  and  then  the  heavens  and  the  earth  shall 
peri.sh.  Outward  creation  can  no  more  exist  independent  of  the  per- 
petual operation  of  God  therein,  than  can  the  organized  body  of  man 
without  the  soul  or  spirit.    "  God  is  love,"  and  as  that  love,  He  is  the 


CREATION  OF  THE  WORLD. 


305 


Father  of  all.  God  is  wisdom,  the  "  True  Light "  which,  as  the  first 
emanating  sphere  of  the  Divine  loye,  is  in  Scripture  called  "  the 
ouly-begotten  Sou."  From  the  union  of  the.se  two  proceeds  the 
Divine  operative  energy  or  Spirit,  which,  in  giving  existence  to 
heaven  and  earth,  imparts  life  to  the  wide  creation.  The  true  law 
by  which  all  human  and  angelic  existences  are  sustained,  is,  as  ex- 
pressed by  the  only  Wisdom,  or  "  Word  incarnate,"  "  I  in  them,  and 
thou  in  me,  that  they  may  be  made  perfect  in  One."   (John  xvii.  23.) 

Creation  of  the  World. 

In  laying  before  the  reader  the  system  which,  in  all  cases,  will  give 
a  faithful  and  correct  interpretation  of  Holy  Scripture,  we  propose 
to  commence  with  the  creation  of  the  world,  and  to  show  that  this 
great  work,  in  its  beginning,  progression  and  completion,  shadowed 
forth  the  love,  wisdom  and  power  of  the  Creator ;  and  that  all  the 
objects  in  Nature  are  so  formed,  as  to  be  either  remotely  or  proxi- 
mately' connected  with  God,  the  supreme  First  Cause.  This  connec- 
tion necessarily  renders  the  Lord's  presence  in  the  created  universe, 
full,  jDcrfect  and  complete ;  and  hence  arise  the  attributes  ascribed 
to  the  Divine  Being,  of  omnipresence,  omniscience  and  omnipotence. 
By  love,  as  the  end  or  intention  of  creation,  God  is  present  in  all ; 
by  wi.sdom.  He  knoweth  all ;  and  by  his  operative  influence,  He  is 
poAverful  in  all.  Without  his  goodness,  wisdom  and  power,  nothing 
could  exist.    God  is,  undoubtedly,  the  All  in  all. 

If,  then,  God  be  present  in  his  works  as  their  actual  existence 
evidently  proves,  it  follows  that  there  must  be  some  close  resem- 
blance, affinity  and  correspondence  between  Him  and  them,  and  that 
a  Divine  influx  of  life,  flowing  momentarily  from  Him  into  them, 
supports  and  sustains  the  whole.  This  affinity  not  only  exists  between 
God  and  his  works  generally,  but  there  is  also  a  correspondence  be- 
tween all  parts  of  his  works  from  the  highest  to  the  lowest.  All 
creation  is  one  grand  chain  harmoniously  fitted  and  linked  together 
by  the  wisdom  of  Him  who  cannot  err.  Who,  then,  can  apprehend 
danger,  while  reason,  enlightened  by  revelation,  declares  the  first  link 
of  that  chain  to  be  in  the  hand  of  God  ? 

Assuming,  for  the  present,  this  theory  to  be  correct,  we  must  see 
that  a  right  understanding  of  this  corresponding  connection  is  essen- 
tially necessary  to  a  just  knowledge  of  the  works  of  God;  and  that 
which  opens  to  the  mind  true  views  of  his  works,  must  correctly 
explain  the  wonders  of  His  Word. 
26*  U 


306 


THE  KEY  OF  KNOWLEDGE. 


With  respect  to  the  creation  of  the  world,  we  may  truly  say,  it  is 
so  vast  and  profound  a  subject  that  the  mind  seems  lost  in  wonder, 
and  trembles  at  the  thought  of  entering  upon  an  inquiry  into  that 
which,  by  an  almost  impenetrable  veil  of  mj'stery,  seems  to  be  hid 
from  human  ken.  We  cannot  suppose  that  man,  whose  faculties  and 
intellectual  powers  are  finite,  and  consequently  limited,  can,  how- 
ever ardent  he  may  be  in  search  of  truth,  arrive  at  a  full  and  perfect 
knowledge  of  all  the  minutia;,  those  singulars  and  particulars  which 
enter  iuto  and  make  up  the  fulness  of  creation's  mighty  work :  a  kind 
of  general  knowledge  concerning  it,  is  all  we  can  expect. 

In  looking  at  creation  as  a  whole,  we  behold  beauty,  regularity, 
and  order ;  we  see  how  each  part  performs  its  appointed  use,  and  that 
the  whole,  by  the  action  of  its  several  parts,  is  maintained  entire,  free 
from  any  appearance  of  dissolution,  and  exhibiting  to  the  beholder 
not  the  slightest  symjDtoms  of  decay.  The  same  sun  which  "  in  the 
beginning  "  warmed  and  enlightened  our  earth,  shines  still  upon  it 
with  unabated  vigor  and  power ;  the  moon  Avhich  then  shone  with  its 
borrowed  light,  still  rides  majestically  in  the  blue-arched  sky ;  the 
rain  still  descends  to  water  our  thirsty  plains,  to  fertilize  our  fields, 
to  make  the  earth  yield  her  increase,  for  the  purpose  of  aftbrdiug  to 
man  in  all  generations,  "  seed  to  the  sower  and  bread  to  the  eater." 
Heaven's  breezes  still  continue  to  kiss  the  mountains,  and  to  impart 
health,  vigor  and  prolificaticm  to  animal  and  vegetable  life.  Every 
animal  is  furnished  with  an  organized  body  exactly  adapted  to  the 
element  in  which  it  lives.  In  fact,  all  creation  seems  to  be  constantly 
singing  one  universal  song  of  praise,  that  "God  is  good  to  all,  and  his 
tender  mercies  are  over  all  his  works." 

These  phenomena,  with  ten  thousand  others  that  might  be  named 
if  necessary,  but  which  the  reader  is  left  to  supply  for  himself,  are 
among  the  strongest  evidences  of  contrivance  and  design.  These 
again  lead  unquestionably  to  the  acknowledgment  of  a  Designer 
whom  we  call  the  Great  First  Cause,  the  omnipresent,  omniscient, 
and  immutable  God. 

Ko  wise  man  can  find  the  least  difficulty  in  attributing  the  creation 
of  the  material  world  to  an  Almighty  Hand — to  that  hand  which 
received  (if  we  may  so  speak)  its  impetus  from  the  purest  love,  and 
was  directed  by  infinite  wisdom ;  and  as  we  must  consider  the  Divine 
Being  to  be  a  God  of  the  most  perfect  order,  it  follows  that  creation, 
springing  from  Ilim,  must  be  viewed  as  an  orderly,  progressive  and 
gradual  work.    We  have  no  hesitation  in  saying,  that  if  creation 


CONTRADICTORY  VIEWS  OF  CIIRONOLOGERS. 


307 


shall  ever  admit  of  a  rational  and  satisfactory  explanation,  it  nnist 
be  in  agreement  with  the  strictest  principles  of  true  philosophical  and 
scientiiic  knowledge. 

Although  upon  the  creation  of  the  world  much  has  been  written  by 
divines,  philosophers  and  poets,  yet  but  little  that  has  yet  appeared, 
has  been  satisfactory.  The  subject,  strictly  speaking,  is  not  theologi- 
cal, but  purely  one  of  philosophical  and  scientific  research.  It  is  now 
pretty  generally  acknowledged  by  the  most  able  and  learned  divines, 
that  the  first  chapters  of  Genesis  are  an  allegory,  and  that  they  con- 
tain not  literal  history,  but  spiritual  and  divine  subjects  reduced 
to  a  historical  form.  Literal  history,  in  which,  nevertheless,  are  con- 
tained spiritual  truths  relating  to  the  church  of  God,  heaven  and  the 
soul  of  man,  commences  at  the  twelfth  chapter  of  Genesis,  with  the 
call  of  Abraham.  It  was  not  only  the  opinion  of  many  of  the  ancient 
fathers  of  the  church,  that  the  first  chapters  of  Genesis  were  written 
in  an  allegorical  style,  but  that  the  whole  Word  of  God,  comprehend- 
ing the  Law,  the  Prophets,  the  Psalms,  the  Gospels  and  Apocalypse, 
were  so  written  as  to  contain  Avithin  the  literal  and  historical  sense, 
those  divine  and  spiritual  subjects  which  relate  to  the  church  of  the 
Lord,  and  to  the  progressive  states  of  affection,  thought  and  life  of 
man ;  and  that  they  were  to  be  interpreted,  not  after  a  carnal,  but 
after  a  spiritual  manner.  This  view  of  these  ancient  fathers  has 
been  kept  alive  in  the  church  by  the  ablest  and  best  theological 
writers  in  every  age  down  to  the  present.  This  we  shall  prove  by  a 
few  extracts  from  their  writings  as  we  proceed. 

Contradictory  Views  of  Chromlogers. 

In  Genesis  i.  1,  we  read,  "  In  the  beginning  God  created  the  heaven 
and  the  earth."  From  this  jmssage,  viewing  it  in  the  most  literal 
sense  possible,  we  learn  not  when  God  created  the  world,  but  that  He 
did  create  it  in  the  beginning.  From  what  particular  date  we  are  to 
reckon  the  heginning  of  its  existence,  or  what  is  its  real  age,  the  Word 
of  God  gives  no  information  Avhatever,  and  science  will  never  be  able 
to  discover.  The  putting  of  dates  to  the  Bible  in  respect  to  the  era 
of  creation,  reckoning  from  the  year  one,  and  thus  making  the  pres- 
ent age  of  our  globe  about  six  thousand  years,  is  altogether  gratuitous 
and  arbitrary :  it  endeavors  unwisely  to  mix  religious  with  physical 
truth,  and  by  mingling  together  what  should  be  kept  separate,  the 
mind  becomes  bewildered  in  its  contemplation  of  both.  By  giving  to 
the  world  an  arbitrary  age  of  about  six  thousand  years,  many  have 


308 


THE  KEY  OF  KNOWLEDGE. 


supposed  the  science  of  Geology  to  be  opposed  to  Revelation,  and 
that  it  altogether  contradicts  the  Jlosaic  account  of  creation.  If  it 
were  not  that  many  pious  and  intelligent  Christians  have  felt  their 
minds  disturbed  at  this  supposition,  we  should  have  passed  it  by 
unnoticed,  smiling  at  the  weakness  that  could  generate  the  idea. 

Chronologers  enumerate  132  contrary  opinions  concerning  the  age 
of  the  world  (a  proof  this,  that  thej'  know  nothing  about  it),  but  in  all 
these,  there  are  none  who  reckon  more  than  7,000,  or  less  than  3,700 
years  from  the  creation  to  the  birth  of  Christ,  making  a  difference  in 
these  calculations  of  no  less  a  period  than  3,300  yeai-s.  The  general 
opinion,  however,  fixes  the  birth  of  Christ  in  the  four  thousandth  year 
of  the  world,  and  reckoning  nearly  2,000  from  that  event,  makes  its 
present  age  about  6,000  years  ;  but  the  reasons  on  Avhich  these  opin- 
ions are  founded,  are  exceedingly  various,  all  arbitrary,  and  grounded 
in  conjecture. 

The  calculation  of  the  age  of  the  world  made  by  the  Hindoos  in 
their  religious  belief,  is  ponderous  when  compared  with  this.  Their 
religion  teaches  them  to  recognize  the  existence  of  one  supreme  invisi- 
ble Creator,  the  Ruler  of  the  universe,  whom  they  call  Brahma. 
They  likewise  acknowledge  two  other  deities,  one  of  whom  is  Vishnu, 
the  Preserver,  and  the  other  Siva,  the  Destroyer.  The  deity  Vishnu, 
as  preserver,  is  declared  to  have  made  many  appearances  in  the  world, 
and  the  great  ends  of  Providence  are  said  to  have  been  accomplished 
by  the  incarnations  of  this  deity.  According  to  this  religion,  there 
have  been  nine  incarnations  of  Vishnu,  and  one  more  yet  to  come,  all 
of  which  make  up  the  period  of  4,320,000  yeai-s,  making  a  difference 
between  their  age  of  the  world  and  ours  of  only  4,314,000  years. 
Allowing  the  Hindoo  theology  with  its  idle  ceremonies  to  be  false 
and  fabulous,  yet  these  sui)erstitious  people  have,  perhaps,  as  nuich 
ground  for  their  long  date  as  we  have  for  our  short  one.  Reve- 
lation is  silent  about  the  age  of  .the  world  ;  and  when  that  is  silent,  it 
is  a  mark  of  wisdom  in  us  to  be  silent  too,  and  not  aim  to  be  wise 
above  what  is  written.  These  statements,  differing  widely  as  they  do, 
prove  the  fact,  that  any  attempt  to  fix  the  era  of  creation  originates 
in  folly  and  conjecture. 

Geology  in  Harmony  icith  Scripture. 

Professor  Sedgwick,  in  his  "  Discourse  on  the  Studies  of  the  Uni- 
versity "  (p.  149),  tells  us,  the  geologist  proves  by  incontrovertible  evi- 
dence of  physical  phenomena,  that "  there  were  former  conditions  of 


GEOLOGY  IN  HARMONY  WITH  SCRIPTURE.  309 


our  planet  separated  from  each  other  by  vast  intervals  of  time,  during 
which  man  and  the  other  creatures  of  his  own  date  had  not  been 
called  into  being.  Periods  such  as  these  belong  not,  therefore,  to 
the  moral  history  of  our  race  ;  and  come  neither  within  the  letter  nor 
the  spirit  of  Revelation.  Between  the  first  creation  of  the  earth  and 
that  day  in  which  it  pleased  God  to  place  man  upon  it,  who  shall 
dare  to  define  the  interval  ?  On  this  question  Scripture  is  silent ;  but 
that  silence  destroys  not  the  meaning  of  those  physical  monuments 
of  his  power  that  God  has  put  before  our  eyes,  giving  us  at  the  same 
time  faculties  whereby  we  may  interpret  them  and  comprehend  their 
meaning."  This  extract  contains  so  much  of  truth  that  it  cannot,  we 
think,  be  disproved. 

But  some  may  ask :  Is  geology,  then,  to  be  allowed  to  contradict 
the  Mosaic  account  of  creation,  and  to  disprove  the  date  revealed  to 
Moses  ?  We  ans\ver,  that  geology  can  neither  contradict  nor  disprove 
what  the  Scripture  never  states.  The  most  literal  account  of  crea- 
tion given  by  Moses  is,  "  In  the  beginning  God  created  the  heaven 
and  the  earth ; "  this  is  all,  Avithout  fixing  any  time.  Geology  does 
not  contradict  this,  but  maintains  it,  and  by  laborious  and  praise- 
worthy examinations  of  physical  phenomena,  jjroves  the  existence  of 
a  Divine  Architect,  and  ascribes  to  Him  the  work  "in  the  beginning." 
Revelation  gives  no  date :  we  have  made  this,  and  having  so  done, 
we  find  fault  with  geology  because  it  has  sought  out  and  exposed  our 
errors.  The  poet  Cowper  was  deceived  in  this;  for  he,  supposing 
that  God  had  revealed  to  Moses  creation's  date,  aims  a  blow  at 
Geology.    In  his  poem  entitled  "  The  Task,"  he  says — 

"  Some  drill  and  bore 
The  solid  earth,  and  from  the  strata  there 
Extract  a  register,  by  which  we  learn 
That  He  who  made  it,  and  reveal'd  its  date 
To  Moses,  was  mistaken  in  its  age." 

Here  the  worthy  poet  was  certainly  mistaken  in  his  conclusions ; 
for  rchere  in  Revelation  do  we  find  the  date  revealed  to  Moses? 
Nothing  of  the  kind  is  given  in  any  part  of  the  sacred  Volume.  He 
was,  in  this  instance,  led  astray  by  his  muse — the  license  of  poets  is 
proverbial ;  but  still  truth  is  not  to  be  sacrificed  at  the  shrine  of 
poetical  license.  The  laborious  and  incontrovertible  proofs  of  the 
earth's  great  antiquity  given  by  the  science  of  geology,  are  not  to  be 
swept  away  by  a  single  dash  of  a  poet's  pen. 


310 


THE  KEY  OF  KNOWLEDGE. 


From  our  divinity  authors,  nothing  has  yet  appeared  on  the  crea- 
tion that  is  worth  notice.  They  simply  state  tliat  God  created  the 
world  out  of  nothing :  but,  unfortunately  for  them,  of  this  creation 
out  of  nothing  the  Scriptures  never  speak.  They  offer  no  remarks 
tending  rationally  to  illustrate  the  orderly  progression  of  creation's 
work.  Bishop  Hall,  in  commenting  on  Gen.  i.  1, — "  In  the  begin- 
ning God  created  the  heaven  and  the  earth," — says :  "  In  the  begin- 
ning of  time,  God — the  Father,  Son  and  Holy  Ghost — made,  of 
nothing,  the  whole  great  and  goodly  frame  of  the  world,  both  the 
heaven  and  the  earth,  and  the  other  elements,  with  all  the  furniture 
and  inhabitants  of  them  all."  Certainly  the  good  bishop,  in  this 
comment,  has  not  overloaded  our  muids  with  information,  with  sub- 
jects too  high  for  us.  Had  he  said  nothing,  we  should  have  been 
quite  as  wise. 

To  form  just  views  of  the  creation  of  this  world,  it  is  essentially 
expedient  to  keep  the  mind  fixed  upon  one  supreme  Being,  without 
whose  love,  wisdom,  and  power,  nothing  could  be  or  exist.  We  must 
also  view  the  Almighty  as  a  single  Divine  Being,  as  a  God  of  the 
most  perfect  order,  producing  every  thing  progressively,  according  to 
the  laws  of  Divine  Wisdom.  God,  in  his  providence,  to  encourage  us 
in  the  pursuit  of  truth,  has  not,  in  so  many  words,  revealed  in  the 
Book  of  inspiration  Iwiv  the  world  was  created ;  but  in  placing  us 
upon  the  globe  on  which  we  live,  and  surrounding  us  with  all  the 
beauties  and  wonders  of  creation.  He  has  richly  endowed  us  with  reason, 
with  capacious  powers  and  faculties  of  mind,  by  the  exercise  of  which 
(the  great  book  of  creation  being  always  present)  we  may,  by  jjatient 
study  and  careful  examination,  tracing  up  ultimate  effects  through  a 
long  chain  of  instrumental  causes,  finally  arrive  at  some  degree  of 
knowledge  as  to  the  origin  and  progressive  work  of  creation  ;  so  that 
we  may  be  able  to  prove  to  demonstration  that,  "  In  the  beginning 
God  created  the  heaven  and  the  earth."  By  attributing  to  the 
Almighty  the  glory  of  this  mighty  work,  we  can  take  up  the  lan- 
guage of  the  Psalmist  and  say  :  "He  hath  laid  the  foundations  of  the 
earth,  that  it  shall  not  be  removed  for  ever"  (Ps.  civ.  5).  "The 
heavens  declare  the  glory  of  God,  and  the  firmament  showeth  his 
handy  work"  (Ps.  xix.  1). 

If  in  this  investigation  we  exercise  our  reason,  God's  best  and 
noblest  gift  (for  without  it  even  immortality  Avould  be  a  blank),  we 
shall  be  able  to  see  clearly  where  the  worldling  but  gropes  in  the 
dark.    Our  reason  must  be  sacrificed  to  God,  that  is,  uot  destroyed, 


THE  INSTRUMENTAL  CAUSE  OF  CREATION. 


311 


but  dedicated  and  consecrated  to  his  service,  which  is  the  meaning  of 
"to  sacrifice."  If  this  be  done  faithfully,  we  shall  walk  in  the  true 
light — Me  shall  enjoy  a  morning  without  clouds,  and  our  sun  shall 
never  go  down. 

The  Sun  the  Instrumental  Cause  of  Creation. 

Reason  teaches  that  the  globe  upon  which  we  live  is  entix'ely 
dependent  for  all  its  nourishment  and  support  upon  the  central  sun 
in  the  system.  If  the  sun  were  removed,  our  globe  would  instantly 
cease  to  be,  animal  and  vegetable  life  would  perish,  and  all  would  be 
reduced  to  a  nonenity.  The  earth  would  be  deprived  of  all  heat  and 
light,  it  would  instantly  lose  its  motion,*  and  destruction  would  fol- 
low ;  for  it  only  lives  while  it  moves.  In  the  bounded  space  of  this 
univei'sc  large  bodies  revolve,  which,  performing  their  circuits  round 
the  sun  as  a  common  centre,  grow  to  their  respective  ages.  The  sun, 
like  an  anxious  parent,  regards  these  revolving  globes  no  otherwise 
than  as  his  own  offspring  which  have  attained  to  a  considerable 
maturity ;  for  he  continually  consults  their  general  and  particular 
interests  ;  and  although  they  are  distant,  he  never  fails  to  exercise 
over  them  his  care  and  parental  protection,  since  by  his  rays  he  is,  as 
it  were,  present  in  his  provisions  for  them  ;  he  cherishes  them  with 
the  warmth  issuing  from  his  immense  bosom ;  he  adorns  their  bodies 
and  members  every  year  with  a  most  beautiful  clothing  ;  he  nourishes 


I  In  a  work  entitled  "  The  Sacred  History 
of  tlie  World,"  by  Sharon  Turner,  among 
many  excellent  things  are  some  most  ex- 
traordinary and  unphilosophical  statements. 
In  vol.  i.,  pp.  8,  9,  the  author  says:  "It  was 
nearly  6,000  years  ago,  according  to  the  chro-  [ 
nology  of  the  Hebrew  Scripture,  that  it 
pleased  the  Almighty  to  determine  on  the  ' 
creation  of  the  earth  which  we  inhabit.  The  ' 
sacred  history  of  the  world  is  built  on  the 
grand  truth  expressed  in  the  first  verse  of  \ 
the  Pentateuch  —  In  the  beginning  God  j 
(Elohim)  created   the   heavens   and  the 
earth."   It  is  a  pity  this  w'riter  did  not  pro- 
duce chapter  and  verse  for  this  "  nearly 
6,000  years  ago."   And  with  respect  to  the 
phrase,  "  In  the  beginning,"  no  one  can  suc- 
cessfully contend  that  the  word  "begin- 
ning" means  6,000  years  ago.   Again  this 
author  says,  "  Our  earthly  day  is  that  space 
of  time  in  which  our  globe  turns  once  com- 
pletely round.   This  action  of  time,  which 
we  subdivide  into  twenty-four  parts  or 
hours,  does  not  depend  upon  the  sun,  nor 
arise  from  it.  As  it  is  only  an  entire  rotation 


of  the  earth,  it  could  occur  as  well  irithout  a 
solar  orb  as  with  one.  The  annual  circuit 
or  year,  which  is  the  completed  orbit  of  the 
earth  round  this  luminary,  could  not  take 
place  without  a  sun ;  but  a  day  requires 
the  existence  and  revolving  motion  of  the 
earth  alone."  Vol.  i.,  p.  18.  To  talk  of  days 
without  a  sun  is  surely  not  that  kind  of 
philosophy  which  will  gain  many  advocates 
in  the  nineteenth  century.  But  we  ask, 
What  is  the  cause  of  the  earth's  rotation  ? 
To  this  our  author  replies  and  says.  "  Physics 
have  not  discovered,  nor  can  rational  con- 
jecture assign  any  reason  for  the  diurnal  ro- 
tation of  the  earth,  except  the  commanding 
will  and  exerted  power  of  the  Creator."  P. 
19.  To  this  it  is  replied,  that  all  life  and 
motion  are  (primarily)  of  the  will  and  power 
of  the  Creator ;  but  nevertheless  it  is  sub- 
mitted to  the  Christian  philosopher,  that  the 
rotatory  motion  of  the  sun  is  the  instru- 
mental cause  of  the  earth's  motion,  and  that 
if  it  were  possible  to  stop  the  former,  the 
latter  would  instantly  cease. 


312 


THE  KEY  OF  KNOWLEDGE. 


their  inhabitants  with  a  perpetual  supply  of  food ;  he  promotes  the 
life  of  all  things,  and  enlightens  them  with  his  luminous  radiance. 
Since  the  sun  thus  executes  all  the  functions  of  parental  duty,  it 
follows  from  the  connection  and  tenor  of  causes,  that  if  Ave  are  desir- 
ous to  unfold  the  history  of  the  earth  from  her  earliest  infancy,  and 
to  examine  her  from  her  origin,  we  must  have  recourse  to  the  sun 
himself;  for  every  effect  is  a  continuity  of  causes  from  the  first  cause  ; 
and  the  cause  by  which  anything  subsists  is  continued  to  the  cause  by 
which  it  exists ;  subsistence  being  a  kind  of  perpetual  existence. 

From  the  above  train  of  reasoning,  we  now  come  at  this  conclusion: 
that  as  the  earth  receives  all  its  nourishment  from  the  sun  as  a  parent, 
and  requires  his  perpetual  presence  to  keep  it  in  being,  it  is  manifest 
that  it  must  have  burst  forth  from  him  as  from  a  fruitful  Avomb ;  and 
that  the  sun,  being  a  created  instrument  in  the  hand  of  the  Divine 
Creator,  is  therefore  to  be  regarded  as  the  instrumental  cause,  origin 
and  parent  of  this  our  world. 

"We  must,  then,  view  the  sun  as  the  instrumental  cause  of  the  crea- 
tion of  this  world.  Here  the  materialist  stops  his  inquiry,  attributing 
everything  to  Avhat  he  calls  Nature,  and  Avorships  this  as  God.  But 
Christians  must  make  no  halting  in  their  Avay ;  they  must  carefully 
trace  effects  up  to  their  cause.  The  sun  could  no  more  create  itself 
than  could  the  earth.  We  must  ascertain  the  origin  of  the  natural 
sun ;  and  to  do  this,  Ave  must  look  through  it  to  the  spiritual  Avorld  of 
causes,  and  finally  to  the  Lord  himself  as  the  Fountain  of  life  and 
being.  In  this  stage  of  the  inquiry.  Revelation  alone  can  afford  us 
the  required  assistance. 

In  the  Sacred  Scripture,  God  himself  is  called  a  Sun,  and  the  Sun 
of  righteousness — a  Sun  Avhich  ncA'er  goes  doAvn  or  becomes  dim,  but 
is  truly  "an  CA'erlasting  light"  (Isa.  Ix.  19).  It  is  a  truth  that 
Jehovah  God  is  the  great  First  Cause  and  common  Centre  of  all 
things.  His  love  is  the  fount  of  life,  and  his  Avisdom,  as  the  fii-st 
emanating  sphere  or  brightness  of  that  loA'e,  may  be  considered  as  the 
Divine  Sun  of  the  eternal  Avorld,  Avhose  creative  rays  of  heat  and  light, 
or  love  and  Avisdom  in  union,  fill  the  heavens  Avith  glory,  and  the 
angels  Avith  joy  and  gladness.  Noav  to  connect  the  created  universe 
with  God  as  the  First  Cause  (for  Avithout  this  connection  creation 
would  expire),  Ave  must  view  the  sun  of  this  natural  Avorld  as  a  created 
receptacle,  formed  by  the  Divine  Wisdom,  and  adapted  to  receive  and 
concentrate  the  creative  rays  of  the  Sun  of  righteousness.  By  this 
concentration,  is  produced  an  intensity  of  heat,  Avhich  may  be  termed 


SIR  HUMPHRY  DAVY'S  VIEW. 


313 


a  body  of  pure  fire,  or  the  sun  of  our  solar  system.  This  recei)tion 
and  concentration  of  the  creative  rays  of  the  Divine  Sun,  produces 
the  rotatory  motion  of  the  natural  sun  upon  its  own  axis,  by  which 
light  and  heat  are  widely  dispensed  around.  This,  again,  gives  all 
the  motion  to  the  planetary  orbs  in  our  system,  producing  the  changes 
and  vicissitudes  in  the  diurnal  motion  of  morning,  meridian,  evening 
and  night,  as  well  as  those  of  the  annual  motion  round  the  sun,  of  the 
four  seasons,  spring,  summer,  autumn  and  wintei*. 

Thus  we  may  see  that  the  sun  of  our  world  derives  its  heat  and 
light  from  being  perpetually  operated  upon  by  the  Sun  of  the  eternal 
world ;  and  that  if  the  connection  subsisting  between  them  were  to  be 
broken  or  interrupted,  the  sun  would  instantly  lose  all  its  vigorous 
principles  of  heat  and  light,  and  the  consequence  would  be,  the  total 
destruction  of  that  planetary  system  of  which  the  sun  is  the  centre. 
We  may  safely  subscribe  to  the  statement  already  made,  that,  how- 
ever long  the  chain  of  causes  and  effects  may  be,  the  first  link  of  that 
chain  is  in  the  hand  of  God.  Stability,  firmness  and  duration  are 
given  to  everything,  because  God  is  the  All  in  all.  There  is,  then, 
no  doubt  but  that  this  our  globe  is  an  outbirth  or  offspring  of  the 
sun,  and  that  it  performed  thousands  of  revolutions  round  its  parent 
before  it  became  fit  for  the  habitation  of  animals  and  lastly  of  man. 

Sir  Humphry  Davi/'s  View. 

Sir  Humphry  Davy,  a  philosopher  to  whom  the  world  is  greatly 
indebted,  says : 

"  The  globe  in  the  first  state  in  which  the  imagination  can  venture 
to  consider  it,  appears  to  have  been  a  fluid  mass,  with  an  immense 
atmosphere  revolving  in  space  round  the  sun.  By  its  cooling,  a  por- 
tion of  its  atmosphere  was  probably  condensed  into  water,  which  occu- 
pied a  part  of  its  surface.  In  this  state,  no  forms  of  life  such  as  now 
belong  to  our  world,  could  have  inhabited  it.  The  crystalline  rocks, 
called  by  geologists  primary  rocks,  and  which  contain  no  vestiges  of 
a  former  order  of  things,  Avere  the  result  of  the  first  consolidation  on 
its  surface.  Upon  the  further  cooling,  the  water  which  more  or  less 
had  covered  it,  contracted,  depositions  took  place  ;  shell-fish  and  coral 
insects  were  created,  and  began  their  labors ;  islands  appeared  in  the 
midst  of  the  ocean,  raised  from  the  deep  by  the  productive  energies  of 
millions  of  zoophytes.  These  islands  became  covered  with  vegetables 
fitted  to  bear  a  high  temperature.  The  submarine  rocks  of  these  new 
formations  of  land  became  covered  with  aquatic  vegetables,  on  which 
27 


3U 


THE  KEY  OF  KNOWLEDGE. 


various  sj^ecies  of  shell-fisli  and  common  fishes  found  their  nourish- 
ment. As  the  temperature  of  the  globe  became  lower,  species  of  the 
oviparous  reptiles  ajjpear  to  have  been  created  to  inhabit  it ;  and  the 
turtle,  crocodile,  and  various  gigantic  animals  seem  to  have  haunted 
the  bays  and  waters  of  the  primitive  lands. 

"  But  in  this  state  of  things,  there  appears  to  have  been  no  order 
of  events  similar  to  the  present.  Immense  volcanic  explosions  seem 
to  have  taken  place,  accompanied  b}^  elevations  and  depressions  of  the 
earth's  surface,  producing  mountains,  hills  and  valleys,  and  causing 
new  and  extensive  depositions  from  the  primitive  ocean.  The  remains 
of  living  beings,  plants,  fishes,  birds  and  reptiles,  are  found  in  the 
strata  of  rocks  which  are  the  monumental  evidences  of  these  changes. 
When  these  revolutions  became  less  frequent,  and  the  globe  became 
still  more  cooled,  and  inequalities  of  temperature  were  established  by 
means  of  the  mountain  chains,  more  perfect  animals  became  its  inhab- 
itants, some  of  which  have  now  become  extinct.  Five  successive  races 
of  plants  and  four  of  animals,  appear  to  have  been  created  and  swept 
away  by  the  physical  revolutions  of  the  globe,  before  the  S3^stem  of 
things  became  so  permanent  as  to  fit  the  w  orld  for  man.  In  none  of 
these  formations,  whether  called  secondary,  tertiary  or  diluvial,  have 
the  fossil  remains  of  man  or  any  of  his  works  been  discovered.  At  last 
man  was  created  ;  and  since  that  period  there  has  been  little  altera- 
tion in  the  physical  circumstances  of  our  globe." 

Connection  between  the  Q-eator  and  Ms  Works. 

In  the  orderly  progression  of  creation,  everything  appeal's  to  bea; 
the  impress  of  a  Divine  hand.  Every  stage  in  creation's  work  seems 
to  lead  on  to  the  end  in  view — the  creation  of  man,  the  image  and 
likeness  of  his  Maker,  who  by  the  gift  of  reason  could  contemjilate 
the  living  scene  of  beauties  around  him,  could  examine  the  qualities 
and  properties  of  the  physical  phenomena  which  met  his  wondering 
eyes ;  and,  looking  through  these,  could  open  his  grateful  heart,  and 
send  forth  his  breath  of  praise  to  Him  who  is  the  Author  and  Sup- 
porter of  the  whole.  He  could  observe  that  the  Divine  love  and 
wisdom,  which  dispensed  life  and  blessing  around,  radiate  eternally 
from  the  Divine  presence.  Feeling  an  increase  of  pleasure  in  such 
elevated  contemplations,  he  might  take  up  the  language  of  the 


'.''ce  !i  work  entitled,  "Consolations  in  Travel,  or.  The  Liist  Days  of  a  Philosopher," 
pages  124-127. 


CONNECTION  BETWEEN  THE  CREATOR  AND  HIS  WORKS.  315 


psalmist  and  say,  "  As  the  hart  panteth  after  the  water  brooks,  so 
panteth  luy  soul  after  thee,  O  God.  My  soul  thirsteth  for  God,  for 
the  livmg  God."    (Ps.  xlii.  1,  2.) 

No  pei-son  can  contemplate  creation,  with  all  its  wonders  and  beau- 
ties, without  acknowledging  that  the  power,  wisdom  and  goodness  of 
God  are  eminently  displayed  therein.  What  power  short  of  omnipo- 
tent, could  fill  the  blue  ethereal  space  with  myriads  of  suns,  stars  and 
planets,  appearing  more  brilliant  than  polished  spheres  of  gold  and 
silver?  What  wisdom,  not  perfect  and  infinite,  could  arrange  these 
at  immense  distances  from  each  other,  could  order  and  direct  their 
respective  courses,  and  yet  so  adapt  them  by  a  corresponding  connec- 
tion, as  to  form  one  grand  whole ;  all  the  parts  of  which  are  in  rapid 
motion,  yet  calm,  regular  and  harmonious ;  invariably  keeping  the 
paths  prescribed  to  them  : — these  planetary  orbs,  again,  being  worlds 
peopled  with  myriads  of  intelligent  beings  formed  for  endless  pro- 
gression in  perfection  and  felicity  ?  Who  can  think  of  these  things, 
and  not  acknowledge  that  infinite  wisdom  is  displayed  therein  ?  And 
who  can  doubt  of  God's  goodness  in  creation,  when  he  sees  that  every 
living  thing  is  gifted  with  an  organic  structure,  exactly  adapted  to 
the  situation  in  Avhich  it  lives,  to  the  means  of  obtaining  food,  to  the 
method  of  defending  itself  from  danger,  and  to  the  enjoyment  of  its 
existence  ?  The  wants  of  animal  life  are  abundantly  supplied  to  the 
numerous  families  of  living  creatures,  and  with  as  much  regularity 
and  certainty  as  if  God  had  but  one  to  attend  to.  These  things  can 
speak  no  other  language  than  that  of  inspiration,  which,  with  a  power 
no  rational  mind  can  or  would  wish  to  disprove,  proclaims  that  "  God 
is  good  to  all,  and  his  tender  mercies  are  over  all  his  works !  "  That 
man  must  be  more  than  blind,  who,  if  he  reflect  on  creation  at  all, 
cannot  discover  the  power,  wisdom,  and  goodness  of  God  displayed 
therein. 

Viewing  creation's  mighty  work  in  this  way,  we  at  once  discover 
an  indissoluble  connection  existing  between  the  Creator  and  the 
created  ;  the  latter  requiring  the  perpetual  presence  and  operation  of 
the  former  to  perpetuate  its  existence.  Creation  is  not  only  an  out- 
birth  from  Deity,  but  it  at  the  same  time  exhibits,  in  all  its  multi- 
farious forms,  a  faithful  image  of  Him,  the  connection  being  so  strong 
and  certain  between  God  and  his  works,  that  all  outward  objects,  as 
effects,  are  to  be  viewed  as  so  many  types,  representations  and  sym- 
bolic emblems,  which  constantly  exhibit  and  shadow  forth  the  attri- 
butes, the  goodness,  the  perfections  and  wisdom  of  the  great  First 


316 


THE  KEY  OF  KNOWLEDGE. 


Cause.  There  is,  throughout  all  nature,  a  close  connection  between 
the  essence  of  a  thing  and  its  form ;  the  essence  being  the  spirit,  soul 
or  life,  and  the  form  the  external  manifestation ;  hence  the  forms  of 
things  exhibit  to  the  intellectual  eye  of  man  the  true  quality  of  the 
essences  which  respectively  gave  them  birth ;  and  to  produce  pre- 
cision and  exactness,  both  of  distinction  and  description,  names  were 
also  anciently  given  to  mark  and  express  the  respective  qualities  of 
the  things  named. 

If,  then,  the  life  or  operative  Spirit  of  God  must  constantly  flow 
into  all  creation,  that  it  may  be  kept  in  existence,  in  activity  and 
growth,  by  which  it  can  alone  perform  the  uses  it  was  evidently  de- 
signed ;  it  follows,  that,  as  it  is  animated  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  and 
upheld  by  his  power,  it  must  reflect  back  an  image  of  Him,  and  show 
forth  in  all  its  successive  productions,  the  universality  of  his  power 
and  goodness.  The  created  universe  may  very  properly  be  termed  a 
living  temple,  in  ^vhich  the  living  Gud  delights  to  dwell,  filling  every 
part  thereof  with  the  breath  of  life ;  while  each  object,  in  the  enjoy- 
ment of  individual  existence,  seems  to  sing  for  joy,  and  bask  in  the 
sunshine  of  pleasure.  It  is  certain  that  we  "  cannot  go  where  uni- 
versal love  smiles  not  around  I  " 

If  the  view  we  have  thus  taken  of  creation  be  correct,  (of  which  a 
rational  doubt  can  hardly  be  supposed) — if  the  goodness,  wisdom  and 
power  of  God  are  felt  and  seen  in  his  works — if  the  whole,  as  a  type, 
reflects  a  foint  image  of  the  Divine  perfections ;  and  if  all  outward 
objects  are  corresponding  emblems  of  the  affections,  thoughts  and 
powers  of  the  human  mind,  thereby  connecting  the  material  world 
with  man,  and  by  and  through  man  with  the  Creator,  then  we  must 
clearly  observe  an  unbroken  connection,  a  relationship  and  corre- 
spondence between  all  creation  and  the  omnipotent  One  who  produced 
and  still  supports  the  whole.  This  view  will  lead  us  to  a  right  under- 
standing of  the  reasoning  of  St.  Paul,  who,  in  addressing  the  Romans, 
says :  "  The  invisible  things  of  Him  from  the  creation  of  the  world 
are  clearly  seen,  being  understood  by  the  things  that  are  made,  even 
his  eternal  power  and  Godhead ; '  so  that  they  are  without  excuse." 
(Rom.  i.  20.)  The  invisible  things  of  God  are  certainly  the  opera- 
tions of  his  creative  power  and  goodness.  These  are  as  the  essences 
which  give  birth  and  being  to  all  external  forms,  while  the  forms  in 
their  order,  quality  and  appearance,  make  the  invisible  essences  to 
be  intellectually  seen  and  understood.  If  those  properties  which 
relate  to  the  eternal  power  and  Godhead  are  to  be  understood  by  the 


PLENARY  INSPIRATION  OF  THE  WORD  OF  GOD.  317 


things  that  are  made,  then  it  follows  that  creation  is  a  representative 
image  of  the  Divine  Being,  and  that  his  unity,  goodness,  power  and 
wisdom  are  exhibited  in  all  its  parts. 

As  Nature  is  the  orderly  production  of  God,  and  as  a  connection 
exists  between  the  Lord  and  his  works,  so  it  is  reasonable  to  conclude 
that  a  similar  law  of  corresponding  relationship  must  be  observed 
between  Him  and  his  Word  of  Revelation.  The  wisdom  of  God  jnust 
be  contained  in  those  sacred  writings  which  are  emphatically  denomi- 
nated the  Word,  and  as  such,  must  treat  primarily  of  the  spiritual 
creation  of  man ;  that  is,  of  the  renovation  of  his  mind,  by  which  he 
is  prepared  for  an  eternal  state  of  existence,  and  not  merely  of  the 
outward  things  of  nature,  only  so  far  as  they  are  mentioned  as  cor- 
responding emblems  to  represent  those  affections,  thoughts  and  states 
of  life,  with  their  successive  variations  and  changes  which  take  place 
in  man,  while  in  him  the  regenerating  process  is  going  on. 

Flenary  Inspiration  of  the  Word  of  God. 

The  Bible  is  generally  acknowledged  by  Christians  to  be  the  Word 
of  God  ;  but  this  acknowledgment  is  grounded  more  in  authority  than 
in  any  internal  conviction  of  the  fact.  What  appears  to  be  wanting 
is  proof ;  but  how  is  this  to  be  given  ?  Not  by  an  appeal  to  the  opin- 
ions of  those  who  lived  in  ancient  times — not  by  producing  a  long 
list  of  venerable  names  of  men  who  lived  in  the  days  of  other  years, 
with  their  sentiments  attached ;  for  such  a  list  could  prove  nothing 
but  the  opinions  of  those  whose  names  it  contained.  If  the  Bible  be 
the  Word  of  God,  it  must  contain  within  itself  the  certain  evidences 
of  that  fact ;  and  that  it  does  contain  these,  we  hope  clearly  to  dem- 
onstrate by  many  examples.  Any  book  acknowledged  to  be  the 
Word  of  God,  must  be  written  by  his  immediate  dictation  ;  for  what 
is  the  dictation  of  any  being,  but  his  word,  will  and  command  ?  And 
as  every  human  writing  contains,  upon  the  subject  treated  of,  the 
mind  and  spirit  of  the  writer,  so  those  Scriptures  which  bear  the  high 
title  of  the  "  Word  of  God,"  must  contain  the  Divine  mind,  spirit 
and  will.  They  must  have  been  dictated  by  the  Spirit  of  God  to  the 
persons  who  were  appointed  to  write  them,  and  of  course  written  by 
a  plenary  inspiration.  The  subjects,  therefore,  of  such  a  written 
Word  must  be  lofty,  such  as  are  worthy  a  Divine  Being,  and  adapted 
to  guide  man  in  all  his  journey  through  the  vicissitudes  of  this  transi- 
tory scene  of  things,  and  to  bring  him  in  safety  to  the  haven  of  his 
appointed  rest. 
27* 


318 


THE  KEY  OF  KNOWLEDGE. 


The  AVord  of  God,  like  his  works  in  outward  creation,  must  be  one 
perfect  harmonious  whole ;  a  regularly  connected  chain  of  end,  cause 
and  effect  must  be  observed  to  pervade  each.  As  creation  was  pro- 
duced by  regular  laws  according  to  the  Divine  will  and  pleasure,  in 
which  God  himself  is  constant!}'  present  to  sustain  and  uphold,  pre- 
venting thereby  any  of  its  parts  from  dilapidation  or  disuse  ;  so  his 
Word,  which  is  a  revelation  of  his  will  to  his  sentient  creatures,  must 
also  be  produced  in  a  similar  regular  order,  and  must  contain,  within 
its  literal  sense,  the  stores  of  Divine  wisdom,  goodness  and  power,  in 
which  the  Lord  himself  is  so  essentially  present  by  his  Spirit,  that 
not  "  one  jot  or  tittle  "  of  the  Divine  law  can  ever  fail.  It  is  hence 
certain  that  those  Scriptures  which  are  the  Word,  are  of  plenary 
inspiration,  because  written  by  Divine  dictation  throughout :  if  not 
so  written,  they  are  not  the  Word  of  God. 

St.  Paul,  in  his  ejiistle  to  Timothy,  says :  "All  Scripture  is  given 
by  inspiration  of  God,  and  is  profitable  for  doctrine,  for  reproof,  for 
correction,  for  instruction  in  righteousness :  that  the  man  of  God  may 
be  perfect,  throughly  furnished  unto  all  good  works."  (2  Tim.  iii. 
IG,  17.)  These  expressions  clearly  state  that  the  whole  of  the  pcr- 
fecth'  inspired  Scripture,  is  given  to  insure  the  growth  and  perfection 
of  the  human  character — to  enlighten  the  understanding  and  purify 
the  will ;  thus,  by  making  man  wiser  and  better,  to  fit  him  for  the 
enjoyment  of  angelic  perfection.  The  Greek  single  word  here  ren- 
dered by  five,  "  given  by  inspiration  of  God,"  is,  respecting  the  plen- 
ary inspiration  of  Scripture,  exceedingly  strong  and  expressive.  The 
word  is  Qso-vevaro^  (Theopiieiistos) ;  and  being  compounded  of  Gfof, 
God,  and  ttveu,  to  breathe,  literally  means  God-breathed.  "All  Scrip- 
ture God-breathed,"  is  therefore  profitable  for  doctrine,  reproof  and 
correction.^  The  phrase  "  all  Scripture,"  comprehends  all  those  books 
called  the  Law  and  the  Prophets,  including  the  Psalms.  These  are 
also  styled  the  Law  and  the  Testimony,  to  which  the  Lord  alluded 
when,  after  his  resurrection,  He  said  to  his  disciples  :  "All  things  must 
be  fulfilled  which  are  written  in  the  law  of  Moses,  and  in  the  Prophets, 
and  in  the  Psalms  concerning  me."    (Luke  xxiv.  44.) 

Among  ten  thousand  privileges  enjoyed  in  the  true  spiritual  church 

3Tlie  original  of  this  verse  does  not  state  I  yet  they  have  had,  and  still  continue  to 
that  ALL  Scripture  is  given  by  inspiration;  have,  tlieir  use  in  the  church.  What  tlie 
for  every  writing  is  scripture.  Some  writ-  verse  expressly  states  is,  that  "  all  Scripture 
ings,  that  are  even  bound  up  with  our  com-  tiod  brcathed."  or  "given  by  inspiralion," 
mon  Ribles,  are  not  admitted  to  be  canoni-  ;  is  iirolitable,  etc. 
cal,  because  not  given  tiy  inspiration  ;  and  I 


PLENARY  INSPIRATION  OF  THE  WORD  OF  GOD.  319 


of  Christ,  is  one  which  may  truly  be  termed  the  introductory  means 
of  obtaining  all  the  rest;  without  which,  a  correct  knowledge  of  the 
Word  of  God  throughout  cannot  be  fully  obtained.  Nothing  surely 
can  contribute  more  to  the  furtherance  of  the  interests  of  vital  re- 
ligion, or  to  the  wide  extension  of  theological  truth,  than  to  point  out 
a  method  by  which  the  Word  of  God  can  be  faithfully  and  harmoni- 
ously interpreted— by  which  the  sacred  cabinet  can  be  unlocked  and 
its  heavenly  treasures  explored.  It  is  surely  reasonable  to  suppose 
that,  as  there  is  a  certain  orderly  and  progressive  method  to  be  care- 
fully pursued  in  obtaining  correct  scientific  and  philosophical  knowl- 
edge, and  that  any  deviation  from  the  general  rule  must  involve  us 
in  doubt  and  error ;  so  there  must  be  one  general  and  uniform  system 
to  be  jiursued  in  the  search  of  spiritual  or  religious  truth,  a  deviation 
from  which  must  equally  involve  us  in  ignorance,  doubt  and  error. 

When  we  take  a  view  of  the  present  state  of  the  Christian  Avorld, 
and  observe  that  doctrines  as  opposite  to  each  other  as  light  and  dark- 
ness are  taught  as  Christian  verities — that  all  are  pronounced  to  be 
truly  Christian,  though  widely  different  and  opposite ;  we  must  think 
that  something  is  wrong  somewhere,  or  opposite  views  could  not  be 
taught  as  springing  from  one  and  the  same  source.  This  fact  is  before 
the  eyes  of  every  one  who  reflects  at  all,  and  if  there  be  any  truth  to 
be  drawn  from  it,  it  is  this :  that  all  our  errors  arise  from  not  "  know- 
ing the  Scriptures  nor  the  power  of  God." 

One  system  says,  with  the  lips  of  its  professors,  that  there  is  but 
one  God  ;  that  in  the  Godhead,  nevertheless,  are  three  Persons  of  one 
substance,  each  of  whom  is  distinctly  and  by  himself  God  and  Lord ; 
but  that  in  some  mysterious  way  or  other  these  three  are  but  one 
God.  This  explanation,  if  it  must  be  so  called,  is  generally  guarded 
from  any  further  inquiry,  by  "  ask  not  how  this  can  be ;  "  be  silent 
and  have  faith  !  The  same  system,  in  its  further  mysterious  teaching, 
says  that  God  is  "  without  body,  parts,  or  passions ;  "  and  if  we  ask, 
How  can  a  being  without  either  body,  parts,  or  passions,  be  three 
persons  of  one  substance  ?  we  are  answered,  and  told  that  it  is  a  very 
great  mystery,  impious  to  in(pire  into,  and  that  the  human  under- 
standing ought  to  be  bound  under  obedience  to  faith.  Thus  the 
truth,  the  grand  truth  of  the  Divine  Unity,  is,  by  unmeaning  creeds, 
hid  from  our  eyes,  and  the  human  race  left  to  wander  in  the  mys- 
terious labyrinths  of  universal  doubt. 

Another  system,  peculiar  to  itself,  teaches  that  God  has  elected  a 
certain  number  of  the  human  race  to  heaven  and  happiness,  without 


320 


THE  KEY  OF  KNOWLEDGE. 


any  foresight  of  faith,  good  works,  or  any  conditions  performed  by 
the  creature ;  and  designedly  consigned  the  rest  to  everhisting  wrath 
and  perdition  for  their  sins.  This  appears  to  be  the  very  dregs  of 
heathen  fatalism  and  necessity,  which  the  reformer  of  Geneva  gath- 
ered together  and  tried  to  refine  into  the  constituent  jwinciples  of 
Christianity,  but  which  he  made  worse  in  the  process.  Tliis  gloomy 
theory  is  most  decidedly  opposed  by  the  Arminian  scheme,  which 
says  of  it,  that  it  is  altogether  false  and  anti-Christian,-  and  in  oppo- 
sition to  it,  maintains  that  God  wills,  and  has  provided  means  for, 
the  happiness  of  all ;  that  by  these  He  has  made  salvation  attain- 
able by  all ;  thus  that  man  and  not  God  is  the  author  of  all  his 
misery. 

Another  system  teaches  that  faith  alone,  without  works,  is  all  that 
is  necessaiy  to  salvation ;  while  another,  opposed  to  this,  says,  that 
faith  without  works,  or  a  holy  life,  is  dead  and  of  no  use,  and  that 
charity,  holiness  and  purity  are  essential  to  the  attainment  of  life 
everlasting. 

Another  system  denies  the  di^^nity  of  the  Christian  Redeemer,  and 
teaches  that  Jesus  Christ  is  nothing  more  than  a  human  creature,  in 
all  respects  like  unto  other  men,  fallible  and  peccable,  and  therefore 
not  an  object  of  religious  worship.  This  system  is,  by  the  Trinitarian 
scheme,  loaded  Mith  all  kinds  of  obloquy,  and  called  the  half-way 
house  to  infidelity.  It  may  be  such  half-way  house  leading  to  infi- 
delity— perhaps  it  is :  but  if  it  be,  popular  Trinitarianism  will,  in 
this  respect,  always  be  found  to  be  its  next-door  neighbor. 

We  might  still  go  on  describing  the  great  diflferences  in  the  doc- 
trines now  taught,  each  of  which  claims  for  itself  the  character  of 
orthodoxy — all  are  right  and  true,  though  different  and  opposite, 
while  the  advocates  of  each  system  respectively,  say,  "  The  temple 
of  the  Lord  are  we."  Our  object,  however,  is  not  to  dwell  upon  these 
differences,  but  to  point  out  that  Rule  or  heavenly  Science,  by  which 
the  Word  of  God  throughout  can  with  certainty  and  correctness  be 
explained.  Nothing  more  strikingly  shows  the  total  absence  of  such 
rule  or  method  than  the  vastly  different  and  opposite  doctrines  which 
are  now  zealously  taught.  Amidst  all  this  mental  confusion — these 
"  wars  and  rumors  of  wars  " — it  must  be  acknowledged  that  a  sure 
rule  of  Scripture  interpretation,  would  indeed  be  a  light  in  the  hands 
of  private  Christians,  as  well  as  a  help  to  those  whose  business  it 
is,  on  the  Sabbath,  to  dispense  the  Word  of  Life  to  their  fellow 
men. 


SURE  RULE  OF  SCRIPTURE  INTERPRETATION. 


321 


Correspondence^  the  sure  Rule  of  Scripture  Interpretation. 

The  Rule,  then,  which  is  here  recommended  as  the  only  sure  one 
by  which  the  sacred  records  of  Divine  Truth  can  be  elucidated,  is 
that  immutable  relationship  or  corresjxtndence  existing  between  all 
the  objects  of  the  world  of  nature,  Avhether  animal,  vegetable  or  min- 
eral, and  the  affections,  thoughts,  and  intellectual  properties  of  man, 
as  the  world  of  mind.  This  Rnle,  which  is  named  the  Science  of  Cor- 
respondences, from  the  universality  and  certainty  of  its  application 
when  faithfully  studied  and  correctly  applied,  will  be  found  to  be,  as 
expressed  in  the  title-page  of  this  work,  "  The  key  of  knowledge  " 
to  the  Holy  Scriptures,  by  the  use  of  which  a  true  system  of 
Theology  will  be  restored,  and  the  Word  of  God  with  clearness  and 
certainty  explained.  This  science  grows  out  of  and  is  exhibited  in 
universal  creation.  It  can  therefore  never  err  in  itself,  because  it  is 
the  order  of  the  Creator,  and  exhibited  throughout  his  works.  A 
man,  it  is  true,  may  commit  some  errors  in  explaining  it,  but  these 
are  to  be  attributed  to  the  explainer  and  not  to  the  science ;  for  that, 
in  itself,  is  infallible  and  certain. 

Correspondence,  then,  may  be  termed  a  universal  language,  in  which 
the  Divine  Being  speaks  to  his  creatures,  both  in  his  works  and  in 
his  Word.  The  first  voice  which  is  heard,  or  the  first  truth  made 
apparent  in  universal  creation,  is,  that  there  is  a  Grod,  and  that  there 
is  but  One,  who,  from  the  harmony,  regularity  and  beauty  of  his 
works,  is  infinite  in  wisdom  and  goodness.  To  this  voice  or  truth, 
human  reason  at  once  assents  without  the  least  diflSculty  or  hesita- 
tion. As  it  is  in  the  works  of  God,  so  is  it  in  his  Word ;  for  Revela- 
tion throughout,  invariably  points  to  one  God,  in  essence  and  Person 
One,  who  is  at  once  the  Creator,  Redeemer,  and  Saviour ;  God  mani- 
fest in  the  flesh,  whom  the  apostle  styles  the  "  True  God  and  Eternal 
Life."  If  Revelation  be  deprived  of  this  self-evident  truth — the  per- 
fect unity  of  God,  as  a  single  Divine  Being — no  clear  light  can  enter 
the  mind  upon  any  theological  subject  whatever.  All  the  bright 
truths  of  the  Word  will  become  obscured — the  selfhood  and  self- 
derived  intelligence  of  man  will  come  in  between  him  and  the  Sun 
of  righteousness — to  him  the  Divine  Luminary  Avill  become  eclipsed, 
and,  in  respect  to  religious  truth,  nothing  but  darkness  and  gross 
darkness  can  cover  his  moral  land. 

In  stating,  first,  what  the  science  of  Correspondence  is,  we  cannot, 
perhaps,  define  it  better  than  by  saying  that  it  treats  of  the  relation- 


322 


THE  KEY  OF  KNOWLEDGE. 


ship  which  exists  between  the  essence  of  a4hing  and  its  form  or  out- 
ward appearance,  and  that  the  form  points  out  the  nature  and  quality 
of  the  essence  within.  Correspondence,  according  to  its  etymology — 
it  being  compounded  of  two  Latin  words,  con,  with,  and  respondere,  to 
answer,*  to  answer  with  or  together,  to  fit,  to  suit,  or  match ;  thus 
denoting  the  reciprocal  relation  of  one  thing  to  another — is  a  science 
which  treats  of  the  harmony,  agreement  and  concord  existing  between 
cause  and  effect,  essence  and  form,  spirit  and  matter,  soul  and  body, 
heaven  and  earth.  We  may  here  observe,  that  correspondence  can 
onlj'  be  applied  to  those  things  which  proceed  from  God  in  the  orderly 
course  of  creation ;  it  cannot  be  mixed  up  with,  or  applied  to,  any 
object  or  thing  manufactured  or  made  by  man. 

By  this  universal  science,  all  outward  nature  (including  the  vast 
varieties  of  its  objects),  is  seen  as  a  whole  to  be  a  representative  image 
of  man,  while  the  objects  thereof  correspond  to  his  various  affections 
and  thoughts,  both  good  and  bad.  Man  again  is  seen  to  be  created, 
as  the  Scriptures  declare  him  to  be,  in  the  image  and  likeness  of  God  ; 
all  the  powers  and  principles  of  his  mental  constitution  when  in  order, 
shadow  forth,  by  the  law  of  correspondence,  the  infinite  perfections  of 
his  adorable  Creator.  Thus,  a  regular  chain  of  connection  is  estab- 
lished between  the  Lord  and  his  works — God  is  the  supporter  of  the 
whole,  the  All  m  all. 

Correspondence  was  a  subject  familiar  to  the  men  of  the  most 
ancient  times,  who  esteemed  it  the  science  of  sciences,  and  cultivated 
it  so  universally  that  all  their  books  were  written  in  agreement  with 
it.  The  hieroglyphics  of  the  Egyptians,  and  the  fabulous  stories  of 
antiquity,  were  founded  upon  it.  All  the  ancient  churches  were  rep- 
resentative ;  their  ceremonies,  and  even  their  statutes,  which  were 
rules  for  the  institution  of  their  worship,  shadowed  forth,  by  corre- 
spondence, the  spiritual  things  of  worship  and  of  heaven;  in  like 
manner,  everything  in  the  Israelitish  church,  the  burnt  offerings, 
sacrifices,  meat  offerings  and  drink  ofieriugs,  with  all  the  particulars 
belonging  to  each,  were  of  this  spiritually  representative  character ; 
they  were  all  types  and  shadows  of  good  things  to  come. 

The  science  of  faithfully  representing,  by  outward  objects,  the 
spiritual  states  and  conditions  of  the  mind  and  life,  was  not  only 
known,  but  also  cultivated  in  many  kingdoms  of  Asia,  particularly  in 


*  Some  have  thought  that  correspondence  i  the  signification  is  the  same  either  way,  it  is 
mlprht  Ix'  more  properly  derived  from  for,  of  little  consequence.  Derive  it  which  way 
the  heart,  and  je.sponci«i8,  answering ;  but  as  you  please,  the  meaning  is  still  tlie  same. 


SURE  RULE  OF  SCRIPTURE  INTERPRETATION. 


323 


the  land  of  Canaan,  Egypt,  Assyria,  Chaldea,  Syria,  Arabia,  in  Tyre, 
Sidon,  and  Nineveh  ;  from  thence  it  was  conveyed  into  Greece,  where, 
as  appears  from  the  works  of  the  most  ancient  Grecian  writers,  it  was 
changed  into  fable. 

All  things  that  appear  on  the  face  of  the  earth,  being  objects  which 
comjiose  the  macrocosm  or  great  world,  are  corresponding  emblems  of 
all  the  various  affections,  thoughts,  intellectual  faculties  and  powers 
of  man,  whom  the  ancients  called  the  microcosm  or  little  world ;  con- 
sequently, not  only  trees  and  vegetables,  but  also  beasts,  birds,  fishes 
of  every  kind,  with  all  other  animals,  down  to  the  worm  and  creeping 
things  of  the  ground.  These  are  all  mentioned  in  Scripture  in  refer- 
ence to  the  mental  properties  of  man.  Hence  the  Lord  says  by  the 
prophet,  "  In  that  day  will  I  make  a  covenant  for  them  with  the 
beasts  of  the  field,  and  with  the  fowls  of  heaven,  and  with  the  creep- 
ing things  of  the  ground."  (Hosea  ii.  18.)  This  covenant  is  certainly 
not  made  with  unthinking  animals,  but  with  reflecting  man,  who  is 
here  described  as  to  his  affections  and  thoughts,  from  the  highest  to 
the  lowest,  by  beasts,  birds  and  creeping  things. 

In  agreement  with  the  universal  principles  of  correspondence,  the 
ancients,  who  were  versed  therein,  made  themselves  images  to  repre- 
sent things  celestial,  and  were,  no  doubt,  greatly  delighted  therewith. 
By  reason  of  their  spiritual  signification,  they  could,  and  did,  discern 
in  them  what  related  to  heaven  and  the  church.  Hence  they  placed 
those  images  both  in  their  temples  and  houses,  not  with  any  inten- 
tion to  worship  them,  but  to  serve  as  means  of  recollecting  the 
celestial  things  signified  by  them.  In  Egypt  and  in  other  places, 
they  made  images  of  calves,  oxen,  serpents,  and  also  of  children,  old 
men  and  virgins.  Why  they  did  this,  correspondence  alone  can 
show.  Calves  and  oxen  signify  the  aflfections  and  poAvers  of  the 
natural  mind ;  serpents,  the  prudence  and  cunning  of  the  sensual 
man ;  children,  innocence  and  charity ;  old  men,  wisdom ;  and  vir- 
gins, the  affections  of  truth.  Succeeding  ages,  when  the  knowledge 
of  correspondence  became  obliterated,  because  they  found  these  pic- 
tures and  images  set  up  by  their  forefathers  in  and  about  their  tem- 
ples, began  to  worship  them  as  deities ;  and  from  this,  idolatrous 
worship  took  its  rise.  The  ancients  performed  their  worship  in  gar- 
dens and  groves,  and  also  on  mountains  and  hills ;  by  the  language 
of  correspondence,  gardens  and  groves  signify  wisdom  and  intelligence, 
and  every  particular  tree  something  relating  thereto :  a  mountain 
denotes  the  highest  principle  of  celestial  love  to  the  Lord  ;  and  hills, 


324 


THE  KEY  OF  KNOWLEDGE. 


brotherly  love  and  charity.  It  is  from  this  their  spiritual  significa- 
tion, that  we  read  in  Scripture,  "  The  mountains  and  the  hills  shall 
break  forth  before  you  into  singing,  and  all  the  trees  of  the  field  shall 
clap  their  hands."  (Isaiah  Iv.  12.)  This  true  science  not  only  lucidly 
explains  all  Scripture,  but  also  the  manners  and  customs  of  those  who 
lived  in  the  primitive  times  ;  and  if  ever  the  ancient  Grecian  fables, 
or  the  Egyptian  hieroglyphics,  shall  be  truly  deciphered,  it  must  be 
by  this  means.  No  other  method  will  ever  correctly  unfold  their 
meaning. 


CHAPTER  11. 


The  Origin  of  Correspondence,  and  why  the  Scripture  is  Written  in 
Agreement  with  it — Some  Proofs  Given — Kevelation  the  Voice  of 
God  Speaking  to  Man's  Will  and  Intellect  ;  therefore  of  Plenary 
Inspiration — Opinions  of  Ancient  and  Modern  Authors  Respecting 
Correspondence — The  Prayer  of  Moses,  "Lord,  I  Beseech  Thee, 
Show  me  thy  Glory,"  Explained — The  Tri-Unity  of  God,  as  Con- 
sisting OF  Love,  Wisdom,  Power,  Exhibited  in  all  Creation — Cor- 
respondence of  the  Three  Kingdoms  of  Nature  with  the  Three 
Degrees  of  Life  in  Man. 

Tlie  Origin  of  Correspondence. 

TO  point  out  the  origin  of  correspondence,  and  why  the  Word  of 
God  is  written  according  to  it,  we  must  endeavor  to  show  the 
orderly  descent  of  Divine  Truth  from  its  beginning  in  the  bosom  of 
Deity,  to  its  being  embodied  in  the  natural  language  of  men  on  earth. 
This  is,  indeed,  no  very  easy  task ;  but  still  some  knowledge,  however 
faint  we  may  deem  it,  can  be  obtained  by  those  who  thirst  for  the 
truth  that  they  may  be  freed  from  error  and  doubt.  To  obtain  in- 
formation upon  this  lofty  and  momentous  subject,  we  must  make  a 
direct  appeal  to  the  Word  itself ;  for  that  alone  is  the  centre  and 
source  of  knoAvledge.  David  says,  "  Forever,  O  Lord,  thy  Word  is 
settled  in  heaven."  (Ps.  cxix.  89.)  Now  of  this  Word,  which  he  here 
describes  as  being  forever  settled  in  heaven,  he  says  in  the  105th 
verse  of  the  same  psalm,  "  It  is  a  lamp  unto  my  feet,  and  a  light 
unto  my  path."  This  language  evidently  declares  that  the  Word  of 
God  has  its  beginnings  in  heaven,  where  it  is  in  everlasting  bright- 
ness, and  from  thence  descending  to  the  earth,  becomes  to  the  human 
race  the  lamp  to  their  feet,  and  the  light  to  guide  them  in  their 
religious  path  or  walk. 

Some  Proofs  Given. 

This  descent  of  the  Divine  Truth  from  heaven  to  earth,  so  that  it 
may  be  to  man  his  true  and  steady  light  to  guide  him  in  all  his  ways, 
is  beautifully  described  in  Psalm  xviii.  9,  where  Ave  read  :  "  He  (the 
Lord)  bowed  the  heavens  also,  and  came  down,  and  darkness  Avas 
under  his  feet."  To  boAV  the  heavens  and  come  down,  is  a  Scripture 
28  325 


326 


THE  KEY  OF  KNOWLEDGE. 


phrase  signifying  the  Lord's  presence,  not  only  in  the  heavens,  his 
more  exalted  dwelling-place,  but  in  the  earth,  and  in  all  parts  of  his 
wide  and  living  creation. — "  He  bowed  the  heavens  also,  and  came 
down." 

The  mind  of  man  when  venturing  to  contemplate  the  Majesty  of 
heaven,  can  readily  conceive  Him  to  be  a  Being  whose  essence  is  love, 
unbounded  and  pure,  and  that  the  proximate  spliere  thereof,  being  the 
brightness  by  which  love  is  made  known,  is  the  most  pure  and  perfect 
wisdom.  Love  and  wisdom,  then,  are  the  essential  properties  which 
constitute,  if  we  may  so  speak,  "  our  Father  in  the  heavens."  These 
two  dwell  in  everlasting  union ;  they  cannot  be  separated  in  act,  how- 
ever man,  through  his  prejudice  and  foolishness,  may  sepai'ate  them 
in  thought,  and  suppose  them  to  be  two  distinct  entities.  Love,  as 
the  source  of  creation,  is  the  essence  of  wisdom,  the  source  and  root 
of  all  being ;  and  as  such,  in  Scripture,  is  called  Father  ;  Divine 
Wisdom,  as  being  the  first  and  only  sphere  of  Love,  is  the  form  of 
such  Love,  and  is  called  Son,  and  first  and  only-begottex.  As 
love  dwells  within  wisdom,  and  cannot  be  separated  from  it,  so  Divine 
Revelation,  inasmuch  as  it  is  God's  own  Word  declaring  the  truth, 
teaches  that  the  Father  is  in  the  Son — that  the  Son  came  forth  from 
the  bosom  of  the  Father,  and  that  the  Father  and  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  as  the  Truth,  are  One.  "  I  and  the  Father  are  one."  (John 
X.  30.) 

The  first  emanating  sphere  of  the  Divine  Majesty  is  termed  the 
Wisdom  of  God,  and  an  everlasting  light.  This  is  the  only  Truth ! 
it  is  the  Word  that  was  in  the  beginning  with  God,  and  was  God,  of 
which  Jesus  Christ  was  the  manifested  form.^  This  is  agreeable  to 
the  Divine  declaration,  "  the  AVord  was  made  flesh."  (John  i.  14.) 
This  sphere  of  Divine  Truth  in  the  heavens,  where  the  psalmist  says 
it  is  forever  settled,  must  exist  in  its  highest  degree  of  celestial  bright- 
ness, and  partaking  of  all  the  qualities  of  angelic  purity  and  wisdom, 
must  faithfully  describe  them  and  bring  them  forth  :  but  in  its  further 
descent  through  the  heavens  to  men  on  earth,  that  is,  in  bowing  the 
heavens  and  coming  down,  it  is  received  in  a  lower  degree  of  finite 
existence,  and  entering  the  minds  of  those  persons,  who  were  the  pre- 
pared instruments  to  embody  the  Word  of  God  in  human  language, 
must  partake  of  those  affections,  thoughts  and  properties  peculiar  to 


'  Ina-^much  ns  Jesus  is  the  Truth  itself, 
therefore  Pilate's  question,  "  Whiit  is  trutli?" 
as  put  to  the  Lord,  received  a  distinct  answer 
wlien  Jesus  came  forth,  wearing  the  crown 


of  thorns  and  purple  rol>c,  and  said,  in  ref- 
erence to  himself,  "Behold  tlie  Man!"— See 
John  xix.  5. 


SOME  PROOFS  GIVEN. 


327 


man  while  existing  in  a  world  of  nature.  As  such,  the  language  of 
the  written  Word  must  be  made  up  of  those  things  which  appear  in 
this  world  ;  all  of  which,  by  an  immutable  law  of  correspondence,  arc 
used  to  express  the  qualities  and  properties  of  mind,  whether  they  be 
good  or  bad,  true  or  false.  While,  then,  it  is  a  truth  that  the  Word 
or  AV^isdom  of  God  is  iu  all  the  heavens — forever  settled  there,  and 
from  whence  angelic  perfection  is  derived ;  it  is  equally  true  that  the 
same  Word  "  bowed  the  heavens  and  came  down,"  and  thus  became 
to  man  on  earth  his  lamp  of  safety,  his  everlasting  light,  his  sure  and 
certain  guide.  Man,  in  reference  to  his  existence  in  this  world,  is 
indeed  made  a  little  lower  than  the  angels :  but  because  the  truth  of 
God  meets  him  here,  supplying  all  his  wants  and  leading  him  to  the 
heaven  of  angels,  he  is  therefore  crowned  with  glory  and  honor. 

Divine  Truth,  in  bowing  the  heavens  and  coming  down,  is  presented 
to  men  on  earth,  accommodated  to  their  wants,  to  their  states  of  affec- 
tion and  thought.  It  is  therefore  clothed  in  the  garments  of  human 
language,  and,  in  its  literal  sense,  the  Divine  brightness  within  is 
clothed  or  covered  ;  thus  it  is  the  Word  in  its  most  external  form,  in 
which  the  light  or  brightness  of  its  internal  spirit  terminates  in  the 
shade  or  cloud  of  the  letter.  In  Scripture,  heaven  is  called  the  Lord's 
throne,  but  the  earth,  his  footstool.  The  idea  presented  to  the  mind 
by  the  throne  of  God,  is  that  of  Divine  justice  and  judgment  dwell- 
ing together,  from  Avhence  every  one  is  to  receive  the  just  reward  of 
his  doings ;  for  it  is  an  unquestionable  law  of  Divine  order,  both  in 
nature  and  in  grace,  that  "  whatsoever  a  man  sows,  that  shall  he  also 
reap."  In  heaven,  where  the  throne  of  God  is.  Truth  is  in  its  glory, 
in  its  brightness :  but  on  the  earth,  which  is  the  Lord's  footstool,  it  is 
clothed  in  human  language,  and  its  literal  sense,  though  a  guard  and 
defence  to  the  glory  within,  is,  when  compared  to  its  internal  contents, 
as  darkness  to  light.  Hence  it  said,  that  in  bowing  the  heavens  and 
coming  down,  "  darkness  was  under  his  feet."  The  Word  of  God  is 
not  darkness  to  the  Christian :  all  its  literal  truths  are  to  him  the 
clouds  of  heaven,  in  which  the  sjiiritual  man  can  always  discern  the 
presence  of  the  Lord  coming  with  power  and  glory.  But  to  the 
wicked,  to  those  who  are  in  states  of  opposition,  who  love  darkness 
rather  than  light  because  their  deeds  are  evil,  to  such  the  Word  in  its 
literal  form  is  darkness ;  for  they  can  discern  nothing  of  that  light 
which  shines  through  the  letter  from  the  Divine  brightness  within. 
Yet  notwithstanding  their  blindness  and  opposition,  their  contempt 
of  all  sacred  things,  the  Lord's  presence  iu  his  Word  is  pre-eminently 


328 


THE  KEY  OF  KNO  WLEDGE. 


full  and  complete ;  the  Spirit  of  God  pervades  the  whole,  and  his  life 
sustains  every  jot  and  tittle. 

This  universal  presence  of  the  Lord  in  his  Word,  which  gives  life 
and  spirit  to  the  whole,  is  finely  described  by  the  psalmist  in  these 
words,  "  He  rode  upon  a  cherub  and  did  fly ;  yea,  he  did  fly  upon  the 
wings  of  the  wind.  He  made  darkness  his  secret  place  ;  his  pavilion 
round  about  him  were  dark  waters  and  thick  clouds  of  the  skies." 
(Ps.  xviii.  10,  11.)  These  expressions,  the  dark  waters  and  thick 
clouds  which  form  the  Divine  pavilion,  are  expressive  of  those  appear- 
ances of  truth  in  the  literal  sense,  by  which  the  Divine  brightness  is 
as  it  were  obscured  by  those  perversions  of  the  natural  and  carnal 
mind,  which  are  here  called  dark  ivafers  and  thick  clouds.  The  truth 
of  these  remarks  is  experienced  in  every-day  life  and  abundantly 
borne  out  by  the  madness  of  those  atheistical  comments  ujjon  Scrip- 
ture, which  are  daily  issuing  from  the  school  of  materialism  and  infi- 
delity. They  are  made  by  persons  whose  only  object  is  to  throw 
obloquy  and  contempt  upon  a  Book,  the  contents  of  which  they  do 
not  understand.  They  act  as  if  they  had  neither  eyes  to  see  its  glory, 
nor  hearts  to  feel  its  power.  They  would  fain  have  us  believe  that 
the  Bible  is  a  worthless  and  even  immoral  book,  invented  in  the  dark 
ages  by  ignorance  and  priestcraft.  But  to  these  gratuitous  and 
unproved  charges,  we  i"eply  that  the  sight  of  the  owl  is  not  suffi- 
ciently strong  to  enable  it  to  look  upon  the  sun  in  its  brightness. 
Surely  these  dark  waters  and  thick  clouds  which  rise  up  from  their 
perverted  minds,  obscui'e  the  genuine  light  of  truth.  They  follow 
their  own  will-with-a-wisp,  and  are  led  into  innumerable  doubts  and 
errors,  because  they  have  no  w'ish  to  know  the  Scriptures  nor  the 
I^ower  of  God. 

The  Divine  brightness  within  the  letter  of  the  AVord,  when  fully 
received,  accomplishes  in  man  full  and  perfect  regeneration.  It  is 
therefore  said  that  "At  the  brightness  that  was  before  him,  his  thick 
clouds  passed,  hailstones  and  coals  of  fire."  (Ps.  xviii.  12.)  It  will 
be  seen  at  once  that  these  thick  clouds,  hailstones  and  coals  of  fire 
cannot  stand  before  the  Divine  brightness — they  passed  aMay !  These 
words  show  the  order  which  the  divine  truth,  as  the  brightness  of 
Jehovah,  pursues  in  freeing  man  from  all  fiilsity  and  evil  and  sav- 
ing the  soul  alive.  This  brightness  is  the  spiritual  truth  of  God 
infilled  with  the  warmth  of  celestial  love.  "Wherever  this  goes  forth, 
into  whatever  mind  it  enters,  the  first  things  to  be  dispersed  are  the 
thick  clouds,  then  the  hailstones,  and  lastly  the  coals  of  fire.  The 


SOME  PROOFS  GIVEN. 


329 


thick  clouds  are  here  put  to  denote  those  false  and  perverted  notions 
which  rise  up  as  mists  from  the  carnal  mind,  and  Avliich  obscure  the 
light  of  heaven ;  but  these  will  certainly  pass  away  when  the  man, 
with  a  true  energy  of  soul,  begins  to  contemplate  the  truth  of  heaven. 
The  spiritual  brightness  of  Revelation  will  penetrate  his  thick  clouds, 
and  open  to  his  mind  a  new  and  glorious  scene.  This  brightness  will 
also  cause  the  hailstones  to  pass  away.  Hailstones,  literally,  are  frozen 
drops  of  rain  congealed  into  hard  lumps,  in  consequence  of  the  absence 
of  heat.  They  descend  to  the  eax-th  in  a  destructive,  not  in  a  produc- 
tive capacity.  As  hailstones  they  are  of  no  use  whatever  in  fertilizing 
the  land ;  before  they  can  be  rendered  beneficial  to  the  soil  they  must, 
by  the  application  of  heat,  be  turned  into  a  liquid ;  then,  and  not  till 
then,  are  they  made  useful. 

So  in  a  spiritual  sense,  all  those  doctrines  of  religion  which  are 
professed  by  the  lips,  which  exist  in  the  understanding  as  so  many 
cold  and  frozen  speculations,  but  which  regard  not  the  life,  are  not 
animated  by  the  fire  of  heaven,  and  in  which  the  celestial  w  armth 
of  love  and  devotion  is  not — these  are  the  hailstones  which,  in  re- 
ligion, are  destructive  and  worthless.  But  no  sooner  does  the  Divine 
brightness  appear  than  the  hailstones  pass  away.  When  the  warmth 
of  love  and  purity  of  life  is  found  to  mingle  with  the  doctrines  we 
profess — when  every  doctrine  is  seen  to  regard  the  life,  and  that  the 
life  of  religion  is  to  do  good,  then  our  hailstones  pass  away ;  our 
frozen  drops  of  speculation  are  melted  and  changed  to  the  fertilizing 
waters  of  life.  Then,  too,  though  last,  yet  greatest  in  importance, 
will  the  coals  of  fire  pass  away.  These  are  the  true  emblems  of  all 
those  lusts,  concupiscences,  and  depraved  desires  which,  if  suffered  to 
remain  in  the  natural  mind,  will,  like  coals  of  unhallowed  fire,  burn 
up  and  destroy  every  vestige  of  the  heavenly  state  in  the  soul  of  man. 
But  these,  at  the  Divine  brightness,  will  retire,  and  leave  the  man  in 
fiill  possession  of  light  and  peace  and  every  joy. 

In  further  explanation  of  the  nature  of  correspondence  as  well  as 
of  its  use  as  a  key  to  unlock  the  sacred  cabinet  of  Divine  Revelation, 
we  may  observe  that  in  this  material  world  the  forms  of  things  only 
meet  our  corporeal  vision.  By  our  bodily  sight  we  can  look  upon  and 
examine  minutely  the  form,  construction,  and  organization  of  all 
bodies,  whether  mineral,  vegetable  or  animal ;  but  the  essence  or 
spirit  which  gave  them  birth  and  keeps  them  in  existence,  this  we 
cannot  see ;  it  is  no  object  of  bodily  sight,  but  of  mental  vision — 
of  deep  intellectual  reflection  and  thought ;  hence  it  belongs  more 
28* 


330 


THE  KEY  OF  KNOWLEDGE. 


especially  to  the  soul  or  mind.  All  outward  forms  are  coverings  of  the 
secret  operations  and  wonders  of  the  Creator,  and  are  expressive  of 
the  qualities  of  the  spirit  or  life  within. 

As  it  is  with  the  material  world  and  its  objects,  so  is  it  with  the 
world  of  mind  and  its  intellectual  objects  and  affections.  The  an- 
cients, who  were  in  the  habit  of  calling  man  a  microcosm  or  little 
world,  were  accustomed  to  delineate  his  mental  condition  by  the 
outward  appearances  in  the  macrocosm  or  great  world  of  nature. 
Thus  they  described  a  good  and  wise  man  by  the  appearance  of  the 
earth  dressed  in  beauty,  fertility  and  fruitfulness — ^by  gardens,  groves 
and  paradises ;  Avhile  evil  and  ignorant  men  they  compared  to  rude 
and  barren  deserts,  to  wildernesses  and  solitary  places,  where  nothing 
but  sterility  appeared,  or  where  thorns  and  noxious  weeds  grew.  They 
saw,  almost  at  a  glance,  the  relationship  or  correspondence  between 
barren  earth  and  the  barren  mind,  and  they  described  the  latter  by 
such  appropriate  terms  as  expressed  correctly  the  appearance  of  the 
former.  This  method  of  speaking  they  derived  from  the  ancient 
church  in  the  time  of  Noah,  Avhose  members  were  grounded  in  the 
knowledge  of  correspondence ;  a  science  according  to  the  principles 
of  which  the  Word  of  God  is  written,  and  by  which  it  can  alone  be 
correctly  explained. 

The  language  of  Scripture,  when  speaking  of  the  descent  of  Divine 
love  and  wisdom  from  God  into  the  human  mind,  by  which,  when 
affectionately  received,  the  life  of  man  is  made  heavenly  and  fruitful, 
is :  "  The  wilderness  and  solitary  place  shall  be  glad  for  them ;  and 
the  desert  shall  rejoice  and  blossom  as  the  rose.  It  shall  blossom 
abundantly,  and  rejoice  with  joy  and  singing :  the  glory  of  Lebanon 
shall  be  given  unto  it,  the  excellency  of  Carmcl  and  Sharon ;  they 
shall  see  the  glory  of  the  Lord,  and  the  excellency  of  our  God." 
(Isa.  XXXV.  1,  2.)  Here  the  wilderness  and  solitary  place  are  said 
to  rejoice  with  joy  and  singing,  because  they  see  the  glory  of  Jehovah 
and  the  excellency  of  God.  This,  in  the  language  of  correspond- 
ence, is  a  beautiful  description  of  the  altered  condition  of  man  upon 
his  warm  I'cception  of  the  Divine  influences.  The  once  barren  soul 
then  begins  to  bear  fruit,  the  fruits  of  a  pure  enlightened  wisdom. 
It  is  thus  that  the  desert  rejoices  and  blossoms  as  the  rose. 

In  man  there  are  three  degrees  of  knowledge,  the  one,  as  it  were, 
within  the  other ;  namely,  religious,  philosophical  and  scientific. 
Religious  truth  is  the  first  and  highest  in  order ;  it  is  a  sacred  state- 
ment of  positive  facts,  and  consists  of  an  interior  acknowledgment 


SOME  PROOFS  given: 


331 


of  God,  the  ardent  worKliip  of  Him,  and  the  reduction  of  all  truth 
to  practical  life :  this  is  the  kernel,  spirit  or  essence  which  gives 
vigor  and  animation  to  the  other  two.  Philosophical  knowledge  is 
only  religious  truth  perceived  in  the  rational  mind,  and  there  clearly 
antl  intellectually  discerned.  Scientific  truth  is  but  the  same  Divine 
original  brought  down  to  the  lowest  region  of  the  understanding,  and 
there  carefully  wrought  out  by  exjierimental  proof  Each  recognizes 
the  other  as  a  part  of  the  harmonious  whole,  and  they  act  unitedly 
together.  True  science  leads  us  to  philosophy,  philosophy  to  religion, 
and  religion  to  God.  True  and  undefiled  religion  is  nothing  more  nor 
less  than  a  man  bringing  to  his  Maker  the  fruits  of  his  heart.  If 
religion  declares  a  fact,  philosophy  makes  it  to  be  intellectually  dis- 
cerned, and  science  experimentally  proves  it. 

Thus  religion,  philosophy  and  science  mutually  strengthen  each 
other.  The  life  from  God  the  Creator  descends  first  into  the  human 
mind  ;  from  thence  it  passes  to  fill  all  creation  with  those  living  forms 
which,  in  the  world  of  nature,  truly  represent  and  shadow  forth  all 
those  qualities  of  affection  and  thought  belonging  to  man,  the  world 
of  mind ;  and  returning  through  him  to  the  great  Giver  of  all  good, 
not  void,  but  scented  by  his  breath  of  praise,  holds  all  things  in  one 
beautiful  and  unbroken  chain  of  connection  ;  from  whence  arises  the 
science  of  correspondence,  or  the  relationship  existing  between  essence 
and  form,  spirit  and  matter. 

As  it  is  with  the  material  and  moral  worlds,  so  it  is  with  the  Word 
of  Revelation ;  for  as  this  opens  to  our  view  the  eternal  world,  it 
cannot  be  the  production  of  man ;  but  is,  as  the  Apostle  expresses 
it,  "  God-breathed,"  or  "  given  by  inspiration  of  God."  In  conse- 
quence of  its  plenary  inspiration,  it  is  the  light  of  the  world,  and 
the  sacred  glory  of  the  Israel  of  God.  Now  "  upon  all  the  glory 
there  is  a  covering  and  a  defence."  Its  literal  and  mere  historical 
records  form  its  covering,  which  acts  as  a  protection  to  that  spirit  and 
life  within,  which  make  up  its  interior  brightness,  its  real  imperishable 
glory.  Many  read  the  sacred  volume  in  the  same  spirit  and  temper 
of  mind  as  they  read  other  books ;  the  consequence  is  that  they  see 
nothing  but  the  mere  history  of  past  events,  in  which  they  do  not 
observe  themselves  to  be  personally  interested.  They  abide  in  the 
letter  which,  without  the  spirit,  killeth.  Were  they  to  contemplate 
its  spiritual  sense,  they  would  find  themselves  minutely  described  as 
to  all  their  states  of  affection,  thought  and  action ;  thus  as  to  their 
growth  in  love  and  wisdom,  or  their  decline  into  evil  and  error.  In 


332 


THE  KEY  OF  KNOWLEDGE. 


this  study  every  good  man  ^vould  find  that  it  is  indeed  "  the  Spirit 
that  quickens,"  and  makes  him  alive  to  his  everlasting  interests.  Too 
many,  however,  act  like  the  idle  gazers  in  the  Avorld,  w  ho  content 
themselves  with  looking  upon  the  forms  of  things ;  they  never  ex- 
amine the  beauty  of  their  interior  organization,  much  less  contem- 
plate the  Essence  or  Spirit  whence  they  spring.  Their  hearts  deceive 
them,  and  their  heads,  directed  by  prejudice,  lead  them  astray. 

God  speaking  to  3fan's  Will  and  Intellect. 

In  carrying  correspondence  out  to  its  legitimate  use  in  unfolding 
the  great  truths  of  Revelation,  the  first  thing  to  be  acknowledged  is, 
that  the  "Word  of  God  is  the  medium  through  Avliich  the  Lord  speaks 
to  every  man.  It  is  the  voice  of  God  speaking  most  powerfully  to 
the  will  and  intellect — to  the  heart  and  understanding.  Man  is 
therefore  addressed  as  the  microcosm  or  little  world,  and  all  objects 
in  the  great  world  of  nature  are  mentioned  in  Scripture,  in  reference 
to  the  varied  affections,  thoughts,  perceptions  and  powers  of  mind 
which  collectively  make  up  the  perfection  of  man  as  the  moral  world. 

We  read  in  Scripture,  "  the  mountains  skipped  like  rams,  and  the 
little  hills  like  lambs."*  (Ps.  cxiv.  4.)  ]\Iountains  and  hilb  are 
called  upon  to  praise  the  Lord,  as  well  as  "  fruitful  trees,  beasts,  cat- 
tle and  creeping  things."  (Ps.  cxlviii.)  In  reading  such  passages  as 
these,  many  pass  them  over  with  a  simple  acknowledgment  of  their 
being  highly  figurative,  and  in  this  way  leave  us  quite  as  much  in  the 
dark  as  if  nothing  had  been  written :  but  the  rule  of  interpretation 
for  which  we  are  contending,  makes  them  as  clear  as  daylight.  Man 
is  the  world  in  miniature,  and  as  such,  he  has  his  mountains,  hills, 
seas,  lakes,  rivers,  beasts,  birds,  cattle  and  creeping  things.  A  moun- 
tain, in  nature,  is  the  most  elevated  portion  of  the  earth  ;  and  what 
is  highest  in  the  material  world,  corresponds  to  what  'is  supreme  in 
the  mental.  Thus  in  man  the  most  elevated  affection,  whether  it  be 
good  or  bad,  is  his  mountain.  Love  to  God  is  the  supreme  or  highest 
affection  of  the  soul.  The  affections  of  brotherly  love  and  charity, 
whence  spring  joy,  peace  and  union,  are  his  hills.  The  pleasure 
arising  from  these,  with  the  true  delight  they  bring  to  the  mind  wiicn 
in  lively  exercise,  are  here  described  by  the  mountains  and  hills  skip- 
ping like  rams  and  lambs. 

The  mountains  are  called  upon  to  praise  the  Lord,  to  instruct  us 


•  Sous  of  the  Qock. 


GOD  SPEAKING  TO  MAN'S  WJLL  AND  INTELLECT.  333 


that  the  supreme  affections  of  the  soul,  signified  by  mountains,  should 
breathe  a  constant  song  of  adoration  to  Hira  who  is  the  Author  and 
Giver  of  all  good.  Not  only  these  supreme  affections,  but  all  the 
lower  ones ;  all  our  perceptions  and  thoughts  from  the  highest  to  the 
lowest,  should  render  the  meed  of  praise :  thus  not  only  mountains 
and  hills,  but  fruitful  trees,  beasts,  cattle  and  creeping  things.  By 
this  spiritual  signification  of  a  mountain,  as  denoting  the  supreme 
love  of  the  soul,  all  passages  in  Scripture  where  this  term  occurs,  are 
of  easy  interpretation.  If  the  supreme  love  be  fixed  on  the  Lord, 
such  love  is  truly  celestial,  and  in  Scripture  is  called  the  mountain  of 
the  Lord,  the  Mount  Zion,  beautiful  for  situation,  the  joy  of  the  whole 
earth,  and  the  mountain  that  brings  peace  to  the  people.  By  this  rule 
of  interpretation  we  see,  almost  instantly,  the  meaning  of  these  words  : 
— "Touch  the  mountains  and  they  shall  smoke!"-  (Ps.  cxliv.  5.) 
The  Lord's  touch  is  the  Divine  communication  and  presence ;  the 
mountains,  the  supreme  affections ;  while  the  phrase  "  they  shall 
smoke,"  denotes  that  the  effect  of  such  communication  will  certainly 
foUoAv  ;  namely,  the  evils  of  self-love  and  the  falsities  thence  arising 
as  smoke,  will  be  destroyed. 

It  is  to  man,  with  respect  to  all  his  affections  and  thoughts  from  the 
highest  to  the  lowest,  that  the  Word  makes  a  constant  and  powerful 
appeal,  and  with  the  knowledge  of  correspondence  before  us,  we  dis- 
cover the  meaning  of  this  passage :  "  Thus  saith  the  Lord  God  to  the 
mountains  and  to  the  hills,  to  the  rivers  and  to  the  valleys ;  behold 
I,  even  I  will  bring  a  sword  upon  you,  and  I  will  destroy  your  high 
places."  (Ezek.  vi.  3.)  Here  the  supreme  affections  signified  by 
mountains,  are  evil,  and  all  in  subordination  take  their  quality  from 
the  supreme.  Hence  it  is  said  I  Avill  bring  a  sword  upon  you  and 
destroy  your  high  places.  With  this  key  of  interpretation  we  see  the 
reason  why  Jesus  went  up  into  a  mountain  to  pray.  He  did  so  to 
instruct  us  that  all  true  prayer  springs  from  the  highest  or  supreme 
affection.  We  see  also  why  the  Lord's  transfiguration  was  made  before 
Peter,  James  and  John ;  and  why  it  took  place  upon  a  mountain 
apart,  with  many  other  interesting  particulars.  The  Lord,  Avho  is 
the  Judge  of  all  hearts,  can  alone  know  the  actual  quality  of  our 
supreme  affections.  He  it  is  who  examines  and  estimates  these,  and 
this  is  described  in  Isaiah,  by  Jehovah  "  weighing  the  mountains  in 
scales,  and  the  hills  in  a  balance"  (xl.  12). 

If  the  supreme  affection  should  be  evil  instead  of  good ;  placed 
upon  self  instead  of  upon  the  Lord,  it  is  still  denoted  by  a  mountain ; 


334 


THE  KEY  OF  KNOWLEDGE. 


but  it  is  then  called  a  destroying  mountain.  "  Behold  I  am  against 
thee,  O  destroying  mountain,  saith  the  Lord."  (Jer.  li.  25.)  This 
also  shows  the  meaning  of  the  Lord's  words  in  the  Gospel,  where 
speaking  of  this  evil  mountain  of  self-love,  He  says :  "  If  ye  have 
faith  as  a  grain  of  mustard  seed,  ye  shall  say  unto  this  mountain, 
Eemove  hence  to  yonder  place,  and  it  shall  remove ;  and  nothing 
shall  be  impossible  to  you."  (Matt.  xvii.  20.)  The  science  of  cor- 
respondence shows  also,  that  all  beasts,  birds  of  wing,  creeping  things 
of  the  ground,  together  with  all  the  subjects  of  the  vegetable  and 
mineral  kingdoms,  are  mentioned  in  ScrijDture  in  reference  to  man  as 
the  little  world,  and  that  they  denote  his  afiections  and  thoughts  from 
the  highest  to  the  lowest.  All  the  clean,  gentle  and  useful  animals 
signifying  the  heavenly  and  pure  affections  ;  while  the  fierce,  treach- 
erous and  cruel  denote  the  impure,  defiled  and  hurtful.  It  is  in  agree- 
ment with  this  instructive  law  of  correspondence,  that  the  Lord,  in 
sending  forth  his  disciples  to  preach  the  Gospel  of  his  kingdom,  said : 
"  Behold  I  send  you  forth  as  sheej)  in  the  midst  of  wolves ;  be  ye 
therefore  wise  as  serpents  and  harmless  as  doves."    (Matt.  x.  16.) 

Man  bemg  the  object  of  Divine  care,  is  constantly  attended  by  the 
great  Shepherd  of  Israel,  and  Revelation  as  constanth'^  makes  its 
appeals  to  him.  Before  the  work  of  regeneration  is  commenced  in 
him,  he  is  called  earth  without  form,  and  void,  while  darkness  is  upon 
the  face  of  the  deep.  In  this  state  he  is,  prophetically,  thus  described, 
"  I  beheld  the  earth,  and  lo !  it  was  without  form  and  void :  and  the 
heavens,  and  they  had  no  light.  I  beheld  the  mountains,  and  lo ! 
they  trembled,  and  all  the  hills  moved  lightly.  I  beheld,  and  lo! 
there  was  no  man,  and  all  the  birds  of  the  heavens  Avere  fled."  (Jer. 
iv.  23-25.)  Here  the  earth,  by  correspondence,  is  the  external  mind ; 
without  form  and  void,  shows  that  there  was  no  heavenly  beauty 
therein,  but  that  it  was  void  of  all  good,  and  a  spiritual  blank  as  it 
respects  wisdom  or  truth.  The  heavens  having  no  light,  shows  that 
there  were  no  spiritual  truths  to  enlighten  the  internal  mind ;  the 
consequence  was  that  the  mountains  and  hills  trembled  and  moved 
lightly — no  fixed  stability  in  tlie  afiections  ;  there  was  no  man  ;  for  a 
man,  truly  and  spiritually  such,  is  a  regenerate  person,  an  image  and 
likeness  of  God ;  and  hence  all  the  birds  of  the  heavens  wore  fled, 
which  teaches  that  there  were  no  celestial  thoughts  occupying  his 
soul.  In  this  state  of  mental  darkness  and  desolation,  man  is  thus 
addressed:  "O  earth,  earth,  earth,  hear  the  "Word  of  the  Lord." 
(Jer.  xxii.  29.)    That  the  clods  of  the  ground  are  not  called  upon  to 


GOD  SPEAKING  TO  MAN'S  WILL  AND  INTELLECT.  335 

hear  tlic  Word  of  God,  is  at  once  apparent  to  every  one.  But  after 
the  process  of  regeneration  is  j^assed  through,  and  man  comes  into  a 
happy  celestial  state,  how  different  is  the  description,  l»t)W  changed  is 
the  scene !  then  the  language  of  Scripture  is,  "  Sing,  O  heavens ;  and 
be  joyful,  O  earth ;  break  forth  into  singing,  O  mountains ;  for  the 
Lord  hath  comforted  his  people,  and  Avill  have  mercy  uj^ou  his 
afflicted."    (Isa.  xlix.  13.) 

In  the  Psalms  it  is  written,  "  How  sweet  are  thy  words  unto  my 
taste  !  yea,  sweeter  than  honey  to  my  mouth  "  (cxix.  3).  The  Word 
of  Revelation  nmst  indeed  contain  something  w'onderful  and  vast,  of 
great  moment  to  our  present  and  future  peace,  if  all  its  words  are 
sweet  to  our  taste,  and  sweeter  than  honey  to  our  mouth.  What 
makes  them  thus  sweet  to  our  taste,  and  like  honey  to  our  lips  ?  Surely 
not  the  mere  words,  not  the  literal  sense  of  the  Divine  records  ;  for 
this  sense  seems  to  treat  of  little  else  but  the  troubles  of  the  Jews; 
of  their  bondage  and  deliverance,  of  their  wars  with  the  idolatrous 
nations,  of  their  rei^eated  promises  of  obedience,  and  of  their  constant 
breach  of  those  promises  ;  of  their  backslidings,  wanderings  and  devi- 
ations from  the  laws  of  truth  and  rectitude ;  of  their  religious  rites 
and  ceremonies ;  of  their  burnt-offerings  and  sacrifices.  These,  liter- 
ally, do  not  concern  us  in  any  other  way  than  as  matters  of  history. 
We  are  not  personally  affected  by  them.  We  gain  nothing  by  the 
obedience  of  the  Jews  to  their  ceremonial  laws ;  neither  can  we  lose 
anything  by  their  neglect. 

The  great  truth  remains  to  be  again  and  again  enforced,  which  is, 
that  the  righteousness  of  Christians  must  exceed  that  of  the  Scribes 
and  Pharisees,  or  else  they  will  likewise  perish  in  the  way.  What 
was  the  righteousness  of  the  Jewish  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  but  a  rigid 
and  slavish  exactness  in  the  performance  of  ceremonies,  in  which  the 
heart  felt  no  warmth  of  love,  and  by  Avhich  the  life  was  not  improved  ? 
It  is  a  known  thing  that  they  neglected  the  weightier  matters  of  the 
law,  justice,  judgment  and  mercy.  Every  man  will  see  that  his  right- 
eousness must  exceed  this,  or  he  can  have  no  claim  to  be  a  disciple 
of  Christ.  Without  this,  his  religion  is  destitute  of  spirituality  ;  the 
fire  of  love  glows  not  in  his  bosom,  nor  does  the  light  of  wisdom  irra- 
diate his  path. 

The  words  of  Divine  Truth,  to  be  sweet  to  a  man's  taste,  must 
contain  something  of  spirituality  in  them ;  they  must  describe  the 
heavenly  state  with  its  hajjpiness  and  purity,  together  with  the  order 
pursued  in  the  formation  of  it  in  the  soul  of  man,  without  which  there 


336 


THE  KEY  OF  KNOWLEDGE. 


can  be  neither  true  enjoyment  nor  solid  peace.  The  best  commen- 
tators upon  Scripture,  both  among  the  ancients  and  moderns,  have 
maintained  that  there  is  some  spiritual  instruction  contained  in  the 
sacred  text,  which  is  guarded  by  the  literal  covering  from  the  rude 
gaze  of  every  licentious  eye,  as  well  as  from  the  unhallowed  sphere 
of  each  polluted  mind.  Those  who  would  find  these  treasures  of 
wisdom  must  lose  their  sins — their  inward  pollutions  of  life  and 
practice ;  for  it  is  a  law  of  Divine  Truth,  that  holy  things  are  not 
to  be  given  to  dogs,  nor  pearls  to  be  cast  to  swine.    (Matt.  vii.  6.) 

The  spiritual  things  of  God  and  heaven,  together  with  the  states 
and  intellectual  properties  of  mind,  are  in  Scripture  throughout  rep- 
resented and  shadowed  forth  by  all  the  objects  in  nature,  these  being 
mentioned  therein  to  denote  such  affections,  thoughts,  and  states  of 
life.  If  this  view  were  seen  and  attended  to  in  our  private  medita- 
tions, there  would  be  little  difficulty  in  obtaining  a  correct  interpre- 
tation of  the  Word  of  God.  A  few  examples  by  way  of  illustration 
will  prove  this  assertion,  and  show  how  sweet  the  Lord's  words  are  to 
our  taste. 

In  reading  Scripture  to  advantage,  we  should  believe  that  the  great 
world  of  nature  with  all  its  parts  and  objects,  both  animate  and  inan- 
imate, are  mentioned  therein  in  reference  to  man  as  the  world  of  mind  ; 
and  that  they  are  all  outward  emblems  which  shadow  forth  his  various 
mental  projierties.  Thus  where  the  Scriptures  speak  of  gardens,  groves, 
fertile  fields,  rich  fruits,  and  paradises  watered  by  gentle  rains,  or 
through  which  flowing  streams  wind  their  course,  as  is  stated  of  the 
garden  of  Eden,  through  which  a  river  flowed,  parting  into  four 
heads  that  it  might  water  the  whole,  such  descriptions  are  written 
for  the  purpose  of  showing  that  man,  the  moral  world,  is  represented 
in  a  high  state  of  spiritual  regeneration ;  when  his  cultivated  mind 
produces  the  rich  fruits  of  love  and  charity,  when  his  state  of  wisdom 
is  bright  and  cheering,  and  when  his  mind  blooms  with  every  virtue 
and  mental  excellence.  On  the  other  hand,  when  in  Scripture  we 
read  of  barrenness,  of  sandy  deserts,  of  parched-up  herbage,  dry 
places,  wildernesses,  the  growing  of  thorns,  thistles,  briers  and  the 
like ;  all  these  are  so  many  descriptions  of  man  in  a  mentally  rude 
and  unregenerate  condition,  in  which  the  heart  or  will,  being  evil,  is 
the  bad  ground,  producing  nothing  in  outward  life  but  falsities  and 
injurious  thoughts,  which  are  denoted  by  thorns,  thistles  and  worthless 
weeds.  There  is  no  passage  of  Scripture,  when  viewed  iu  this  light, 
but  what  is  of  easy  interpretation. 


OPINIONS  OF  ANCIENT  AND  MODERN  AUTHORS.  337 


Opinions  of  Ancient  and  Modem  Authors. 

Profound  commentators  were  perfectly  aware  that  Scripture  was 
not  to  be  confined  to  a  mere  literal  explanation,  but  that  it  was  to  be 
expounded  after  a  spiritual  n)anner ;  they  saw  a  glory  within  the 
letter — a  light  that  could  not  be  hid.  Origen,  one  of  the  most  cele- 
brated writers  in  the  third  century,  says :  "  Unless  thou  ascend  the 
mountain  of  God,  and  there  meet  with  Moses ;  unless  thou  ascend 
the  lofty  sense  of  the  law ;  unless  thou  reach  the  height  of  spiritual 
intelligence,  thy  mouth  is  not  opened  by  God.  If  thou  abide  in  the 
low  plain  of  the  letter,  and  do  no  more  than  make  Jewish  narratives 
of  the  historical  text,  thou  hast  not  met  Moses  on  the  mount  of  God, 
neither  hath  God  opened  thy  mouth,  nor  taught  thee  what  thou 
oughtest  to  say."  The  same  author,  speaking  of  the  transfiguration 
of  the  Lord  upon  the  mount,  observes,  "  Moses  and  Elias  appeared 
in  glory  when  they  talked  with  Jesus,  and  in  this  fact  the  Law  and 
the  Prophets  are  shown  to  agree  with  the  Gospels,  and  to  be  resplen- 
dent with  the  same  glory,  when  spiritually  understood."  Another 
ancient  writer,  John  of  Jerusalem,  says,  "  Do  not  suppose  that  it  was 
only  in  former  times  Christ  was  betrayed  by  the  priests,  condemned 
by  them,  and  by  them  delivered  over  to  be  crucified ;  but  even  now 
He  is  betrayed  and  condemned  to  death  ;  for  Christ  is  the  Word  of 
Truth,  and  they  who  falsely  interpret  the  Word  of  Truth  betray 
Him  to  be  mocked  and  crucified." 

This,  then,  was  the  mode  of  spiritual  interpretation  pursued  by 
these  two  primitive  fathers,  and  a  similar  one  was  adopted  by  Clemens 
of  Alexandria,  Jerome,  St.  Augustin,  Ignatius,  Theophilus  of  Antioch, 
Chrysostom,  and  many  others. 

If  we  turn  our  thoughts  to  the  theological  writers  of  modern  times, 
we  find  amongst  the  most  profound  of  them  the  same  doctrine  recog- 
nized, namely,  that  there  is  a  spiritual  sense  contained  within  the 
letter  of  the  sacred  text.  The  Rev.  John  Parkhurst,  who  was  the 
author  of  a  Hebrew  Lexicon,  and  must  have  been  acquainted  with 
every  word  in  the  Hebrew  Bible,  as  well  as  have  possessed  a  critical 
knowledge  of  that  language,  makes  a  long  comment  on  Gen.  ii.  8, 
"And  the  Lord  God  planted  a  garden  eastward  in  Eden."  Upon 
these  words  he  says :  "  Surely  not  for  the  purposes  of  a  mere  Mahom- 
etan paradise,  but  as  a  school  of  religious  instruction  to  our  first 
parents.  Many  arguments  might  be  adduced  in  confirmation  of 
this  truth.  Such  a  method  of  teaching,  by  the  emblems  of  paradise, 
29  W 


338 


TEE  KEY  OF  KNOWLEDGE. 


was  suited  to  the  nature  of  man,  "who  is  capable  of  information  con- 
cerning spiritual  things,  by  analogy,  from  outVv'ard  and  sensible  ob- 
jects. It  was  also  agreeable  to  the  ensuing  disi^ensations  of  God 
who,  in  that  religion  which  commenced  on  the  fall  and  was  in  sub- 
stance re-instituted  by  Moses,  did  instruct  the  people  in  spiritual 
truths,  or  the  good  things  to  come,  by  sensible  and  visible  objects, 
rites  and  ceremonies ;  by  the  cherubim,  by  sacrifices,  by  the  distinc- 
tion of  clean  and  unclean  animals,  by  abstinence  from  blood,  by  the 
institution  of  priests,  altars,  burnt-otferings,  drink-ofierings,  holy 
washings,  etc. 

"And  even  under  the  Christian  state,  much  of  our  religious  knowl- 
edge is  communicated  to  us  partly  by  the  Scriptures  referring  us  for 
ideas  of  spiritual  and  heavenly  things  to  the  visible  works  of  God's 
creation,  to  the  emblems  of  Paradise,  and  to  the  types  of  the  patri- 
archal and  Mosaic  dispensations ;  partly  by  the  ordinance  of  the 
Sabbath-day ;  and  partly  by  the  two  sacraments  of  Baptism  and  the 
Lord's  Supper,  which  are  outward  and  visible  signs  of  inward  and 
spiritual  benefits.  It  is  further  manifest  that  two  of  the  trees  of  Para- 
dise, that  of  life  and  that  of  the  knowledge  of  good  and  evil,  were  of 
a  typical  or  emblematic  nature ;  the  one,  the  sacrament  of  life  (Gen. 
ii.  9  ;  iii.  22) ;  the  other,  of  death.  (Gen.  ii.  17  ;  iii.  17-19.)  And  so 
after  the  fall,  the  rough  leaves  of  the  fig-tree  were  used  by  our  first 
parents  as  a  symbol  of  contrition.  And  since  in  that  sacred  garden 
was  also  every  tree  that  was  pleasant  to  the  sight  or  good  for  food, 
surely  of  the  soul  of  man  as  well  as  of  his  body,  it  may  safely  be  in- 
ferred, that  the  whole '  garden  was  so  contrived  by  infinite  Wisdom, 
as  to  represent  and  inculcate  on  the  minds  of  our  first  parents  a  plan 
or  system  of  religious  truths  revealed  to  them  by  their  Creator ; 
especially  since  the  paradisiacal  emblems  of  trees,  plants,  waters,  and 
the  like,  are  frequently  applied  by  the  succeeding  inspired  writers  to 
represent  spiritual  objects,  and  convey  spiritual  lessons ;  and  that  with 
a  simplicity  and  beauty  not  to  be  paralleled  from  any  human  writer."  * 


»  "  Know,"  says  Rabbi  Simon  Bar  Abraham 
— cited  l)y  Mr.  Hutc  hinson,  Hebrew  Writings, 
p.  21,  from  Buxtorfs  Arc.  Fad.  S3 — "  Know 
that  in  the  trees,  fountains,  and  other  things 
of  the  garden  of  Eden,  were  tlie  figures  of  the 
most  curious  things  by  which  the  first  Adam 
saw  and  understood  spiritual  things;  even  as 
(Jod  huth  given  to  us  the  forms  or  figures  of 
the  tabernacle,  of  the  saueiuary,  and  of  aU 
its  furniture,  the  candlestick,  the  table,  and 
the  altars,  for  types  of  intdiedual  things,  and 


that  wc  might  from  them  understand  heav- 
enly truths.  But  no  doubt  those  particulars 
were  more  plain  and  clear  to  Adam  in  the 
garden  of  Eden  wlierein  lie  dwelt;  as  he  also 
was  more  holy,  being  a  creature  formed  by 
the  hand  of  God  himself,  and  an  ungel  of 
God.  In  the  trees  lilcewise,  and  fountains 
or  rivers  of  the  garden,  he  prefigured  ad- 
mirable mysteries." 
•See  Parkburst's  Hebrew  Lexicon,  under 


OPINIONS  OF  ANCIENT  AND  MODERN  AUTHORS.  339 


In  this  extract  the  intelligent  writer  speaks  of  man  being  instructed 
in  si)iritual  truths  by  "  sensible  and  visible  objects."  This  is  indis- 
putable evidence  that  he  considered  a  spiritual  sense  to  be  contained 
within  the  letter ;  and  if  we  were  to  withdraw  our  minds  but  a  little 
from  these  merely  sensible  objects,  we  should  discover  a  lesson  of  the 
purest  wisdom  taught  us  in  these  emblems  of  Paradise  and  its  joys. 

In  showing  what  these  spiritual  things  are,  which  are  represented 
by  outward  objects,  we  observe,  first,  that  the  word  Adam  signifies 
mankind  in  general,  both  male  and  female.  This  is  evident  from 
Gen.  V.  1,  2 — "  This  is  the  book  of  the  generations  of  Adam.  In  the 
day  that  God  created  man,  in  the  likeness  of  God  made  He  him ; 
male  and  female  created  He  them,  and  blessed  them,  and  called 
THEIR  NAME  Adam,'  in  the  day  when  they  were  created."  The 
most  ancient  church  and  people  named  Adam  or  Man,  were  in  a 
high  state  of  wisdom  and  intelligence,  which  state  was  denoted  by 
the  garden  in  which  they  dwelt.  Man  is  not  the  creator  of  his  own 
state  of  wisdom  and  intelligence,  but  it  is  the  Lord's  work  Ln  him, 
and  is  efiected  while  he  submits  to  the  Divine  control.  Hence  it  is 
said  that  "  the  Lord  God  planted  the  garden  eastward  in  Eden  ;  and 
thei'e  He  put  the  man  whom  He  had  formed."  (Gen.  ii.  8.)  But 
when,  through  inclining  to  sensual  pursuits,  these  people  lost  that 
high  state  of  spiritual  intelligence,  they  lost  their  garden.  This  was 
represented  by  the  expulsion  from  Paradise,  and  their  being  sent 
forth  to  till  the  ground. 

If  the  garden  of  Eden,  with  all  its  joys,  was  a  true  emblem  of  the 
high  state  of  mental  cultivation  in  which  the  most  ancient  people 
dwelt,  what  shall  we  say  of  its  two  distinguished  trees  ?  the  tree  of 
life  in  the  midst  of  the  garden,  and  the  tree  of  knowledge  of  good 
and  evil,  of  which  latter  they  w^ere  not  to  touch  or  eat  ?  The  Tree 
of  Life!  what  an  important  name  is  this!  a  tree  which,  to  man, 
imparts  life !  is  not  this  a  true  emblem  of  the  Lord  himself?  He  is 
the  sacred  Tree  of  Life,  who  is  still  in  the  midst  of  man's  spiritual 
garden,  and  wdience  all  his  joys  and  pleasures  spring.  What,  then, 
are  the  fruits  of  this  tree,  but  all  the  love,  purity,  goodness,  wisdom 
and  knowledge  which  yield  spiritual  nourishment  to  the  wide  crea- 
tion?   To  eat  of  this  tree  is  to  derive,  from  the  Lord  alone,  all  that 


>  Sir  William  Jones  intimates  that  Adam 
may  be  derived  from  Adim,  a  Sanscrit  word, 
signifying  Vnc  first.  The  Persians,  too,  whom 
he  concludes  to  be  of  the  same  stock  with 


the  Hindoos,  denominate  the  first  man 
Adamah.  It  is,  however,  quite  certain  that 
Adam,  in  the  oriental  languages, means  man, 
generally,  or  mankind. 


340 


THE  KEY  OF  KNOWLEDGE. 


we  stand  in  need  of  for  our  growth  in  the  Divine  life,  to  feel  a  confi- 
dence and  settled  tranquillity  under  Divine  Providence,  and  to  have 
no  anxious  cares  about  the  morrow ;  but  to  eat  our  daily  bread  with 
thankfulness  and  joy.  Let  every  one  eat  of  the  fruits  of  this  tree ;  he 
will  find  them  to  be  like  the  Lord's  words,  sweet  to  his  taste  and  as 
honey  in  the  mouth.  What,  again,  is  that  river  which  went  forth  to 
water  the  garden,  but  a  true  emblem  of  the  gi-eat  abundance  of 
Diviue  Truth,  which,  like  a  sacred  stream,  forever  flows  through  the 
spiritually  cultivated  soul,  to  enrich'  and  water  the  mental  garden — 
to  increase  the  wisdom  and  beauty  of  the  mind  ? 

But  what  shall  we  say  of  the  other  tree,  the  tree  of  knowledge  of 
good  and  evil  ?  To  eat  of  this  tree  we  must  turn  away  from  the  Tree 
of  Life.  It  is,  therefore,  an  emblem  of  man's  own  self,  to  which  he 
turns  when  he  supposes  himself  to  be  the  author  and  producer  of  all 
that  he  enjoys.  He  then  attributes  all  to  himself,  and  nothing  to  the 
Lord.  He  inclines  to  sensual  things ;  in  Scripture  language,  he 
listens  to  the  seductive  reasonings  of  the  serpent,  and  admits  a 
spurious  knowledge  into  his  mind,  a  kind  of  profane  mixture  of  good 
and  evil.  If  we  turn  from  the  Lord  as  the  Tree  of  Life,  and  pluck 
and  eat  of  the  forbidden  fruit,  the  celestial  state  will  decay  in  us ;  we 
shall  lose  the  garden,  be  deprived  of  Eden  and  its  joys,  and  like  Adam 
be  sent  forth  to  tUl  the  ground — to  cultivate  low,  sensual  and  earthly 
desires. 

Many  very  curious  and  even  fanciful  theories  have  been  entertained 
respecting  the  locality  of  the  garden  of  Eden,  and  much  of  the  mid- 
night oil  has  been  consumed  in  endeavoring  to  furnish  an  account  of 
the  precise  spot  of  ground  where  this  garden  flourished.  "  Paradise 
has,  by  some  romantic  writers,  been  fixed  in  Hindostan,  in  that  spot 
called  by  the  Orientals  the  Paradisiacal  regions  of  Hindostan. 
Josephus  seems  to  countenance  this  opinion,  since  he  describes  the 
Ganges  as  one  of  the  four  rivers  which  watered  it.  But  Becanus 
contends  that  the  site  of  Paradise  was  the  more  northern  region, 
watered  by  the  Acesines,  and  that  the  forbidden  fruit  was  that  of  the 
Ficiis  Indica,  or  Indian  fig-tree.  Hence  this  fig  was  called  by  the 
Mohammedans,  Adam's  fig.  The  island  of  Ceylon,  situated  near  the 
equinoctial,  has  been  declared  to  be  Paradise,  from  a  famous  moun- 
tain called  Pico  d'Adama,  the  name  being  taken  from  the  supposed 
print  of  Adam's  foot,  still  visible.  Others,  again,  declare  that  Para- 
dise was  not  situated  in  any  region  of  the  present  earth,  but  fix  it  in 
some  happy  ethereal  sublunary  region,  and  declare  that  at  the  fall 


OPINIONS  OF  ANCIENT  AND  MODERN  AUTHORS.  341 


Adam  was  precipitated  upon  Ceylon,  where,  according  to  Herbelot, 
his  sepulchre  at  this  day  remains,  guarded  by  lions."  {Herbelot,  Bib- 
lioth.  Orient,  p.  52.  Edit.  Maestricht,  1776.)  Tertullian  places  Para- 
dise beyond  the  equinoctial,  in  the  southern  hemisphere,  amidst  regions 
of  eternal  verdure,  serenity  and  beauty,  in  some  happy  and  secluded 
spot  now  immersed  in  the  ocean  ;  and  thinks  that  the  flaming  sword 
which  turned  every  way  to  guard  the  Tree  of  Life,  was  the  torrid 
zone,  or  burning  girdle  which  surrounds  the  globe.  All  these  theories 
respecting  the  locality  of  Paradise,  more  curious  than  profitable,  will 
vanish  like  mists  before  the  rising  sun  of  Revelation,  which  teaches 
that  the  garden  of  Eden  denotes  that  celestial  state  of  wisdom  and 
intelligence  in  which  the  people  of  the  most  ancient  church  called 
man  or  Adam,  lived. 

When  we  reflect  on  the  imjjortant  lessons  of  true  wisdom  taught  us 
in  the  words  of  Revelation,  and  when  these  are  relished  by  our  affec- 
tions so  as  to  produce  real  delight ;  when  the  lips  express  pleasure  by 
the  acknowledgment  of  the  Lord,  and  of  those  doctrines  which  lead 
to  life  and  peace,  then  may  each  one  exclaim  in  the  language  of 
David,  "  How  sweet  are  thy  words  unto  my  taste ;  yea,  sweeter  than 
honey  to  my  mouth."  (Ps.  cxix.  103.) 

Again,  Mr.  Parkhurst,  in  his  remarks  on  the  word  Testimony,  says : 
"  The  various  types  and  appointments  of  the  law  are  called  by  this 
name,  as  witnessing  somewhat  beyond  themselves,  namely  spiritual 
things,  or  the  good  things  to  come.  Thus  the  cherubim  with  the  ark 
are  called  the  testimony.  (Ex.  xvi.  34.)  So  the  two  tables  of  stone 
are  called  the  testimony,  or  the  tables  of  the  testimony,  because  they 
were  to  be  a  perpetual  witness  or  testimony  of  what  the  Israelites  were 
to  do  and  forbear.  And  thus  the  whole  tabernacle  is  called  the 
tabernacle  of  testimony,  as  attesting  or  bearing  witness  to  spiritual 
truths,  or  the  good  things  to  come,  and  to  the  duty  of  men  in  depend- 
ence on  them.""  (Ex.  xxxviii.  21.) 

These  extracts  are  sufficient  to  prove  that  this  writer  considered  all 
the  rituals  of  the  Jewish  church  to  be  emblematical,  and  that  all  the 
visible  things  in  nature  are  types  of  spiritual  things.  Although  he 
does  not  give  any  certain  rule  by  which  these  symbols  are  to  be  ex- 
plained, yet  the  fact  of  his  belief  in  an  inward  spiritual  sense  is  fully 
expressed.  The  rule,  infallible  and  true,  will  be  found  in  the  law  of 
correspondence.  Thus  according  to  this  law,  the  ark,  as  containing 
the  Decalogue,  signifies  the  Lord  with  respect  to  the  Divine  Truth 


29* 


1°  See  Hebrew  Lexicon,  under  iy 


342 


THE  KEY  OF  KNOWLEDGE. 


which,  when  received,  gives  a  true  testimony  of  the  interior  states  of 
all,  according  to  each  one's  reception  thereof,  with  its  reduction  to 
practical  life. 

Bishop  Lowth,  in  his  translation  of  Isaiah,  frequently  speaks  of  a 
spiritual  or  allegorical  sense  in  the  Scriptures.  The  following  is  this 
prelate's  version  of  chap,  xxvii.  1. 

"  In  that  day  shall  Jehovah  punish  with  his  sword — 
His  well-tempered,  and  great,  and  strong  sword — 
Leviathan  the  rigid  serpent, 
And  Leviathan  the  winding  serpent  : 
And  shall  slay  the  monster,  that  is  in  the  sea." 

Upon  this  verse  his  lordship  observes:  "The  animals  here  men- 
tioned seem  to  be  the  crocodile,  rigid  by  the  stiflSiess  of  the  backbone, 
so  that  he  cannot  readily  turn  himself  when  he  pursues  his  prey ; 
hence  the  easiest  way  of  escaping  from  him  is  by  making  frequent  and 
short  turnings :  the  serpent  or  dragon,  flexible  and  winding,  which 
coils  himself  up  in  a  circular  form :  the  sea  monster  or  whale.  These 
are  used  allegorically,  without  doubt,  for  great  potentates,  enemies 
and  persecutors  of  the  people  of  God :  but  to  specify  the  particular 
persons  or  states  designated  by  the  prophet  under  these  images,  is  a 
matter  of  great  difficulty."  Now  this  difficulty,  by  the  law  of  corre- 
spondence, is  entirely  removed  ;  for  it  shows  that  the  sword  of  Jehovah 
is  the  Divine  Truth  proceeding  from  his  love,  which  wages  a  righteous 
war  against  all  that  is  false  and  merely  sensual  in  the  understanding, 
as  denoted  by  the  Leviathan,  serpent  and  monster  of  the  sea.  The 
truth  proceeding  from  Divine  Love  is  called  "  the  rod  of  Jehovah's 
mouth"  (Isa.  xi.  4),  and  also  "the  sword  with  two  edges  proceeding 
out  of  the  mouth  of  the  Son  of  Man."  (Rev.  i.  6.) 

Bishop  Home  also,  in  his  commentaries  on  the  Psalms,  frequently 
alludes  to  this  allegorical  or  spiritual  sense.  In  his  commentary  on 
Psalm  viii.  he  says :  "  Nor  is  it  a  speculation  unpleasing  or  unprofitable, 
to  consider  that  He  who  rules  over  the  material  world,  is  Lord  also 
of  the  intellectual  or  spiritual  creation  represented  thereby."  In  the 
preface  to  his  commentaries,  he  observes :  "  The  visible  works  of  God 
are  formed  to  lead  us,  under  the  direction  of  his  Word,  to  a  knowledge 
of  those  which  are  invisible :  they  give  us  ideas  by  analogy,  of  a  new 
creation  rising  gradually,  like  the  old  one,  out  of  darkness  and  de- 
formity, until  at  length  it  arrives  at  the  perfection  of  glory  and  beauty. 
The  sun,  that  fountain  of  life  and  heart  of  the  world,  that  bright  leader 


OPINIONS  OF  ANCIENT  AND  MODERN  A  UTHORS.  343 


of  the  armies  of  heaven,  enthroned  in  glorious  majesty ;  the  moon 
sliining  with  a  histre  borrowed  from  his  beams ;  the  stars  glittering 
by  night  in  the  clear  firmament ;  the  air  giving  breath  to  all  things 
that  live  and  move  ;  the  interchanges  of  light  and  darkness ;  the  course 
of  the  year,  and  the  sweet  vicissitudes  of  seasons ;  the  rain  and  the  dew 
descending  from  above,  and  the  fruitfiilness  of  the  earth  caused  by 
them  ;  the  bow  bent  by  the  hands  of  the  Most  High,  which  compasseth 
the  heaven  about  with  a  glorious  circle ;  the  awful  voice  of  thunder, 
and  the  piercing  power  of  lightning ;  the  instincts  of  animals,  and  the 
qualities  of  vegetables  and  minerals ;  the  great  and  wide  sea,  with  its 
unnumbered  inhabitants ;  all  these  are  ready  to  instruct  us  in  the 
mysteries  of  faith  and  the  duties  of  morality : — 

'They  speak  their  Maker  as  they  can, 
But  want  and  ask  the  tongue  of  man.' " — Parnell. 

The  excellent  Mr.  Pascal,  as  cited  by  Horne,  says :  "  Under  the 
Jewish  economy  truth  appeared  but  in  a  figure :  in  heaven  it  is  open, 
and  without  a  veil ;  in  the  church  militant  it  is  so  veiled  as  to  be  yet 
discerned  by  its  correspondence  to  the  figure.  As  the  figure  was  first 
built  upon  the  truth,  so  the  truth  is  now  distinguishable  by  the  figure." 
I  would  suggest  an  alteration  in  this  last  clause,  and  say — As  the 
figure  was  first  produced  by  the  Truth,  so  the  truth  is  now  seen  by 
the  figure. 

The  mode  of  representing  qualities  of  mind  by  the  objects  of  nature, 
is  recognized  in  a  little  work  published  by  the  Society  for  promoting 
Christian  Knowledge,  entitled,  "  The  Book  of  Nature ;  or,  the  true 
sense  of  things  explained  and  made  easy  to  the  capacities  of  children." 
The  work  contains  a  number  of  questions  put  to  children,  Avith  their 
answers.    The  following  are  selected : — 

Q.  What  are  wicked  men,  who  hurt  and  cheat  others  ? 

A.  They  are  wolves  and  foxes,  and  blood-thirsty  men. 

Q.  What  are  ill-natured  people,  who  trouble  their  neighbors,  and 
rail  at  them  ? 

A.  They  are  dogs  who  bark  at  everybody. 

Q.  But  what  are  good  and  peaceable  people  ? 

A.  They  are  harmless  sheep ;  and  little  children,  under  the  grace 
of  God,  are  innocent  lambs. 

Q.  But  what  are  liars  ? 

A.  They  are  snakes  and  vipers,  with  double  tongues,  and  poison 
under  their  lips  (page  2). 


344 


THE  KEY  OF  KNOWLEDGE. 


In  the  same  work,  after  describing  the  difference  between  the  life 
of  the  eel  that  grovels  in  the  mud,  with  that  of  the  lark  which 
"  mounts  towards  heaven,  and  delights  itself  Avith  sweet  music,"  the 
child  is  thus  questioned : — 

Q.  How  do  the  lives  of  worldly  men  differ  fi'om  the  lives  of 
Christians  ? 

A.  As  the  life  of  the  eel  differs  from  the  life  of  the  lark. 

The  Rev.  William  Jones  who  held  the  perpetual  curacy  of  Nayland, 
has  also  given  his  testimony  to  the  great  utility  of  correspondence  or 
analogy  in  the  interpretation  of  Scripture.  He  says:  "The  "world 
cannot  show  us  a  more  exalted  character  than  that  of  a  truly  religious 
philosopher,  who  delights  to  turn  all  things  to  the  glory  of  God  ;  who, 
in  the  objects  of  his  sight,  derives  improvement  to  his  mind,  and  in 
the  glass  of  things  temporal,  sees  the  image  of  things  spii-itual."  " 

In  one  of  the  volumes  of  Dr.  Lardner's  Cyclopaedia,  entitled,  "A 
Preliminary  Discourse  on  the  Study  of  Natural  History,  by  William 
Swainson,  Esq.,"  there  is  a  whole  chapter  "  On  the  importance  of 
Analogy,"  in  which  it  is  said  that  it  is,  in  all  subjects,  the  life  and  soul 
of  illustration  (197).  "  Such  are  the  general  effects  and  advantages 
produced  by  analogy  in  the  elucidation  of  truth.  Things  which  in 
their  essential  nature  are  totally  opposite,  are  found,  on  closer  investi- 
gation, to  possess  nmtual  relations,  and  to  be  governed  by  the  same 
law.  Hence  we  discover  three  sorts  of  analogies  pervading  the  system 
of  nature,  in  the  widest  and  most  exalted  application  of  the  term  :  the 
first  regards  the  spiritual  truths  of  Revelation ;  the  second,  those 
which  belong  only  to  the  moral  system ;  while  the  third  are  drawn 
from  the  phenomena  of  the  material  world"  (201).  The  following 
section  (202)  cited  from  another  author,'^  contains  some  valuable 
remarks :  "  The  facts  of  nature  and  the  doctrines  of  Scripture  are 
generally  analogous  to  each  other.  Divine  Wisdom  thus  descends 
from  its  ethereal  seat,  as  the  accessor  of  the  throne  of  the  Eternal,  and 
communicates  with  us  face  to  face  and  hand  to  hand." 

"What,  if  earth 
Be  but  the  shadow  of  heaven,  and  things  therein 
Each  to  other  like,  more  than  on  earth  is  tliought?" 

Extracts  from  very  many  other  authors  might  be  produced  to  show 
in  what  high  estimation  the  science  of  correspondence,  called  by  most 
of  them  analogy,  was  held  as  a  safe  and  sacred  rule  of  Scripture 


"  The  Fairchild  Ditcourte  for  1784.  "  Hampden,  "  Essay  on  the  Phil.  Evid.  of  Christianity." 


THE  PRAYER  OF  MOSES  EXPLAINED. 


345 


interpretation.  In  addition -to  those  already  named,  we  have  the 
concurrence  of  Bishop  Butler,  Bishop  Warburton,  Dean  Sherlock, 
Dr.  Jortin,  Soame  Jenyns,  with  a  long  list  of  other  venerable  names, 
celebrated  alike  for  piety  and  profound  thinking.  But  after  all  these 
high  authorities,  the  great  point  is  for  each  one  to  see  the  truth  for 
himself  If  we  are  to  arrive  at  a  rational  knowledge  of  the  subjects 
of  Revelation,  we  must,  in  our  own  minds,  see  and  know  them  ;  for, 
as  Mr.  Locke  justly  observes,  "  we  may  as  rationally  hope  to  see  with 
other  men's  eyes,  as  to  know  by  other  men's  understanding."  " 

Holy  Scripture  becomes  a  delightful  book  of  heavenly  instruction 
when  its  sacred  contents  are  brought  to  view  by  this  master  Key  of 
Divine  knowledge,  the  science  of  correspondence.  It  is  then  that  the 
man,  in  his  studies,  enjoys  "  the  feast  of  reason  and  the  flow  of  soul," 
and  perhaps  no  violence  will  be  done  to  truth,  if  we  assert  that 
the  sweetest  moments  of  human  life  are  those  which  glide  away  in 
contemplating  the  Sacred  Word.  Here  in  sweet  retirement  from  the 
busy  scenes  of  worldly  pursuits,  we  may — within  the  sphere  of  the 
Divine  presence,  when  the  mind  is  in  states  of  calm  tranquillity,  and 
as  it  were  in  company  with  angels — eat  of  living  bread,  and  partake 
of  that  hidden  manna  which  is  in  the  midst  of  the  Paradise  of  God. 

The  Prayer  of  Moses  Explained. 

Moses,  in  the  ardor  of  his  soul,  prayed  to  God  and  said :  "  I  beseech 
thee  show  me  thy  glory  ! "  This  prayer  Avas  graciously  answered  and 
granted ;  for  the  Lord  said  in  reply,  "  I  will  make  all  my  goodness 
pass  before  thee,  and  I  will  proclaim  the  name  of  Jehovah  before  thee." 
(Ex.  xxxiii.  18,  19.)  Now  although  the  goodness  and  the  glory  of 
God  are  always  passing  before  the  eyes  of  human  beings,  although 
they  are  ever  present  with  us,  and  vividly  apparent  both  in  his  works 
and  Word,  yet  none  but  those  who  pray  this  prayer  will  ever  behold 
them  in  their  real  connection.  It  is  the  true  prayer  of  the  soul  and 
not  merely  that  of  the  lips,  that  can  bring  down  to  human  perception 
both  the  glory  and  goodness  of  God.  It  is  only  under  the  cheering 
influence  of  this  prayer  that  we  can  hope  to  see  the  truth,  and  feel  the 
goodness  of  our  beneficent  Creator. 

In  order  to  see  how  the  Divine  glory  and  goodness  are  made  to  pass 
before  us,  and  how  these  proclaim  to  the  wondering  world  the  niame 
of  Jehovah,  we  must  mentally  view  the  God  of  heaven  and  earth  as 


13 "  Essay  on  the  Human  Understanding,"  §  23. 


346 


TEE  KEY  OF  KNOWLEDGE. 


a  single  Divine  Being.  This  must  be  the  starting-point  of  all  true 
theology  :  if  this  be  denied  or  explained  away  by  a  corrupt  and  vain 
philosophy,  we  shall  not  behold  a  single  ray  of  the  Divine  glory,  nor 
shall  we  have  a  true  perception  of  either  God's  goodness  or  his  power. 

Every  rational  man  will  acknowledge  that  the  glory  of  God  is  seen 
in  the  works  of  creation.  "  The  heavens  declare  the  glory  of  God, 
and  the  firmament  showeth  his  handy  work."  (Ps.  xix.  1.)  But 
this  glory  to  the  reflecting  of  our  race,  is  seen  as  strikingly  portrayed 
in  all  the  varied  objects  of  this  our  world — from  man,  the  highest 
created  intelligence,  down  to  the  smallest  pebbles  upon  the  sea-shore — 
as  it  is  in  those  brighter  shining  objects,  the  sun,  the  moon,  and  the 
star-bespangled  sky  ! "  All  proclaim  the  Divine  presence ;  in  each 
we  cannot  fail  to  discern  "  the  finger  of  God." 

To  show  how  this  goodness  and  glory  are  ever  present,  and  passing 
before  our  eyes,  we  must  view  creation  itself  as  a  proceeding  or  going 
forth  from  God.  The  Divine  Operative  Energy,  or  Holy  Spirit  of 
God,  produces  in  creation  an  innumerable  number  of  forms  receptive 
of  life,  all  of  which  are  filled  and  animated  by  the  life  going  forth 
from  Him  who  is  the  life  in  all.  This  is  the  Scriptural  view  of 
creation,  and  the  only  rational  one  that  can  be  offered :  "  By  the 
Word  of  the  Lord  were  the  heavens  made,  and  all  the  host  of  them 
by  the  breath  [spirit]  of  his  mouth."  (Ps.  xxxiii.  6.)  There  must, 
then,  be  an  internal  harmony,  a  relationship  or  correspondence  between 
all  parts  of  creation,  while  the  whole,  as  being  the  work  of  God,  must 
proclaim  his  name,  or  his  quality  which  is  signified  by  his  name ;  and 
thus,  as  a  magnificent  mirror,  must  show  forth  his  unity,  his  love, 
wisdom,  power,  goodness  and  glory !  Thus  all  creation  is  a  repre- 
sentative image  of  the  perfections  of  Him  who  first  produced  and  still 
sustains  the  whole. 

When  the  human  mind  ventures  to  contemplate  the  Divine  Majesty, 
it  can  conceive  no  otherwise  than  that  Love,  Wisdom  and  Power 
are  the  three  constituent  principles  which  make  up  and  form  (so  to 
speak)  the  very  essence  and  being  of  Deity.  These  three  form  the 
fulness  and  perfection  of  the  Divine  One.  To  these.  Scripture  awards 
appropriate  names  as  expressive  of  the  Divine  qualities.  Thus  Love, 
being  the  origin  and  parent  of  all  existence,  is  called  Father ;  Wisdom, 
which  is  the  form  of  love  and  the  first  and  only  proximate  sphere 
thereof,  is  named  the  Son,  and  the  only-begotten ;  Avhile  the  Divine 
Power,  consisting  in  the  perfect  union  of  love  and  wisdom  going  forth 
in  creative  energy  and  life-imparting  influence,  is  the  Holy  Spirit,  the 


TRI-UNITY  OF  GOD  EXHIBITED  IN  CREATION. 


347 


breath  of  Jehovah's  mouth,  giving  life  and  being  to  creation's  wide 
domain.  Those  who  think  that  the  names  Father,  Son  and  Spirit 
imply  distinct  personal  entities,  deceive  themselves  by  vain  carnal 
reasonings.  While  they  thus  think,  they  can  never  understand  the 
Scrijitures  nor  the  power  of  God.  They  can  know  nothing  of  the 
Lord's  teaching ;  for  He  speaks  of  the  Father  as  being  in  the  Son ; 
and  when  He  breathed  upon  his  disciples,  He  said,  "  receive  ye  the 
Holy  Ghost,"  thus  designating  his  living  breath  or  influence,  the 
Divine  Spirit  or  Power  they  ought  to  receive.  These  three,  Love, 
Wisdom,  Power,  named  Father,  Son,  Spirit,  are  the  sacred  trine  which 
form  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead  ;  and  because  these  centre  and  meet 
in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  manifested  God,  it  is  declared  that  "  in 
Him  dwelleth  all  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead  bodily."  (Col.  ii.  9.) 
"  Of  his  fulness  (then)  have  all  we  received,  and  grace  for  grace." 
(John  i.  10.)  These  three  Divine  Essentials  which  form  the  per- 
fection of  one  God,  make  up  the  Divine  Tri-unity  or  Trinity. 

The  Tri-unity  of  God  exhibited  in  Creation. 

Now  it  is  easy  to  see  that  all  creation,  by  the  infallible  law  of  cor- 
respondence, exhibits,  as  in  a  mighty  mirror,  the  Love,  Wisdom  and 
Power  of  Deity ;  and  thus  that  the  Divine  Glory  is  constantly  present, 
passing  before  our  eyes  and  proclaiming  the  name  of  Jehovah, — his 
quality,  providence  and  care.   A  little  reflection  will  prove  this  fact. 

The  sun  in  nature,  the  first  and  brightest  object  which  meets  our 
eyes,  may  be  considered  as  the  instrumental  cause,  in  the  Divine  hand, 
of  the  creation  of  all  those  worlds  which  revolve  within  our  system, 
and  is  therefore  a  bright  representative  image  of  the  Divine  Sun  of 
righteousness.  The  constituent  principles  of  the  sun  are  heat,  light 
and  proceeding  influence.  The  proceeding  rays,  in  their  going  forth, 
impart  life  and  vigor  to  all  in  the  system.  The  sun  is  one  body  of 
pure  fire ;  the  Lord,  as  the  Divine  Sun,  is  one  form  of  pure  Love. 
Fire,  then,  in  Scripture,  corresponds  to  love.  Strange  fire,  which  may 
be  deemed  unhallowed,  is  an  evil  or  impure  love  which  ought  not  to 
mingle  with  our  spiritual  devotions ;  hence  we  find  that  the  ofiering  of 
strange  fire  upon  the  altar  in  the  Jewish  representative  worship  was  the 
cause  of  the  death  of  Aaron's  two  sons,  Nadab  and  Abihu.  (Lev.  x.  1.) 

The  light  of  the  sun  corresponds  to  the  Wisdom  of  God,  which  is 
a  Divine  Light ;  so  that,  in  Scripture,  light,  brightness,  eflfulgence, 
whiteness  and  purity  are  terms  expressive  of  Truth,  this  being  as  much 
a  light  to  the  soul  as  solar  light  is  to  the  body. 


348 


THE  KEY  OF  KNOWLEDGE. 


The  proceeding  rays  of  the  sun  which  give  vigor  to  the  whole  system 
by  which  the  solar  power  and  influence  are  felt  in  the  material  world, 
thereby  refreshing,  renewing,  rendering  it  prolific  and  dressing  it  up 
in  the  richest  beauty,  so  that  food  and  clothing  are  provided  for  all 
that  live ;  these  correspond  to  the  power,  Spirit  or  influence  of  Jehovah, 
which  goes  forth  for  the  spiritual  refreshment  and  renovation  of  the 
mental  system  of  man,  the  moral  world. 

We  must  surely  acknowledge  that  the  essence  of  God  is  Love,  his 
form.  Wisdom,  and  his  influence.  Life ;  so  to  show  this  by  correspond- 
ence, the  essence  of  the  sun  is  fire,  its  form  light,  its  proceeding  rays, 
refreshment  and  life.  We  may  observe  this  corresponding  relationship 
throughout  all  creation ;  by  this  Ave  may  distinctly  know  how  the 
eternal  power  and  Godhead  are  seen  in  the  things  that  are  made. 

The  globe  on  which  we  live  is  called  terraqueous,  because  composed 
of  earth  and  water.  But  earth  and  water,  separately  considered,  will 
not  sustain  animal  life ;  and  in  this  case  the  world  would  have  been 
a  useless  thing.  In  God,  Love  and  Wisdom  are  united ;  and  from 
this  union  proceeds  his  Spirit,  influence  or  power.  In  the  sun  of 
nature,  heat  and  light  are  united ;  whence  proceed  the  rays  of  in- 
vigorating life  to  vivify  the  earth,  making  it  both  "  a  bright  and  a 
breathing  world."  So  (as  is  the  case  in  creation)  by  the  proper  union 
of  earth  and  water,  under  the  influence  of  the  sun's  heat  and  light, 
and  these  again  being  filled  by  Jehovah's  creative  power,  the  world  is 
made  to  teem  with  plenty,  and  to  produce  a  rich  abundance  for  the 
support  of  animal  life. 

In  Scripture,  then,  the  earth,  by  correspondence,  is  an  emblem  of 
the  mind  or  heart,  which  is  the  ground  into  which  the  si)iritual  seeds 
of  Divine  knowledge  are  sown.  Water  signifies  truth  as  to  its  cleans- 
ing and  nutritious  properties ;  Avhile  the  fruits  of  the  earth,  with  all 
their  varieties,  denote  all  the  Avorks  of  charity  and  love,  which  appear 
in  the  general  conduct  and  outward  life.  It  is  by  these  that  the 
mental  plain  is  richly  adorned  m  ith  fruits  of  love  and  flowers  of  wisdom. 

Correspondence  of  the  Three  Kingdoms  of  Nature. 

Again,  the  world  is  divided  into  three  portions  called  kingdoms, 
namely,  the  animal,  vegetable  and  mineral.  Neither  of  these  could 
exist  separately  or  alone ;  they  must  all  be  united  and  form  a  one. 
The  mineral  is  the  lowest  in  order,  and  the  foundation  of  the  other 
two.  Without  this  there  could  be  no  vegetable,  and  without  the 
vegetable,  the  animal  could  not  exist.    It  may,  perhaps,  be  said  that 


CORRESPONDENCE  OF  THE  THREE  KINGDOMS. 


349 


the  mineral  could  exist  without,  and  independent  of  the  other  two ; 
but  in  reply  it  is  urged  that,  in  tliis  case,  it  would  be  quite  useless ; 
and  it  surely  would  be  no  mark  of  wisdom  to  suppose  that  God  ever 
created  a  useless  thing.  The  animal  kingdom,  because  it  jiossesses  the 
greatest  portion  of  life,  is  the  highest  in  order ;  the  vegetable  is  the 
next,  and  the  mineral  the  lowest. 

In  Scripture,  then,  according  to  the  law  of  correspondence,  all  the 
objects  of  the  animal  kingdom,  as  beasts,  birds  and  creeping  things, 
are  mentioned  in  reference  to  the  affections  in  man,  both  good  and 
bad ;  the  good  ai'e  denoted  by  the  clean,  gentle  and  useful  animals, 
and  the  bad  by  the  wild,  ferocious  and  cruel.  With  this  view  we  at 
once  discover  the  reason  why  the  disciples  are  called  sheep  and  lambs, 
and  the  Lord  himself  the  Lamb  without  spot ; — why  He  is  also  called 
a  Shepherd  who  leads  his  flock  into  green  pastures  beside  the  still 
waters,  and  why  those  who  follow  the  Divine  guidance  are  said  to 
"  grow  as  calves  of  the  stall."  We  also  learn  why  none  but  clean 
animals  were  to  be  offered  in  sacrifice,  instructing  us  by  this  ritual, 
that  no  unclean  or  polluted  aflfection  was  to  intrude  in  the  solemnities 
of  worship.  We  see,  too,  why  the  wicked  are  described  by  bears, 
wolves,  foxes,  dogs,  and  the  like,  and  why  in  spiritual  things  the 
obtuseness  of  their  intellectual  faculties  arising  from  the  impurity  of 
their  affections,  is  described  in  Scripture  by  owls,  bats  and  birds  of 
night. 

The  objects  of  the  vegetable  kingdom,  as  trees,  plants  and 
shrubs  of  all  kinds,  are  mentioned  in  reference  to  the  growing 
thoughts  and  perceptions  of  the  mind,  with  all  their  vast  varieties, 
both  true  and  false.  Thus  an  evil  heart  produces,  spiritually,  a  bar- 
ren intellect ;  the  former  is  aptly  shadowed  forth  by  dry  and  worth- 
less ground,  the  latter  by  thorns  and  thistles,  the  legitimate  but 
wretched  productions  of  a  barren  soil.  On  the  other  hand,  a  purified 
heart  produces  a  luminous  intellect ;  the  former  is  represented  by  the 
richly  cultivated  and  fertile  ground,  and  the  latter  by  luxuriant  fruit- 
bearing  trees,  by  the  useful  plants  and  odoriferous  flowers.  Here 
again  we  see  the  reason  why  the  Scriptures  so  frequently  speak  of 
gardens,  groves  and  paradises ;  of  cultivated  fields  waving  with  corn 
"  ripe  already  to  the  harvest ;  "  of  all  kinds  of  luxuriance,  beauty  and 
fertility ;  and  why  they  as  frequently  speak  of  deserts,  stony  places 
and  barren  land,  with  their  worthless  productions.  The  one  is 
descriptive  of  man  in  a  state  of  spiritual  cultivation,  and  the  other  of 
his  mentally  barren  condition,  his  misery  and  desolation. 
30 


350 


THE  KET  OF  KNOWLEDGE. 


While,  then,  these  spiritual  conditions  of  mind  as  to  affection  and 
thought,  are  described  by  the  objects  of  the  animal  and  vegetable 
kingdoms,  those  of  the  mineral  shadow  forth  the  outward  actions  of 
the  life,  as  being  fixed  and  rendered  permanent.  The  good  are 
denoted  by  gold,  silver  and  precious  stones ;  the  indifierent  and  bad 
by  the  baser  minerals,  as  tin,  lead,  common  pebbles  and  the  dust  of 
the  balance.  Here  we  may  see  the  meaning  of  the  passage,  "  I  will 
turn  my  hand  upon  thee,  and  purely  purge  away  thy  dross,  and  take 
away  all  thy  tin  "  (Isa.  i.  25) ;  also  of  these  words,  "  For  brass  I  will 
bring  gold,  and  for  iron  I  will  bring  silver,  and  for  wood  brass,  and 
for  stones  iron."  (Isa.  Ix.  17.) 

The  Creator,  in  his  wisdom,  has  made  all  things  to  speak  of  his 
goodness  and  to  declare  his  power.  All  creation,  by  the  law  of  cor- 
respondence, shadows  forth  the  glory  of  Jehovah,  exhibiting  beauty 
and  symmetry  in  the  perfection  of  his  works.  In  the  bright  light  of 
Revelation,  the  wisdom  of  Jehovah  shines  pre-eminently  grand ;  and 
to  behold  this,  to  have  a  clear  perception  of  those  glories  which  beam 
therefrom,  is  a  privilege  so  exalted  that  with  it  nothing  can  be  com- 
pared. Man,  whom  the  Scripture  declares  to  have  been  created  in 
the  image  and  likeness  of  God,  does,  both  by  his  bodily  and  mental 
constitution,  shadow  forth  the  glory  and  beauty  of  Jehovah. 

In  God  we  discern,  because  revealed  in  his  Word,  three  essential 
properties  which  make  up  the  fulness  of  Godhead — Love,  Wisdom, 
and  proceeding  Life.  In  created  man,  as  the  image  and  likeness, 
this  trine  or  three-fold  order  exists  both  in  soul  and  body.  The  soul 
of  man  consists  of  two  faculties,  will  and  understanding — the  former 
receptive  of  love  from  God,  and  therefore  the  seat  of  his  affections  and 
passions ;  the  latter  receptive  of  wisdom,  and  thus  the  seat  of  all  his 
thoughts  and  intellectual  powers.  The  union  of  these  two  jiroduces 
his  spirit  of  operative  power,  which  is  shown  forth  in  all  his  words, 
actions  and  general  life.  In  the  organized  body,  which  is  the  instru- 
ment in  and  by  which  the  soul,  as  the  living  man,  shows  forth  intelli- 
gence and  power,  we  observe  the  same  harmonious  order.  The  two 
principal  organs  of  the  body,  as  a  whole,  and  upon  which  the  activity 
of  all  others  depend,  are  the  heart  and  lungs ;  the  one  purifies  and 
sends  forth  living  blood  for  the  renovation  and  health  of  the  system, 
and  the  other  inhales  and  breathes  the  vital  air.  These  two,  again, 
acting  unitedly  in  a  healthy  state,  produce  the  third  principle  or  effect, 
which  is  exhibited  in  all  the  pleasures  and  phenomena  of  life.  The 
heart,  therefore,  is  mentioned  in  Scripture  to  signify  something  relat- 


CORRESPONDENCE  OF  THE  THREE  KINGDOMS. 


351 


ing  to  love,  desire  or  affection  both  good  and  bad,  pure  and  impure  ; 
and  the  organs  of  resjjiration,  or  soul,  spirit  and  breath,  something 
relating  to  truth,  wisdom  or  knowledge.  This  tri-une  order  which 
originates  in  God,  is  exhibited  in  all  creation ;  and  hence  arises  that 
law  of  mutual  relationship  or  correspondence  between  the  whole. 
Thus  pure  Christianity,  which  diffuses  love,  wisdom,  health  and  life 
throughout  the  whole  spiritual  creation,  may  properly  be  termed  the 
heart  and  lungs  of  the  world. 

In  the  globe  upon  which  we  live,  the  same  order  is  apparent :  it 
consists  of  hard  substances,  as  rocks  and  metals ;  of  soft,  as  vegetable 
earth  ;  and  of  fluids,  as  "waters :  so  the  human  body  is  made  up  of  its 
bones,  corresponding  to  rocks ;  its  flesh,  to  vegetable  earth ;  and  the 
blood,  as  the  circulating  fluid,  answering  to  the  waters  which  circu- 
late through  the  earth  for  the  refreshment  of  all  its  parts.  In  the 
material  world,  nothing  is  more  unsightly  than  bare  rocks  without 
any  vegetable  production  of  grass,  floAvers  or  fruits ;  in  respect  to 
man,  nothing  is  more  frightful  than  a  mere  skeleton  without  any  flesh, 
sinews  and  skin  ;  and  in  religion,  nothing  presents  so  barren  a  view  as 
faith  alone,  without  any  of  the  fruits  of  holiness,  purity  and  life. 
This  state,  in  Scripture,  is  represented  by  the  dry  bones,  to  which  the 
voice  of  Revelation  speaks  and  says :  "  O  ye  dry  bones,  hear  the 
Word  of  the  Lord."  (Ezek.  xxxvii.  4.) 

Now  all  this  perfect  order,  both  in  the  material  and  moral  worlds, 
shows  the  infinite  wisdom  of  the  great  Designer  who,  by  an  immutable 
law  of  creation,  has  done  all  things  well ;  so  that  the  goodness,  wis- 
dom and  beauty  of  Jehovah  are  everywhere  seen  both  in  his  works 
and  Word.  Who,  then,  can  behold  these  things  unmoved  ?  Who 
can  restrain  the  fulness  of  his  heart  from  bursting  forth  in  the  lan- 
guage of  David  and  saying :  "  Oh  that  men  would  praise  the  Lord  for 
his  goodness,  and  for  his  wonderful  works  to  the  children  of  men ! " 
(Ps.  cvii.  8.) 


CHAPTEE  III. 


The  Lord's  Word  Magxified  above  all  His  Name — Comparisons  Be- 
tween THE  Literal  and  Spiritual  Senses  of  the  Word  of  God; 
Illustrations  of — The  Use  of  Correspondence  in  Explaining  Diffi- 
cult Passages  of  Scripture — Its  Use  in  Explaining  the  Miracles 
AND  Parables — Correspondence  of  the  Sun,  Moon  and  Stars — The 

ISRAELITISH    JoURNEY    FROM    EgYPT    TO    CaNAAN— EXPLANATION  OF 

Various  Scripture  Phrases — Ezekiel's  Vision  of  Holy  Waters — 
Two  Miracles  Illustrated  by  the  Law  of  Correspondence,  viz.  : 
"  Death  in  the  Pot,"  and  the  Restoration  of  Sight  to  the  Man 
Born  Blind,  by  Washing  in  the  Pool  of  Siloam — The  Tribute 
Money  Found  in  the  Fish's  Mouth — Religion  and  Science  Con- 
nected—Conclusion. 

THE  Psalmist  in  addressing  the  Divine  Being,  says :  "  Thou  hast 
magnified  thy  Word  above  all  thy  name  "  (cxxxviii.  2).  Now 
the  Lord's  Word  is  truly  magnified,  because  it  treats  of  infinitely 
higher  subjects  than  what  appears  to  the  natural  sight  in  the  sense  of 
the  letter.  In  its  literal  form  and  clothing  it  may  appear  to  the  super- 
ficial reader  to  be  loose  and  disconnected ;  in  this  appearance  it  is 
compared  to  sand  :  but  the  spiritual  truths  which  are  stored  up  within, 
are  called  "treasures  hid  in  the  sand."  (Deut.  xxxiii.  19.)  With 
respect  to  the  truth  it  contains  generally  and  as  a  whole,  which 
forms  the  base  or  foundation  upon  which  every  Christian  rests  his 
hope,  it  is  called  a  rock ;  but  in  allusion  to  its  spiritual  truth  with 
the  delights  thereof,  as  applicable  to  all  the  states  of  human  life,  it  is 
the  honey  within  the  rock.  To  every  true  Christian  who  contem- 
plates the  Word  with  a  holy  reverence,  the  Lord  gives  "  to  suck 
honey  out  of  the  rock,  and  oil  out  of  the  flinty  rock."  (Deut.  xxxii. 
13.)  The  Word  with  respect  to  its  beauty  and  fertility,  even  in  the 
letter,  is  compared  to  and  called  a  Paradise ;  and  inasmuch  as  it  is 
God-breathed,  a  Divine  and  not  a  human  production,  it  is  the  Para- 
dise of  God :  but  with  respect  to  the  celestial  nature  of  its  interior 
contents,  it  is  the  hidden  manna  within  the  Paradise,  of  which  every 
one  who  really  desires  may  eat  and  live  forever. 

352 


THE  LITERAL  AND  SPIRITUAL  SENSES  COMPARED.  353 


The  Literal  and  Spiritual  Senses  Compared. 

The  Word  in  reference  to  its  literal  construction,  appears,  espe- 
cially to  the  careless  reader,  not  only  to  contain  various  doctrines,  but 
even  such  as  appear  to  be  opposed  to  each  other ;  in  this  sense  it  is 
represented  by  Joseph's  coat  of  many  colors :  but  as  to  its  interior 
spirit  and  life,  which  is  one  uniform  whole,  it  is  the  living  Joseph 
himself,  who,  as  the  representative  of  the  Lord,  though  desjiised  and 
hated  by  his  externally-minded  brethren,  goes  before  to  provide  food 
for  them,  and  to  save  nations  from  famine  and  death. 

The  Word,  again,  as  to  its  letter,  appears  to  be  so  constructed  as 
to  be  capable  of  division  and  sub-division,  and  is  rejiresented  by  those 
outer  garments  of  the  Lord  which,  at  his  crucifixion  and  rejection,  the 
soldiers  who  denote  those  who  contend  for  the  letter  but  not  for  the 
spirit  of  Revelation,  divided  amongst  them ;  while  the  fact  of  each 
man  looking  at,  and  contending  for,  the  superiority  of  his  own  part, 
without  any  reference  to  the  others,  appears  to  be  the  origin  of  all 
those  opposing  sectarian  doctrines,  whose  advocates  wrangle  and  fight 
about  comparative  trifles ;  thus  straining  out  gnats  and  swallowing 
camels;  while  the  inward  spirit  of  its  contents  is  alike  unknown  to  and 
disregarded  by  all.  But  the  spiritual  sense  of  Revelation,  which  is 
one  unbroken  and  uninterrupted  system  of  Divine  instruction  relating 
to  all  the  affections,  thoughts  and  states  of  human  life,  and  to  their 
progressions  into  higher  degrees  of  perfection,  is  represented  by  the 
Lord's  inner  garment,  the  vest  Avithout  seam  woven  from  the  top 
throughout.  This  vest,  because  it  was  without  seam,  the  soldiers 
agreed  not  to  rend,  but  to  cast  lots  for  it  whose  it  should  be.  This 
fact  instructs  us  that  the  Divine  Providence  is  ever  watchful  over  the 
Word  of  Revelation ;  that  its  inward  life  may  not  be  injured,  but  that 
it  may  be  kept  whole  and  entire,  they  cast  lots  for  it  whose  it  should 
be.  The  lot,  which  excludes  all  human  interference  in  spiritual 
matters,  has  undoubtedly  fallen,  not  upon  those  who  deny  but  upon 
those  who  admit  a  Divine  spirituality  to  be  contained  in  the  Word 
throughout,  and  that  it  is  unbroken,  that  is,  without  seam.  It  has 
fallen  upon  that  church  and  dispensation  of  spiritual  truth  Avhich,  in 
Rev.  xxi.,  is  designated  the  Holy  City  New  Jerusalem  which  de- 
scended from  God  out  of  heaven.  Here  the  sacred  vest  is  preserved 
whole  and  entire,  which  will  be  the  means  of  again  bringing  together 
all  the  Lord's  outer  garments,  or  those  literal  truths  which,  in  con- 
nection with  the  spirit  of  Revelation,  are  harmonious  and  beautiful ; 
30*  X 


354 


THE  KEY  OF  KNOWLEDGE. 


and  which,  by  the  law  of  corresjjondence,  are  the  legitimate  coverings 
of  the  Lord  as  the  Word. 

Admitting  the  spirituality  of  the  Word,  and  ajjplying  this  immutable 
law  of  correspondence  as  the  only  true  Key  of  knowledge  in  the 
illustration  of  its  contents,  how  easy  are  all  its  truths  unfolded,  and 
how  grandly  do  they  rise  up  before  us,  displaying,  in  one  rich  and 
lovely  scene,  the  providence  and  wisdom  of  God.  Is  the  Divine  Truth 
generally,  in  its  literal  form,  called  a  rock  ?  a  foundation  upon  which 
to  build  our  hopes  and  expectations  ?  then  do  we  see  the  important 
instruction  figured  forth  by  Moses  striking  the  rock  in  the  wilderness, 
and  the  waters  gushing  out  to  supply  the  thirst  of  the  people.  To 
strike  is  to  have  communication  with ;  the  rock  is  the  Word  as  a 
whole  ;  hence  the  act  of  strikmg  the  rock  teaches  us  to  communicate 
with  the  Word  of  God,  and  that  from  such  striking  or  communication, 
an  abundance  of  truths,  as  the  waters  of  life,  will  quickly  flow  for  the 
cleansing  of  all  interior  impurities,  as  well  as  for  the  nutritious 
improvement  ,and  health  of  the  soul.  This  is  purely  an  apos- 
tolic interpretation,  founded  upon  that  immutable  law  according 
to  which  all  Scripture  is  written,  and  by  which  alone  it  can  be  ex- 
plained. 

The  apostle  Paul,  speaking  of  the  various  things  which  happened 
to  the  Israelites,  says :  "  Now  all  these  things  happened  unto  them  for 
ensamples ;  and  they  are  written  for  our  admonition,  upon  whom  the 
ends  of  the  world  are  come"  (1  Cor.  x.  1 1) ;  and  speaking  of  the  water 
from  the  rock,  he  says,  they  "  did  all  drink  the  same  spiritual  drink, 
for  they  drank  of  that  spiritual  Rock  that  followed  them,  and  that 
Rock  was  Christ  "  (vcr.  4).  Christ,  then,  is  the  Rock,  because  He  is 
the  Word — the  living  Truth  which  follows  us  in  our  journey  to  the 
heavenly  Canaan.  AVe  drink  of  that  spiritual  Rock,  for  from  "  his 
fulness  have  all  we  received  and  grace  for  grace."  (John  i.  16.) 

When  it  is  clearly  seen  that  all  existences  in  nature  are  types  and 
emblems  shadowing  forth  the  realities  of  heaven,  and  that  Scripture 
mentions  these  in  reference  to  spiritual  realities,  so  that  by  visible 
things  the  invisible  are  brought  forth,  then,  indeed,  it  will  be  clearly 
seen  that  the  Lord  has  magnified  his  Word.  With  this  knowledge 
the  Book  of  God  becomes  unsealed,  and  its  sacred  contents  presented 
to  view.  Now  Scripture  declares  man  to  have  been  created  in  the 
image  and  likeness  of  God.  No  one  can  doubt  the  truth  of  this 
statement;  if  so  created,  he  must,  in  his  very  constitution,  shadow 
forth  the  perfections  of  his  Creator.    There  is,  therefore,  a  mutual 


EXPLAINS  DIFFICULT  TEXTS  OF  SCRIPTURE.  355 


relationship  between  all  his  mental  powers  and  bodily  organs  ;  and  in 
Scripture  the  latter  are  put  to  signify  the  former. 

The  soul,  or  living  man,  receives  immediately  all  his  powers  from 
the  Lord,  while  the  body  receives,  mediately,  its  strength  and  power 
of  action  from  the  soul.  That  which  gives  to  the  organic  structure 
both  its  form  and  power  is  the  immortal  man  or  soul ;  and  this  again 
receives  all  his  power  from  the  Lord.  Hence  in  Scripture,  the  bodily 
organs  are  mentioned  to  signify  the  powers,  principles  and  faculties 
of  the  mind.  This,  when  seen  and  acknowledged,  will  explain  all 
those  parts  of  the  Word  where  the  bodily  organs  ai'e  mentioned. 
Thus  by  the  head,  the  supreme  part,  is  signified  wisdom  and  intelli- 
gence ;  by  the  eye,  the  understanding ;  the^  ear  denotes  obedience ;  the 
nostrils,  the  grateful  perception  of  what  is  good  and  true ;  the  lips, 
tongue,  and  organs  of  speech  generally,  the  acknowledgment  and 
confession  of  the  Lord ;  the  arms  and  hands,  the  powers  of  the  mind ; 
and  the  legs  and  feet,  the  external  life  and  general  conduct.  Again, 
most  of  the  bodily  organs  run  in  pairs ;  and  where  this  is  not  outwardly 
observable,  it  is  so  by  a  more  minute  inspection.  The  reason  of  this 
is  that  there  is  a  close  correspondence  between  the  two  essential 
properties  of  Deity,  which  are  love  and  wisdom,  and  the  forms  re- 
ceptive of  these  in  man. 

For  the  reception  of  Divine  Love  and  Wisdom,  the  two  mental 
faculties  of  will  and  understanding  were  created,  the  corresponding 
bodily  organs  of  which  are :  in  the  head,  the  two  hemispheres  of  the 
brain,  called  the  cerebellum  and  cerebrum ;  and  in  the  body,  the 
heart  and  lungs.  In  respect  to  the  organs  being  in  pairs,  we  may 
mention  the  eyes,  ears,  nostrils,  cheeks,  lips,  shoulders,  arms,  hands, 
legs,  and  feet.  All  the  organs  on  the  right  side  of  the  body  possess  a 
greater  degree  of  power  than  those  on  the  left,  and  in  Scripture  are 
mentioned  in  reference  to  the  ivill,  and  to  somewhat  of  power  as  to 
good  or  evil,  while  those  on  the  left  are  named  in  reference  to  the 
understanding,  bearing  some  relation  either  to  truth  or  falsity.  This 
knowledge  will  explain  all  those  passages  of  Scripture  where  the  bodily 
organs  are  named. 

Correspondence  explains  difficult  Passages  of  Scriptia-e. 
The  Lord  says :  "  When  thou  doest  alms,  let  not  thy  left  hand 
know  what  thy  right  hand  doeth."  (Matt.  vi.  3.)    Literally  neither 
the  left  hand  nor  the  right  hand  can  know  anything  about  alms-giving. 
To  do  alms  from  the  right  hand  is  to  exercise  power  in  their  distribu- 


356 


THE  KEY  OF  KNOWLEDGE. 


tion  from  the  love  of  good,  and  from  a  pure  motive :  but  to  impart 
that  motive  to  the  left  hand  first,  or  before  the  deed  is  done,  is  to  give 
alms  from  truth,  in  order  that  they  may  appear  in  the  light  and  be 
known  abroad  ;  thus  the  alms  are  not  done  in  secret,  but  for  the  sake 
of  appearing,  and  for  some  selfish  gratification.  In  this  case  there 
may  be  a  worldly  reward,  but  none  from  our  Father  in  the  heavens. 
The  deed  has  been  done  from  a  sinister  motive,  from  the  left  hand ; 
it  is  utterly  barren  of  all  true  religion,  all  spiritual  reward. 

Again,  the  Lord  says  :  "  If  thy  right  eye  offend  thee,  pluck  it  out 
and  cast  it  from  thee  ; "  and  "  if  thy  right  hand  offend  thee,  cut  it  off" 
and  cast  it  from  thee."  (Matt.  v.  29,  30.)  Here  by  the  eye  is  meant 
the  understanding,  and  by.  the  right  eye  a  knowledge  of  truth  from 
interior  goodness.  But  as  the  offence  of  the  right  eye  is  described,  it 
is  the  understanding  of  truth  perverted  by  evils  of  life,  whence  come 
offence,  spiritual  crime  and  death.  To  pluck  this  out,  is  to  cease  from 
such  state  of  perversion,  while  to  cast  it  from  you  is  to  utterly  liate 
and  abhor  it.  Similar  observations  will  apply  to  the  right  hand,  only 
with  this  diflference,  that  the  hand  is  an  emblem  of  power,  and  the 
right  hand  power  from  goodness  of  heart :  but  the  offending  right 
hand  is  the  power  derived  from  evil  and  its  degrading  pursuits ;  this, 
too,  must  be  cut  oflf  and  cast  away,  be  utterly  abhorred  and  hated,  or 
heaven  with  its  glories  can  neither  be  entered  nor  seen. 

Another  important  lesson  is  taught  us  in  the  fact  of  the  Lord  send- 
ing out  his  apostles  and  disciples  by  two  and  two,  and  giving  them 
power  over  unclean  spirits.  (Mark  vi.  7.)  This  was  done  to  teach  us 
that  the  two  faculties  of  will  and  intellect  must  be  engaged  unitedly 
in  the  work — that  the  love  and  practice  of  truth,  with  the  knowledge 
of  it,  must  go  together.  When  these  two  are  united,  a  power  is  given 
over  all  the  unclean  afl!ections  and  perverted  principles  of  the  mind; 
so  that  true  religion  grows  in  the  soul,  and  heaven  is  formed  within ; 
hence  we  read  that  the  disciples  who  were  thus  sent  out  by  two  and 
two,  returned  and  said :  "  Lord,  even  the  devils  are  subject  unto  us 
through  thy  name."  (Luke  x.  17.)  "When  the  will  and  intellect  are 
united  so  as  to  progress  in  the  regeneration  together,  everything  then 
prayed  for  and  desired  is,  that  spiritual  improvement  may  increase, 
which  will  explain  these  words  of  the  Lord:  "Again  I  say  unto  you, 
that  if  two  of  you  sluill  agree  on  earth  as  touching  anything  that  they 
shall  ask,  it  shall  be  done  for  them  of  my  Father  which  is  in  heaven." 
(Matt,  xviii.  19.) 

The  Lord  condescended  to  wash  his  disciples'  feet,  and  said :  "  If  I, 


EXPLAINS  THE  MIRACLES  AND  PARABLES.  357 


your  Tjord  and  Master,  wash  your  feet,  ye  ought  also  to  wash  one 
another's  feet."  Here  by  a  knowledge  of  the  spiritual  signification  of 
the  feet,  this  passage  opens  in  all  its  value  and  importance.  The  feet 
denote  the  external  life  and  general  conduct  in  the  m  orld.  To  wash 
is  to  cleanse  and  purify.  All  purification  of  soul,  is  effected  by  the 
truths  of  Revelation  ;  for  these  are  the  cleansing  waters  which  are 
from  the  Lord,  and  applied  by  Him.  Without  this  ouhuard  purifica- 
tion, there  can  be  no  evidence  of  an  inward;  for  the  language  of  the 
Lord  is :  "  If  I  wash  thee  not,  thou  hast  no  part  with  me."  If  we 
feel  the  necessity  of  this  spiritual  cleansing,  we  shall,  like  Peter, 
address  the  Saviour  and  say :  "  Lord,  not  my  feet  only,  but  also  my 
hands  and  my  head  :  "  not  only  that  part  of  my  life  which  is  outward 
and  external,  as  being  connected  with  the  world,  but  also  the  powers 
of  my  soul,  with  all  that  is  high,  supreme  and  inmost.  We  ought, 
then,  if  we  call  Jesus  Christ,  Master  and  Lord,  to  wash  each  other's 
feet ;  that  is,  in  the  true  spirit  of  Christianity,  to  assist  in  cleansing 
and  regulating  each  other's  outward  life  and  conduct,  that  so  the 
purity  within  may  be  exhibited  by  the  cleanness  without. 

AVe  have  already  shown  that  the  human  body,  as  a  whole,  as  well 
as  all  its  parts,  members  and  organs,  are  mentioned  in  Scripture  in 
reference  to  the  soul,  and  to  its  various  faculties,  principles  and  powers. 
If  this  be  a  truth,  of  which,  judging  from  the  examples  already  given, 
there  can  hardly  remain  a  rational  doubt,  we  have  only,  under  Divine 
guidance,  to  follow  on  with  the  same  chain  of  reasoning,  in  order  to 
be  convinced  that  the  Word  of  God  is  truly  wonderful,  and  that  it  is 
to  every  spiritual  traveller  to  Zion,  his  faithful  and  steady  conductor 
— his  pillar  of  cloud  by  day ;  his  pillar  of  fire  by  night. 


Explains  the  Miracles  and  Parables. 

We  read  in  Scripture  of  the  poor,  the  maimed,  the  halt,  the  lame, 
blind  and  diseased ;  of  the  deaf  and  dumb,  of  the  captives  and  the 
dead.  Now  the  coming  of  the  Lord  was  effectually  to  release  the 
human  race  from  these  maladies  and  diseases.  He  came  to  set  the 
captives  free,  to  give  sight  to  the  blind,  to  preach  the  glories  of  his 
kingdom  to  the  poor,  to  restore  health  to  the  diseased,  to  unstop  the 
ears  of  the  deaf,  to  make  the  lame  man  leap  as  the  hart,  and  the 
tongue  of  the  dumb  to  sing  ;  He  came  to  quicken  the  dead  to  life  by 
proclaiming  the  acceptable  year  of  the  Lord.  If  we  suppose  that 
these  diseases,  maladies  and  imperfections  are  to  be  confined  to  those 
of  the  body,  we  not  only  deceive  ourselves,  but  we  reduce  the  Word 


358 


THE  KEY  OF  KNOWLEDGE. 


of  God  to  a  dead  letter  ;  and  if  the  miracles  wrought  by  Jesus  Christ 
are  to  be  confined  merely  to  the  restoration  to  health  of  a  few  sick 
people,  and  to  the  raising  of  some  three  or  four  individuals  from  the 
dead,  then  the  miracles  become  deprived  of  their  vast  importance, 
spirituality  and  use.  The  miracles  of  Jesus  Christ  were  not  done 
merely  to  show  his  power  in  the  days  of  his  flesh,  and  then  to  cease ; 
but  they  were  especially  done  to  set  forth  his  eternal  power  and  God- 
head, by  showing,  spiritually,  that  He  is  performing  like  miracles  for 
the  benefit  of  the  human  race  in  every  age  and  generation  of  the 
world. 

The  law  of  correspondence  can  alone  open  these  subjects  in  their 
true  import,  and  prove  beyond  all  doubt  that  the  testimonies  of  the 
Lord  are  wonderful.  By  this  law  all  diseases,  maladies  and  imper- 
fections of  body,  are  named  in  reference  to  perversions  and  imperfec- 
tions of  mind ;  Avhile  the  curing  of  these  denotes  the  restoration  of  the 
soul  to  spiritual  health  and  soundness.  Thus  by  the  poor  are  meant, 
not  those  who  have  little  or  no  worldly  wealth,  but  those  who  are 
poor  in  spirit,  who  have  not  the  truth  of  heaven,  but  who  ardently 
desire  it.  It  is  to  these  (whether  rich  or  poor  in  a  worldly  sense) 
that  the  Gospel  is  preached,  and  these  are  they  whom  the  Lord  fills 
with  good  things.  The  rich  are  those  who  ai-e  in  raptures  with  their 
own  self-derived  knowledge,  whose  worldly,  carnal  wisdom  leads  them 
to  despise  being  led  by  the  truths  of  Revelation.  These  are  the  rich 
in  their  own  estimation,  who  because  they  receive  not  wisdom  from 
God,  are  described  as  those  whom  the  Lord  sends  empty  away. 

This  view  will  open  to  us  a  most  important  truth,  that  we  are  not 
to  make  a  spiritual  estimation  of  man,  either  from  his  worldly  wealth 
or  worldly  poverty.  It  will  show  clearly  what  cannot  be  rationally 
denied,  that  the  lords  and  nobles  of  the  land,  if  lovers  and  seekers  of 
what  is  good  and  true,  may  be  among  that  class  of  persons  whom  the 
Scriptures  call  poor ;  while  the  daily  laborer,  priding  himself  in  his 
own  spurious  knowledge  and  vanity,  while  at  the  same  time  he  is 
neglecting  the  spiritual  duties  of  religion,  may  be  among  those  whom 
the  Scripture  designates  the  rich.  This  will  fully  exjilaui  the  Lord's 
words,  "  Blessed  be  ye  poor ;  for  yours  is  the  kingdom  of  God." 
(Luke  vi.  20.)  And  again,  "It  is  easier  for  a  camel  to  go  through 
the  eye  of  a  needle,  than  for  a  rich  man  to  enter  into  the  kingdom  of 
God."  (Matt.  xix.  24.) 

The  lame,  halt,  diseased  and  maimed,  signify  those  whose  in- 
ward evils  of  life  ruin  their  spiritual  constitution,  so  that  they  can 


EXPLAINS  THE  MIRACLES  AND  PARABLES. 


359 


make  no  progress  nor  walk  in  the  Divine  life ;  they  stumble  in  the 
way  and  halt  in  their  purposes.  By  the  Lord  healing  these  maladies, 
we  are  instructed  that  when  the  truth  is  received  and  applied  to  the 
life,  their  inward  pollutions  are  removed,  and  restoration  to  spiritual 
health  is  effected.  Then,  too,  the  tongue,  as  the  organ  of  speech,  by 
which  is  denoted  acknowledgment  and  confession  of  the  Lord,  and 
which  before  was  dumb  or  silent  in  the  praise  of  God,  becomes 
loosed,  and  breaks  forth  in  songs  of  praise.  It  is  then  that  the  man 
comes  into  a  luminous  and  haj^py  frame  of  mind  ;  he  has  changed  his 
own  filthy  robes — his  false  and  insane  persuasions,  for  the  white  and 
shining  garments  of  heaven — the  pure  truths  of  Revelation ;  he  is 
then  found  "  sitting  at  the  feet  of  Jesus,  clothed,  and  in  his  right 
mind."  (Luke  viii.  35.)  This  renovation  of  state  is  effected  when 
Messiah's  kingdom  rules  in  the  mind  of  man;  for  "then  shall  the 
lame  man  leap  as  a  hart,  and  the  tongue  of  the  dumb  shall  sing." 
(Isa.  XXXV.  6.)  The  former  wilderness  state  of  his  understanding 
shall  pass  away,  together  with  the  dry,  arid  condition  of  his  will,  ^^•hile 
the  truths  of  Revelation,  as  the  waters  of  life,  shall  break  out  as 
streams  in  the  desert. 

It  is  in  consequence  of  the  spiritual  signification  of  the  maimed, 
lame  and  blind,  as  denoting  evils  and  ignorance  of  spirit,  that  in  the 
Jewish  church,  the  rituals  of  which  were  all  representations  of  good 
things  to  come,  no  person  was  allow'cd  to  minister  at  the  altar,  or  per- 
form the  ceremonies  of  worship,  who  had  any  blemish  of  body,  such 
as  being  diseased,  lame,  deformed  or  blind.  (Lev.  xxi.  16-24.)  This 
Divine  law  was  written  to  instruct  us  that  the  pure  worship  of  God 
cannot  proceed  from  spiritual  ignorance  and  deformity  of  mind. 

The  blind  and  deaf  are  the  objects  of  the  Lord's  mercy.  He  came 
to  open  the  blind  eyes,  and  to  unstop  the  ears  of  the  deaf.  Here, 
again,  the  true  law  of  Scripture  interpretation  affords  the  means  of 
acquiring  a  correct  explanation.  By  the  eye  is  meant  the  under- 
standiug,  and  by  the  ear,  hearkening  and  obedience  of  life.  The 
blind  eye  is  the  intellect  wrapt  in  spiritual  ignorance  ;  the  deaf  ear, 
carelessness  of,  and  contempt  for,  all  heavenly  instruction,  whence 
arise  disobedience  and  a  life  of  carnality  and  false  pleasure.  But 
when  the  eye  becomes  enlightened  by  the  truths  of  heaven,  and  the 
ear  lends  a  willing  obedience  to  the  voice  of  God,  then  the  maladies 
are  removed,  and  the  things  of  God  and  heaven  are  seen  and  heard. 

Those  whose  affections  are  bound  down  to  the  perishable  things 
of  the  world,  who  are  by  false,  atheistical,  or  other  persuasions,  led 


360 


THE  KEY  OF  KNOWLEDGE. 


astray  from  the  pure  path  of  life ;  these  are  bound  in  the  hard  fet- 
ters of  a  mentally  slavish  bondage,  and  are  called  prisoners  and  cap- 
tives :  they  are,  as  the  Scripture  expresses  it,  led  captive  by  the  devil 
at  his  will.  Now  nothing  can  set  them  free  from  this  captivity,  but 
the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus ;  and  if  the  truth  shall  set  them  free,  they 
shall  be  free  indeed.  Hence  one  of  the  grand  objects  of  the  Lord's 
coming,  was  to  give  "  liberty  to  the  captives." 

Those,  again,  in  whom  the  life  of  heaven  has  become  extinct,  who 
have  no  spiritual  affection  for  purity  and  wisdom,  these  are.  called 
dead.  They  are  dead  to  all  the  living  joys  of  heaven,  and  grovel  in 
the  uncleanness  of  sensuality.  But  even  these,  at  the  voice  of  the 
Lord,  or  when  truth  finds  its  way  into  their  hearts,  and  is  therein 
received  and  loved,  shall  rise  up  from  their  deathly  condition — from 
that  state  of  death  in  trespasses  and  sins,  and  spring  upwards  to  that 
of  life,  righteousness  and  peace.  These  restorations  are  the  real  effects 
of  the  reign  of  Christ  in  his  church,  and  they  are  even  now  in  this 
day  taking  place;  which  will  explain  clearly  this  saying  of  our 
Lord  :  "  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you,  the  hour  is  coming,  and  noio 
is,  when  the  dead  shall  hear  the  voice  of  the  Son  of  God  :  and  they 
that  hear  shall  live."  (John  v.  25.)  It  is  to  these  spiritual  evidences 
of  the  reign  of  Christ  that  the  Lord  alludes,  when,  in  answer  to 
John's  disciples  who  asked  Him  the  question,  "Art  thou  He  that 
should  come,  or  do  we  look  for  another  ?  "  He  replied :  "  Go  and 
show  John  again  those  things  which  ye  do  hear  and  see ;  the  blind 
receive  their  sight,  and  the  lame  walk ;  the  lepers  are  cleansed,  and 
the  deaf  hear ;  the  dead  are  raised  up,  and  the  poor  have  the  Gospel 
preached  to  them ;  and  blessed  is  he  whosoever  shall  not  be  offended 
in  me."  (Matt.  xi.  5,  6.) 

These,  then,  are  the  grand  subjects  taught  in  the  Book  of  Life. 
The  truths  of  Revelation  are  the  sacred  testimonies  of  God.  They 
clearly  describe  all  the  varieties  of  human  affection  and  thought,  as 
well  as  every  man's  growth  in  Avisdom,  righteousness  and  ])eace. 
Surely,  then,  we  must  acknowledge  with  David,  that  the  testimonies 
of  the  Lord  are  wonderful. 

Correspondence  of  the  Sun,  Moon  and  Stars. 

The  wonders  of  the  Book  of  God  will  further  appear,  as  we  con- 
template the  vast  scene  around  us,  and  view  the  grand  theatre  of 
creation  as  reflecting  by  its  objects  the  goodness,  wisdom  and  power 
of  the  Creator.    The  Scriptures  call  upon  us  to  contemplate  these 


CORRESPONDENCE  OF  SUN,  MOON  AND  STARS. 


361 


things,  and  as  such  they  must  be  designed  to  teach  us  the  spiritual 
matters  of  eternity.  The  prophet  invites  us  to  reflection,  and  says  : 
"  Lift  up  your  eyes  on  high,  and  behold  who  hath  created  these 
things."  (Isa.  xl.  26.)  All  created  things  speak,  in  their  uses,  the 
power  of  the  Creator,  and  declare  his  wonders  to  the  people.  If  we 
lift  up  our  eyes  on  high,  we  observe  the  . sun,  moon  and  stars  as  the 
brightest  objects  in  nature.  Now  these  are  frequently  mentioned  in 
Scripture ;  and  this  is  the  reason  why  we  are  called  upon  to  lift  up 
our  eyes  on  high,  that  we  may  contemplate  their  relative  uses,  and 
draw  forth  the  spiritual  lessons  they  teach. 

The  sun  shines  by  its  own  light,  and  borrows  nothing  from  any 
other  created  object ;  it  is,  therefore,  in  nature,  the  bright  emblem 
of  the  Lord  of  heaven,  as  the  never  varying  and  everlasting  Sun  of 
righteousness,  who  borrows  nothing  from  any  other  being,  but  con- 
stantly dispenses  his  Divine  heat  and  light — his  love  and  wisdom — 
for  the  life  and  health  of  that  creation  He  himself  has  produced. 

The  moon  has  no  light  in  itself,  but  reflects  only  that  which  she 
has  borrowed  from  the  sun.  The  moon,  in  Scripture,  is  therefore  put 
to  signify  the  Church  of  God,  which  has  no  light  or  truth  of  her  own, 
but  reflects  only  that  wisdom  she  has  borrowed  or  received  from  her 
Lord. 

The  stars,  from  their  distance  and  the  small  portions  of  light  they 
transmit  to  us,  are  emblems  of  all  those  principles  of  knowledge  with 
which  the  mind  is  gifted,  and  by  which  it  expands  to  higher  degrees 
of  perception. 

The  essential  property  of  the  Divine  Being  is  Love.  "  God  is 
love."  This  is  represented  by  the  heat  of  the  sun,  and  his  Wisdom 
by  its  light.  Thus  God  is  the  fountain  of  all  being.  In  reference  to 
man,  the  sun  is  mentioned  in  Scripture  to  signify  love  received  from, 
and  directed  to,  the  Lord ;  the  moon,  his  pure  faith  which  forms  the 
church  in  him  ;  and  the  stars  are  all  the  varieties  of  knowledge  which 
beautify  and  ornament  his  mind.  This  will  at  once  explain  all  those 
Scriptures  where  the  sun,  moon  and  stars  are  mentioned.  All  things 
of  love,  faith  and  knowledge  are  to  be  ascribed  to  the  Lord,  and  dedi- 
cated to  his  praise  ;  for  man  has  nothing  of  his  own.  Hence  the  lan- 
guage of  David,  "  Praise  him  sun  and  moon  ;  praise  him  all  ye  stars 
of  light !  "  All  men  are  created  with  the  two  faculties  of  will  and 
understanding  ;  the  former  is  the  known  receptacle  of  love  from  God, 
which  will  explain  this  passage :  "  In  them  hath  He  set  a  tabernacle 
for  the  sun."  (Ps.  xix.  4.) 
31 


362 


THE  KEY  OF  KNOWLEDGE. 


How  do  the  Scriptures  describe  the  end  and  desolation  of  the 
church,  when  by  corruption  and  false  doctrine  the  love  of  self  sup- 
plants the  love  of  God  ?  when  ignorance  supplies  the  place  of  a  pure 
enlightened  faith,  and  when  all  the  vast  varieties  of  spiritual  knowl- 
edge perish  and  decay  ?  They  describe  this  state  in  their  own  lan- 
guage of  correspondence.  The  Lord,  speaking  of  this  spiritual  deso- 
lation, says  :  "  Immediately  after  the  tribulation  of  those  days,  shall 
the  sun  be  darkened  and  the  moon  shall  not  give  her  light,  and  the 
stars  shall  fall  from  heaven,  and  the  powers  of  the  heavens  shall  be 
shaken."  (Matt.  xxiv.  29.)  When  in  the  church  there  is  no  celestial 
love  to  the  Lord,  the  sun  is  darkened  ;  when  there  is  no  pure  faith  in 
Him  as  the  One  Lord  of  heaven,  the  moon  gives  no  light ;  and  when 
all  spiritual  knowledges  fail,  the  stars  fall  from  heaven  ;  and  then  it  is 
that  the  powers  of  the  heavens — the  internals  of  the  church  and  of 
man — become  shaken  to  their  very  centre. 

The  facts  in  nature  and  in  religion  are,  by  correspondence,  so  true 
to  each  other,  that  it  is  next  to  impossible  to  mistake  their  meaning. 
In  nature,  if  the  sun  were  to  be  darkened,  the  moon  could  give  no 
light ;  for  she  has  none  to  give  but  what  she  borrows  from  the  sun. 
So  in  the  church,  if  there"  be  no  love,  there  can  be  no  faith ;  and 
where  both  love  and  faith  are  absent,  there  can  be  no  heavenly 
knowledges.  When  the  church  is  in  a  high  state  of  glory,  how  dif- 
ferent is  then  the  description.  John  the  Revelator  in  describing  it, 
says :  "  And  there  appeared  a  great  wonder  in  heaven ;  a  woman 
clothed  with  the  sun,  and  the  moon  under  her  feet,  and  upon  her  head 
a  crown  of  twelve  stars."  (Rev.  xii.  1.)  The  woman  denotes  the  church, 
as  to  the  affectionate  reception  of  all  that  comes  from  the  Lord,  and 
which  constitutes  her  unfading  glory.  She  is  imbued  with  celestial 
love — clothed  with  the  sun :  she  is  grounded  in  a  pure  enlightened 
faith  in  the  one  Lord  God  the  Saviour — the  moon  under  her  feet: 
she  is  possessed  of  a  rich  fulness  of  knowledge  including  all  varieties, 
which  are  the  twelve  stars  upon  her  head,  and  which  form  her  ever- 
liisting  crown  and  diadem.  Surely  these  descriptions  are  grand,  beau- 
tiful and  correct !  Our  affections  are  touched  by  them ;  our  reason 
assents  to  their  truth,  and  both  united  urge  the  lips  of  every  true 
Christian  to  speak  the  language  of  David,  and  say  :  "  The  testimonies 
of  the  Lord  are  wonderful,  therefore  doth  my  soul  keep  them."  (Ps. 
cxix.  129.) 

By  the  science  of  correspondence,  this  true  key  of  knowledge,  every 
part  of  Divine  Revelation,  to  those  who  love  the  truth  for  it^j  own 


CORRESPONDENCE  OF  SUN,  MOON  AND  STARS.  363 


sake,  is  rendered  plain  and  easy  to  be  understood  ;  but  to  the  evil,  the 
careless  and  vicious,  this  science  can  offer  no  charms,  for  it  enters  too 
minutely  into  the  secret  recesses  of  the  heart ;  and  while  it  lays  bare 
the  polluting  degradation  of  all  sinful  lusts,  it  unravels  the  mysterious 
web  of  falsity  aud  deceit,  showing  that  "  the  secret  of  the  Lord  is 
(only)  with  those  who  fear  Him."  (Ps.  xxv.  14.)  True  repentance 
is  the  first  duty  of  man ;  and  he  who  refuses  to  perform  this  first 
work,  cannot  expect  to  be  made  acquainted  M'ith  the  secrets  of  the 
Most  High.    Let  us  apply  this  key  to  some  further  illustrations. 

The  prophet  Zechariah  states,  that  "  this  shall  be  the  plague  where- 
with the  Lord  shall  smite  all  the  people  that  have  fought  against 
Jerusalem  ;  their  flesh  shall  consume  away  while  they  stand  upon 
their  feet,  and  their  eyes  shall  consume  away  in  their  holes,  and  their 
tongue  shall  consume  away  in  their  mouth."  (Zech.  xiv.  12.)  Jerusa- 
lem, the  city  of  Palestine  where  stood  the  temple  in  Avhich  worship 
was  celebrated  to  Jehovah  as  the  true  God,  is  everyAvhere  mentioned 
iji  Scripture  to  signify  the  church  of  the  Lord,  in  which  the  love  of 
God  in  true  devotional  worship  is  felt,  and  his  truth  seen.  The 
church  emphatically  denoted  by  Jerusalem,  is  the  city  of  God  and 
the  tabernacle  of  the  Most  High.  There  still  flows  the  river — an 
abundance  of  divine  truth  which  makes  glad  the  city.  There  God 
himself  is  still  in  the  midst  of  her,  and  she  can  never  be  moved.  To 
fight  against  this  city,  is  to  oppose,  both  in  thought  and  practice,  the 
love,  purity,  wisdom  and  truth  which  form  the  true  church  both  in  the 
world  and  in  the  human  soul.  From  this  madness  of  opposition  to 
all  that  is  pure,  holy  and  true,  what  can  be  expected  to  arise  but  a 
plague  ?  what  but  a  plague  and  pestilence  more  dreadful  in  its  efiects 
than  any  that  can  happen  to  the  body  ?  It  is  a  plague  that  reaches 
the  soul — the  real  and  conscious  man  ;  and  which  describes  the  mis- 
erable state  of  mental  desolation  by  the  outward  appearance  of  the 
body.  The  condition  of  those  who  fight  against  Jerusalem  is,  as  to 
their  spiritual  existence,  truly  wxetched  ;  and  is  here  represented  by 
the  consuming  away  of  the  flesh,  of  the  eyes  in  their  holes,  aud  of  the 
tongue  in  their  mouth. 

The  true  spiritual  church  of  God,  the  holy  city  Jerusalem,  is  filled 
with  the  highest,  richest  blessings  of  which  the  human  mind  can  be 
receptive.  It  infuses  love,  charity  and  benevolence  into  the  human 
will ;  it  enlightens  the  understanding  with  truths  of  the  highest  order, 
makes  life  a  blessing,  and  throws  a  sacred  charm  throughout  all  cre- 
ation. Here,  in  the  Holy  City,  we  are  taught  that  God  is  our  common 


864 


THE  KEY  OF  KNOWLEDGE. 


Father,  that  we  are  all  brethren,  and  that  every  true  delight  follows 
the  pursuit  of  virtue.  Here,  again,  the  understanding  is  enlightened 
with  truths  that  raise  us  up  above  the  clods  of  the  earth ;  we  are 
taught  that  God  is  immutable  and  good ;  that  man  is  free ;  that  the 
soul,  the  real  man,  is  immortal ;  and  here  resistless  demonstration  shows 
that  there  is  another  and  a  better  world.  Those  whose  affections  are 
fixed  upon  the  Lord,  are  described  in  the  Word  of  God,  not  with  their 
flesh  consumed  away,  with  their  eyes  Avasted  in  their  sockets,  and  their 
tongues  consumed  in  their  mouths ;  but  as  altogether  comely,  fair 
and  beautiful,  as  fat  and  flourishing,  with  their  eyes  opened,  keen, 
penetrating  and  uplifted  ;  and  with  their  tongues  employed  in  tasting 
of  the  bread  of  life,  and  loosened  to  sjieak  of  and  sing  the  praises 
of  the  Most  High.  Now  the  description  of  those  who  fight  against 
Jerusalem  is  the  very  revei-se  of  this;  their  flesh,  eyes  and  tongue 
consume  away.  When  the  spiritual  sense  of  these  words  is  seen,  how 
clear,  but  how  truly  distressing  Avill  the  description  appear.  Here 
three  distinct  terras  are  used,  the  flesh,  the  eyes  and  the  tongue ;  these, 
belonging  to  such  as  fight  against  Jerusalem,  wither  away,  so  that 
nothing  is  left  but  a  skeleton  of  dry  bones. 

The  flesh  of  the  human  body,  in  comparison  with  the  bones,  pos- 
sesses the  greater  portion  of  life,  and  in  Scripture  is  mentioned  to 
signify  all  that  belongs  to  the  superior  faculty  of  the  mind,  the  will. 
The  flesh  of  the  unregenerate  man  denotes  all  that  kind  of  spurious 
goodness  which  is  not  derived  from  the  Lord,  but  drawn  from  his  own 
impure  desires,  and  which  can  yield  no  spiritual  consolation  to  the 
soul,  but  is  consumed  as  soon  as  brought  forth.  The  prophet  Lsaiah 
thus  describes  how  unsatisfying  this  is,  and  of  such  a  man  he  says : 
"  He  shall  snatch  on  the  right  hand  and  be  hungry,  and  shall  eat  on 
the  left  hand  and  not  be  satisfied ;  they  shall  eat,  every  man,  the  flesh 
of  his  own  arm "  (ix.  20).  The  prophet  Jeremiah  also,  speaking  of 
the  unregenerate,  says :  "  Cursed  is  the  man  that  trusteth  in  man,  and 
maketh  J?e.s7i  his  arm"  (xvii.  5).  All.the  good  that  comcth  down  from 
God  out  of  heaven,  is  the  bread  of  life,  and  this  the  Lord  calls  his  flesh : 
"  The  bread  that  I  will  give  is  my  flesh,  which  I  will  give  for  the  life 
of  the  world."  (John  vi.  51.)  Of  this  flesh,  or  Divine  goodness,  man 
should  eat,  or  receive  into  his  affections,  that  so  his  soul  may  be 
nourished  to  eternal  life.  The  Lord's  words  are  important :  "  Except 
ye  eat  the  flesh  of  the  Son  of  Man,  and  drink  his  blood,  ye  have  no 
life  in  you"  (John  vi.  53);  that  is,  unless  the  Lord's  love  be  received 


CORRESPONDENCE  OF  SUN,  MOON  AND  STARS. 


365 


in  the  will,  and  his  spiritual  truth,  denoted  by  his  blood,  in  the  under- 
standing, there  can  be  no  angelic  life — no  heaven  within. 

Those  who  fight  against  Jerusalem,  whose  impurity  of  life  offers  a 
determined  opposition  to  all  that  is  celestially  good  and  pure,  can  have 
no  heavenly  beauty  or  comeliness ;  all  that  is  good  in  them  decays 
under  the  plague  and  pestilence  of  selfish  desires ;  all  the  goodness 
of  heaven  in  them  withers  away — their  flesh  consumes  Avhile  they 
stand  upon  their  feet ;  they  have  a  name  by  which  they  live  and  are 
dead. 

Another  most  awful  state  of  their  spiritual  degradation  is  further 
described  by  "  their  eyes  shall  consume  away  in  their  holes."  If  ever 
there  was  a  true  description  given  of  the  wicked  man,  this  is  one ;  but 
though  true,  it  is  awfully  distressing.  By  the  eye  is  meant  the  under- 
standing ;  that  being  as  much  the  eye  of  the  soul,  as  the  organ  of  vision 
is  of  the  body.  The  bright  eye  is  the  understanding  enlightened ;  the 
blind  eye,  the  understanding  closed  against  the  reception  of  the  truths 
of  Revelation ;  and  the  consumed  eye,  the  understanding  perished  and 
lost.  Where  there  is  no  love  for  the  things  of  heaven,  there  can  be 
no  true  knowledge  of  them,  because  the  man  takes  no  delight  in  them. 
In  respect  to  heavenly  things,  when  the  will  is  depraved  the  under- 
standing is  dark ;  this  life  persisted  in,  is  fighting  against  Jerusalem. 
This  must  produce  the  decay  of  all  spiritual  knowledge, — the  perishing 
of  the  intellect.  Where  there  is  no  good,  there  can  be  no  apprehension 
of  truth  ;  where  there  is  no  flesh,  the  eyes  will  consume  away  in  their 
holes.  This  will  be  followed  by  the  last  sad  state  of  degradation — 
"  their  tongue  shall  consume  away  in  their  mouth." 

The  tongue  to  the  human  body  performs  a  double  oflice,  that  of 
taste  and  speech.  With  respect  to  the  former,  it  denotes  the  relish, 
appetite  and  desire  for  all  that  is  good  and  pure ;  and  with  respect  to 
the  latter,  confession  and  acknowledgment  of  the  Lord :  but  when 
this  is  consumed  away,  we  are  instructed  that  there  is  then  no  relish 
for  anything  of  a  heavenly  kind,  no  acknowledgment  or  confession 
of  the  Lord.  The  man  is  spiritually  ruined.  There  is  nothing  good 
in  him — his  flesh  is  consumed ;  no  understanding  of  truth — his  eyes 
are  consumed ;  no  relish  for  the  food  of  heaven,  no  acknowledgment 
of  the  Lord — his  tongue  is  consumed  away  in  his  mouth.  He  is 
spiritually  nothing  but  a  skeleton  of  dry  bones  without  any  sinews, 
flesh  or  skin. 
31* 


366 


THE  KEY  OF  KNOWLEDGE. 


The  Journey  from  Egypt  to  Canaan  explained. 

The  science  of  correspondence,  this  master-key  to  correct  theological 
knowledge,  renders  the  Scriptures  valuable  beyond  conception ;  for  by 
exhibiting  them  in  their  true  light,  it  shows  their  contents  to  be  appli- 
cable to  all  the  varied  states  of  human  life,  both  as  to  affection  and 
thought.  They  are  then  discovered  to  be  a  present  and  constant 
Revelation,  displaying  at  one  view  the  religious  states  of  all  men,  as 
well  the  evil  as  the  good.  They  are  seen  to  contain  accurate  de- 
scriptions of  those  trials,  temptations  and  conflicts  through  which  all 
must  pass  in  their  march  from  the  earthly  to  the  heavenly  state. 

With  this  view,  the  journeyings  of  the  Israelites  from  Egypt  to 
Canaan  become  exceedingly  important ;  for  in  this  case  the  names  of 
the  places  mentioned  in  their  journey  from  Egypt  whence  they  made 
their  exodus,  together  with  their  wanderings  and  encampments  in  the 
wilderness,  their  murmurings  and  promises  of  fidelity,  their  victories 
and  defeats,  with  every  other  circumstance  connected  therewith,  until 
their  final  possession  of  the  land,  are  all  representations  of  the  cor- 
responding progressive  states  of  temptation,  doubt  and  mental  wander- 
ings through  which  the  sincere  ChrLstian  passes  in  his  spiritual  journey 
from  a  state  of  earthly-mindedness,  denoted  by  Egypt  as  the  land  of 
bondage,  to  that  of  celestial  peace  and  rest  enjoyed  after  the  conflict 
has  subsided,  and  Avhich  is  shadowed  forth  by  the  land  of  Canaan 
flowing  with  milk  and  honey.  To  give  a  minute  description  of  all 
these,  comes  not  within  the  intention  of  this  work  ;  it  would  require  a 
separate  volume  to  do  it  justice. 

Suflice  it  to  say,  that  the  land  of  Canaan,  including  all  the  boun- 
daries of  Israel's  dominions,  represents  the  church  which  is  the  Lord's 
kingdom  in  the  world ;  every  place  having  its  spiritual  signification 
corresponding  to  its  situation  with  respect  to  its  distance  from,  or 
proximity  to,  Jerusalem  as  the  capital  of  the  land.  Now  the  extension 
of  the  land  of  Canaan,  by  which  is  meant  the  church,  was  from  the 
river  of  Egypt  even  to  the  river  Euphrates  of  Assyria.  This  appears 
from  the  covenant  made  with  Abram,  where  it  is  said,  "  Unto  thy 
seed  have  I  given  this  land,  from  the  river  of  Egypt,  unto  the  great 
river,  the  river  Euphrates."  (Gen.  xv.  18.)  Hence  it  is  said  that 
Solomon  "  reigned  over  all  kingdoms  from  the  river  [Euphrates]  unto 
the  land  of  the  Philistines,  and  unto  the  border  of  Egypt."  (1  Kings 
iv.  21.)  All  those  places  which  arc  not  included  within  the  dominions 
of  Israel  denote  those  states  of  mind  in  which  the  careless  and  un- 


VARIOUS  SCRIPTURE  PHRASES  EXPLAINED. 


367 


thinking  dwell,  regardless  of  those  spiritual  truths  of  Revelation  which 
bring  life  and  immortality  to  light,  which  yield  purity  and  wisdom  to 
the  mind. 

Those  who  are  carnally  minded,  lovers  to  distraction  of  the  false 
pleasures  of  sense,  to  the  total  exclusion  of  the  spiritual  pleasures  of 
truth,  are,  in  Scripture  language,  on  the  outside  of  the  boundaries 
of  Israel ;  they  are  dwellers  in  Egypt,  the  land  of  bondage,  and  like 
the  captive  Israelites  their  sensual  condition  compels  them  to  hard 
drudgery  in  mortar  and  in  brick ;  they  are  required  to  complete  the 
tale  of  bricks  while  they  are  refused  straw.  As  the  Israelites  were 
infested  and  tasked  by  the  Egyptians,  so  these  are  enslaved  by  evils 
and  falsities  of  every  kind.  In  this  state  they  are  made  to  produce 
bricks,  or  arguments  that  are  fictitious  and  false,  while  they  are  them- 
selves compelled  to  search  for  the  straw,  the  lowest  principles  of 
scientific  knowledge,  in  order  to  complete  their  Avork.  But  even  here 
the  Divine  Truth  reaches  them,  and  speaks  in  the  same  language  as 
that  which  Moses  addressed  to  Pharaoh,  and  says :  "  Let  my  people 
go  that  they  may  serve  me."  But  the  ruling  principle  in  that  mind 
which  bends  to  sinful  habits,  is  too  apt  to  return  an  answer,  and  in 
pride  or  contempt  for  all  that  is  spiritual,  say,  as  Pharaoh  said  to 
Moses,  "  Who  is  the  Lord  that  I  should  obey  his  voice  to  let  Israel 
go?  I  know  not  the  Lord,  neither  will  I  let  Israel  go."  (Ex.  v.  2.) 
Out  of  this  ignorant  Egyptian  bondage  man,  however,  must  come,  or 
he  shall  never  possess  true  liberty,  or  enjoy  the  sweets  of  the  heavenly 
life.  He  cannot  taste  the  milk  and  honey  of  Canaan  without  leaving 
the  laud  of  Egypt. 

Various  Scripture  Phrases  explained. 

A  knowledge  of  correspondence  proves  the  "Word  of  God  to  be  a  most 
precious  treasure  to  the  Christian  mind :  its  truths  become  enchant- 
ing, and  the  soul  is  filled  with  ecstatic  delight.  Not  a  word  can  be 
found  therein  that  is  not  filled  with  the  richest  wisdom.  However 
apparently  trifling  some  narratives  may  appear  in  the  letter,  yet 
when  correspondence,  this  true  key  of  knowledge,  is  applied,  their 
spiritual  sense  becomes  instantly  developed,  the  scene  brightens 
before  us,  our  personal  interest  is  discovered,  and  our  animated 
affections  urge  the  lips  to  say,  as  Jacob  did  when  he  awoke  from  his 
dream :  "  Surely  the  Lord  is  in  this  place,  and  I  knew  it  not."  (Gen. 
xxviii.  16.)  Believe  it,  kind  reader,  to  be  a  great  truth,  that  the 
Holy  Word  can  only  become  valuable  to  you,  as  its  sacred  narra- 


368 


TEE  KEY  OF  KNOWLEDGE. 


tives  are  seen  to  be  descriptive  of  your  own  spiritual  states  of  affec- 
tion, thought  and  life. 

"We  read  in  Scripture  of  walking,  running,  standing  and  sitting ; 
of  going  up  and  down  ;  backward  and  forward  :  all  these  expressions, 
which  literally  seem  to  apply  only  to  the  body  and  to  its  rest  and 
varied  activities,  are  significative  of  mental  operations,  and  describe 
both  the  rest  of  the  mind  and  its  progressive  changes  of  state.  Thus 
as  walking  and  running  in  reference  to  the  body,  are  the  successive 
changes  of  its  place ;  so  in  respect  to  the  mind,  they  denote  its  spir- 
itual progressions  or  changes  of  state.  Walking,  as  being  a  slower 
change  of  place  than  that  of  running,  if  said  to  be  upward  or  forward, 
is  the  progression  of  the  understanding  into  higher  degrees  of  intelli- 
gence and  wisdom  ;  but  if  downward  or  backward,  it  is  then  a  reced- 
ing from  truth,  followed  by  a  successive  entrance  into  obscurity  and 
ignorance ;  the  lowest  degree  of  which  is  designated  "  outer  dark- 
ness ; "  while  running  refers  to  the  more  rapid  progressions  of  the 
will,  if  upward  or  forward,  into  higher  states  of  good ;  if  downward 
or  backward,  to  lower  desires  of  evil.  The  good  are  therefore  said  to 
go  upward  and  forward ;  the  evil  downward  and  backward.  We  are 
hence  taught,  "  They  that  wait  upon  the  Lord  shall  renew  their 
strength  ;  they  shall  mount  up  with  wings  as  eagles  ;  they  shall  run 
and  not  be  weary ;  they  shall  walk  and  not  faint."  (Isa.  xl.  31.) 
Here  we  find  that  they  who  wait  on  the  Lord  renew  their  strength 
by  running  and  walking,  to  instruct  us  that  there  can  be  no  weariness 
of  Avill  or  fainting  of  the  understanding,  Avhen  love  prompts  quickly 
to  action,  and  wisdom  points  the  way. 

With  this  interpretation  we  see  the  lesson  taught  us  in  the  fact  of 
the  two  apostles  running  together  to  the  Lord's  sepulchre,  and  why 
it  is  said  that  the  "  other  disciple  (John)  did  outrun  Peter  and  came 
fii-st  to  the  sepulchre."  (John  xx.  4.)  John,  the  beloved  disciple,  in 
his  representative  character,  denotes  ardent  love ;  Peter,  faith  or 
truth.  The  will  or  love  is  quick  and  ardent  to  attain  its  object ;  the 
understanding  comparatively  slow  in  its  minute  inquiries  into  and 
deductions  of  faith.  John  came  up  first  to  the  sepulchre,  but  went 
in  last :  Peter  came  up  last,  but  entered  first.  This  instructs  us 
again,  that  although  the  will,  in  its  ardency,  arrives  early  at  the 
end  of  its  desires,  yet  it  is  the  understanding  that  first  explores  the 
truth,  and  imparts  the  knowledge  gained  to  the  anxious  will.  Thus, 
again,  to  sit  before  the  Lord,  is  to  will  and  act  from  Him,  conse- 
quently to  be  at  peace :  to  stand  before  Him,  is  to  look  to  Him  and 


EZEKIEL'S  VISION  OF  HOLY  WATERS. 


369 


comprehend  his  Divine  will,  Avhence  comes  a  cheerful  obedience  to 
Divine  precepts,  which  in  Scripture  is  called  walking  with  God. 

In  the  Word  of  Life,  the  expressions  "  to  go  in,"  and  "  to  go  out," 
frequently  occur ;  the  former  denoting  a  penetration  of  the  mind  into 
the  interior  recesses  of  Love  and  AVisdom  ;  the  latter  a  going  forth, 
or  out,  of  the  energies  of  the  mind  into  the  external  and  common 
duties  of  life.  In  both  these  conditions  those  who  enter  into  the 
church  and  place  themselves  under  the  Lord's  government,  are  said 
to  be  saved ;  they  find  true  enjoyment  in  everything,  and  hence  it  is 
written,  "  they  shall  go  in  and  out  and  find  pasture."  (John  x.  9.) 

EzekieVs  Vision  of  Holy  Waters. 

The  Scriptures  open  with  amazing  beauty  to  the  thoughtful  Chris- 
tian ;  but  to  the  mere  worldling  and  sensualist  they  offer  no  charms. 
This  will  be  made  apparent  by  an  explanation  of  the  following  re- 
markable vision  :  "  Afterward  he  brought  me  again  unto  the  door  of 
the  house ;  and,  behold,  waters  issued  out  from  under  the  threshold 
of  the  house  eastward :  for  the  forefront  of  the  house  stood  toward  the 
east,  and  the  w-aters  came  down  from  under  the  right  side  of  the  house, 
at  the  south  side  of  the  altar.  Then  brought  he  me  out  of  the  Avay  of 
the  gate  northward,  and  led  me  about  the  way  without  unto  the  outer 
gate  by  the  way  that  looketh  eastward ;  and,  behold,  there  ran  out 
waters  on  the  right  side.  And  when  the  man  that  had  the  line  in 
his  hand  went  forth  eastward,  he  measured  a  thousand  cubits,  and  he 
brought  me  through  the  waters  ;  the  waters  were  to  the  ankles.  Again 
he  measured  a  thousand,  and  brought  me  through  the  waters ;  the 
waters  were  to  the  knees.  Again  he  measured  a  thousand,  and 
brought  me  through;  the  waters  were  to  the  loins.  Afterward  he 
measured  a  thousand,  and  it  was  a  river  that  I  could  not  pass  over  ; 
for  the  waters  were  risen,  waters  to  swim  in,  a  river  that  could  not 
be  passed  over."  (Ezek.  xlvii.  1-5.) 

In  this  chapter  we  have  an  account  of  what  is  generally  termed 
Ezekiel's  imion  of  holy  waters.  It  is  certainly  one  of  the  most  singu- 
lar, interesting  and  instructive  of  any  contained  in  this  Avhole  proph- 
ecy. No  one  can  read  it  with  any  degree  of  thoughtful  attention,  espe- 
cially if  he  attach  inspiration  and  sanctity  to  the  Scrijitures,  without 
being  convinced  that  some  spiritual  and  heavenly  instruction,  relative 
to  the  .spirit  or  mind  of  man  must  be  contained  in  the  literal  expres- 
sions. If  it  were  not  so,  of  Avhat  earthly  or  heavenly  use  would  it  be 
to  know  that  upon  the  fii'st  measuring,  the  waters  rose  to  the  ankles, 

Y 


370 


THE  KEY  OF  KNOWLEDGE. 


upon  the  second  to  the  knees,  upon  the  third  to  the  loins,  and  that 
upon  the  fourth  they  so  miraculously  increased  as  to  become  an 
immense  impassable  river  ?  We  may  indeed  suppose  it  to  be  sin- 
gularly mysterious  and  miraculous,  and  look  at  it  with  the  gaze  of 
empty  wonder.  But  the  mind  penetrating  no  deeper  than  the  shell 
of  knowledge,  and  resting,  though  not  satisfied,  in  the  mere  literal 
expressions,  we  shall  lose  all  its  internal  value  aud  brightness,  and  be 
altogether  unaffected  with  its  mighty  power  and  truth.  Never  will 
the  Christian  world  have  any  real  knowledge  of  the  truths  of  Reve- 
lation, until  they  begin,  with  a  true  energy  of  mind,  to  think  deep. 
They  must  leave  off  the  folly  of  applying  them  to  "  the  deeds  of  days 
of  other  years,"  and  apply  them  to  their  own  present  states  of  mind, 
of  affection,  thought  and  life.  Then,  and  then  only,  will  they  be  able 
to  see  the  beauties  of  Revelation's  page  ;  then  will  they  joyously 
extract  its  honey  sweets,  then  will  they  draw  forth  its  spiritual  truths 
— those  living  waters  from  the  eternal  Fountain  of  salvation.  It  is 
impossible  that  this  vision  can  be  at  all  interesting  to  merely  worldly- 
minded  men,  to  those  who  have  no  taste  or  relish  for  the  mental 
delights  of  a  pure  religion ;  to  those  whose  God  is  their  belly,  and 
their  heaven  the  mammon  of  this  world.  We  can  but  regret  the 
existence  of  such  states ;  for  surely  a  few  moments  of  human  life 
cannot  be  better  spent  than  in  the  contemplation  of  those  things 
which  connect  us  with  God  and  heaven,  and  with  the  vast  concerns 
of  an  eternal  scene. 

The  first  thing  which  presents  itself  for  our  meditation,  is  the  true 
and  indeed  the  only  signification  of  the  Temple  or  Hoxm  of  God, 
whence  these  waters  which  were  measured  and  which  increa.sed  in 
depth  and  magnitude  at  each  measuring,  issued.  In  the  first  verse, 
the  waters  are  described  as  issuing  out  from  under  the  threshold  of 
the  house  eastward,  and  that  they  came  down  from  under,  from  the 
riglit  side  of  the  house,  at  the  muth  side  of  the  altar.  The  prophet 
then  states  that  the  man  who  had  the  line  in  his  hand  to  mctisure  the 
depth  of  the  waters,  brought  him  out  of  the  way  of  the  gate  northward, 
and  led  him  to  the  gate  that  looked  toward  the  east,  where  the  waters 
ran  out  on  the  right  side.  Here,  on  the  right  side,  the  measuring  of 
the  waters  took  place.  At  each  measuring  of  a  thousand  cubits  the 
waters  increased.  At  the  first  measuring,  they  were  to  the  ankles; 
on  the  second,  to  the  knees;  on  the  third,  to  the  loins;  and  on  the 
fourth,  they  were  a  river  that  could  not  be  passed  over.  The  instruc- 
tion contained  in  this  singular  prophecy  will  open  to  our  minds  in  all 


EZF.KIEVS  VISION  OF  HOLY  WATERS. 


371 


its  beauty  and  magnificence,  if  we  carefully  and  minutely  observe  the 
order  which  is  here  laid  down,  and  by  which  the  prophet  was  brouglit 
to  behold  the  miraculous  increase  of  these  waters.  But  if  we  arc 
careless  in  our  meditations ;  if  we  ramble  over  the  Word  of  God  in 
the  same  way  that  we  would  over  some  light  and  trifling  fairy  tale ; 
in  this  case  it  is  impossible  that  the  truths  should  appear  to  us ;  and 
although  the  truth  in  itself  is  clear  and  bright,  and  must  forever 
remain  so,  yet  through  our  folly  the  truth  in  us  becomes  dim  and 
obscure ;  yea,  the  light  within  becomes  darkness. 

Now  the  order  to  which  our  attention  is  to  be  drawn,  is  that  which 
refers  to  the  ead,  south  and  north  quarters,  as  connected  with  the 
prophecy.  The  waters  are  said  to  issue  from  under  the  threshold  of 
the  house  eastward,  and  to  come  down  from  the  right  side  of  the 
house,  at  the  south  of  the  altar ;  while  the  prophet,  in  order  sfTect- 
ually  to  behold  these  wonders,  was  brought  out  of  the  way  of  the 
gate  northward!  Keeping,  then,  in  mind  the  order  here  named, 
as  to  the  east,  south  and  north  quarters,  which  shall  be  explained  as 
we  proceed,  we  now  return  to  inquire  first  into  the  true  signification 
of  the  temple,  or  house  of  God,  whence  these  waters  flowed. 

Who,  in  reading  the  Holy  Scripture,  does  not  at  once  perceive 
that  by  the  temple,  or  house  of  God,  so  frequently  mentioned  therein,  is 
meant  the  church  of  the  Lord,  both  militant  on  earth  and  triumphant 
in  the  heavens.  The  true  church  of  God  is  emphatically  styled 
his  house,  because  therein  all  the  solemnities  of  a  pure  spii'itual  wor- 
ship are  celebrated.  Here,  persons  of  kindred  minds,  whose  bosoms 
glow  Avith  love  to  God  and  each  other ;  whose  understandings  are 
enlightened  with  Truth  Divine,  and  to  whom  heaven  is  opened, 
while  each  mind  is  receptive  of  its  blessings, — here  in  states  of 
charity  and  peace,  retired  from  the  busy  bustling  scenes  of  worldly 
life,  they  offer  up  their  united,  their  mingled  breath  of  praise  to  Him 
whose  love  sustains  them,  whose  providence  provides,  and  whose 
power  protects.  Each  one,  in  the  delightfiil  and  fi'ee  exercise  of  an 
unconstrained  worship,  would  be  filled  with  the  marrow  and  fatness 
of  the  Lord's  house,  and  would  drink  of  the  streams  of  his  pleasures  ; 
and  each  from  the  heart,  as  from  a  consecrated  altar,  would  offer  up 
the  warm,  the  sincere  aspirations  of  the  soul.  It  is  into  this  spiritual 
but  no  less  real  house  of  God  whence  sweetest  perfumes  rise,  that  the 
love  and  wisdom  of  God  descend  to  enrich  the  worshippers,  and  the 
house  is  filled  with  his  glory.  Whether  we  speak  of  the  church  gen- 
erally, as  being  composed  of  the  myriads  of  happy  beings  who  worship 


372 


THE  KEY  OF  KNOWLEDGE. 


in  sincerity  and  truth,  or  speak  of  it  in  its  application  to  each  person 
individually,  it  is  still  the  same  thing ;  for  the  mind  of  every  man  in- 
dividually, whose  worship  is  sincere  and  true,  who  offers  to  the  Father 
of  his  being,  his  best  and  supreme  affections,  as  the_^As<  fruits  of  his 
moral  land,  is,  in  its  least  form,  the  church,  the  temple,  and  house  of 
the  Lord.  It  is  here,  at  the  rational  fiiculty  of  the  soul,  whence  all 
knowledge  enters  from  the  Lord,  and  issues  thei'efrom — it  is  here  as 
from  the  door  of  the  mind,  the  threshold  of  the  house,  whence  these 
sacred  waters  flow.  In  their  progress  they  impart  life  and  health  and 
blessing  to  every  principle,  faculty  and  power  of  the  whole  man — 
from  the  secret  springs  of  his  existence,  his  hidden  motives  and 
thoughts,  to  the  very  circumference  of  his  being,  terminating  in  his 
most  trifling  act.  For  it  is  a  pleasing  truth,  as  stated  in  the  eighth 
verse,  that  these  waters  issuing  out  toward  the  east  country,  go  down 
into  the  desert,  and  go  into  the  sea ;  and  it  shall  come  to  pass  that 
everything  shall  live,  whithersoever  the  waters  shall  come. 

Who  cannot  see  that  this  is  a  clear  and  certain  descrijjtion  of  the 
complete  renovation  of  the  whole  man  by  the  flow  of  these  waters '? 
from  the  inmost  of  his  being ;  from  his  supreme  love,  whence  the 
watei-s  rise  as  from  the  east  country,  and  from  thence  passing  into  the 
desert,  they  fertilize  the  moral  plain,  renewing  the  will  and  all  its 
affections,  as  the  ground  in  which  the  seeds  of  immortal  truth  are 
soAvo ;  thus  making  the  mind  that  was  once  a  desert  in  respect  to 
everything  heavenly  and  divine,  to  rejoice  and  be  glad  for  them,  and 
to  bud  and  blossom  as  the  rose.  These  waters  passing  from  the 
desert,  "go  into  the  sea,"  as  into  the  outward  boundaries  of  our 
existence,  imparting  a  spiritual  quality  and  truth  to  every  kind  of  ex- 
ternal knowledge  and  science  of  which  the  mind  is  possessed,  rendering 
all  these  serviceable  to  the  interests  of  a  pure  religion,  and  to  the  pro- 
motion of  our  eternal  interests.  Everything  must  live  where  these 
waters  come. 

There  can  be  no  difficulty  in  ascertaining  the  true  meaning  of 
waters,  rivers  and  fountains,  so  frequently  mentioned  in  Scripture. 
These  are  called  the  waters  of  life,  and  the  pure  river  that  flows  in 
the  city  of  our  God.  AVhat  are  those  things  which  can  renovate  the 
mind  of  man,  satisfy  his  intellectual  thirst,  and  thus  bring  life  and 
immortality  to  light,  but  the  ])uro,  the  bright  and  unspotted  truths 
and  doctrines  of  Revelation,  Avhich  eternally  flow  from  tlie  Lord  of 
life?  These  spiritual  truths,  these  Divine  realities  and  blessings, 
which  water  our  mental  jjlain  every  moment,  are  what  are  meant 


EZEKIEL'S  VISION  OF  HOLY  WATERS. 


373 


by  waters,  rivers  and  fountains,  so  frequently  spoken  of  in  the  Word  of 
God  ;  these  are  signified  by  the  waters  coming  from  the  east  country, 
and  issuing  thence  from  the  threshold  of  the  house. 

With  this  knowledge  before  us  of  the  signification  oi  waters,  with 
what  beauty  and  rational  conviction  do  those  passages  of  Scripture 
where  these  terms  occur,  appear  to  our  minds :  "  Ho  !  every  one  that 
thirsteth,  come  ye  to  the  waters,"  is  the  language  of  the  Lord  by  the 
prophet  Isaiah,  Iv.  1.  Here  to  thirst,  is  ardently  to  desire  the  truth 
for  its  own  sake,  the  object  being  to  obtain  knowledge,  that  the  life 
of  heaven  may  grow  -within.  Whosoever  does  thus  desire  or  thirst 
may  come  and  drink  of  the  water  of  life  freely.  "Come,"  is  the 
Divine  parental  invitation — "  Come  and  buy  " — that  is,  "  Come  and 
'procure  for  yourselves  from  the  everlasting  Fountain  of  salvation, 
those  waters  or  truths,  which  will  nourish  the  soul  unto  eternal  life." 
We  can  give  nothing  to  the  Divine  Being  as  an  equivalent  for  these 
blessings ;  all  that  is  asked  is,  recejition,  gratitude  and  thankfulness 
of  heart.  Hence  the  language  of  this  invitation  is,  "  Come  ye  to  the 
waters  ;  buy  wine  and  milk  without  money  and  without  price  !  "  Can 
we  refuse  this  pathetic,  this  most  merciful  invitation?  Can  we 
still  bend  our  minds  down  to  the  sensual  corruptions  of  the  world, 
while  this  invitation  sounds  in  our  ears?  and  can  we  still,  serpent 
like,  crawl  upon  the  belly  and  eat  dust  all  the  days  of  our  life? 
Surely  it  cannot  be  so  with  us ;  the  voice  of  our  heavenly  Father 
must  reach  our  hearts,  and  inspire  us  with  better  things,  where  He 
says,  in  the  verse  following  this  invitation :  "  Wherefore  do  ye  spend 
money  for  that  which  is  not  bread  ?  and  your  labor  for  that  which 
satisfieth  not  ?  hearken  diligently  unto  me,  and  eat  ye  that  which  is 
good,  and  let  your  soul  delight  itself  in  fatness."  (Isa.  Iv.  2.)  To  the 
same  purpose  is  the  language  of  the  great  Saviour — the  good  Shep- 
herd of  the  flock.  He  says :  "  If  any. man  thirst,  let  him  come  to  me 
and  drink.  He  that  believeth  on  me,  as  the  Scripture  hath  said,  out 
of  his  belly  shall  flow  rivers  of  living  water."  (John  vii.  37,  38.) 
"And  the  unter  that  I  shall  give  him,  shall  be  in  him  a  fountain  of 
water  springing  up  into  everlasting  life." 

Now  with  respect  to  these  waters,  they  are  said  to  come  fi-om  the 
east — to  enter  at  tke  fore-front  of  the  house  toward  the  east — to  flow 
or  come  down  from  the  right  side  of  the  house  at  the  south  of  the 
altar ;  and  that  the  prophet  was  brought  out  of  the  way  of  the  gate 
northward,  to  behold  the  measuring  and  increase  of  the  waters. 

It  must  be  at  once  apparent  to  every  reflecting  mind,  that  as  the 
32 


374 


TEE  KEY  OF  KNOWLEDGE. 


waters  denote  the  truths  of  Revelation,  and  the  house  the  church  of  the 
Lord  and  mind  of  man,  so  the  east,  whence  these  waters  issued,  the 
south  of  the  altar  to  which  they  flowed,  and  the  north  from  whence 
the  prophet  was  brought  to  behold  the  measuring  of  the  waters,  and 
the  phenomena  of  their  increase,  must  have  reference  to  some  certain 
states  and  condition  of  mind  in  which  alone  this  miracle  could  be  seen. 
It  is  to  be  lamented  that  men,  generally  speaking,  can  be  but  rarely 
persuaded  to  think  spiritually  upon  the  Scriptures ;  it  is  too  much 
trouble ;  they  xinthinkingly  imagine  that  heavenly  things  are  very 
remote,  at  a  great  distance  off ;  that  it  is  quite  time  enough  yet  to  think 
of  them,  and  that  they  shall  have  more  time  in  a  few  years  to  devote 
to  them  ;  never  thinking  for  a  moment  that  the  same  procrastinating 
principle  which  urges  the  delay  now,  will  do  the  same  then — it  is  the 
thief  of  time — the  canker  worm  that  destroys  in  us  the  golden  fruits  of 
true  religion,  and  turns  our  brightest  expectations  to  rottennessanddust. 

It  is  thus  that  we  fritter  away  the  spring,  summer  and  autumn  of 
human  life,  to  die  in  lamentation  in  the  winter ;  we  come  to  the  end 
before  sound  reflection  begins,  and  thus,  like  children  in  their  sports, 
we  have  played  with  our  pebbles  and  lost  our  treasure.  Even  those 
who  make  profession  of  religion,  can  hardly  be  brought  to  endure  the 
trouble  of  thinking  for  themselves — of  inward  meditation  on  the  great 
doctrines  of  Christianity  !  They  seem  to  prefer  a  mysterious  faith  in 
incomprehensible  theories,  to  the  sound  deductions  of  enlightened 
reason  and  truth.  But  unless  we  exercise  our  reason  under  the  in- 
fluence of  Revelation,  we  must  be  content  with  the  shadoxo  instead  of 
the  substance  of  the  Word  of  God.  If  we  exercise  reason  under  the 
influence  of  Revelation,  we  obey  the  command  of  God,  where  He  says: 
"  Come  now  and  let  us  reason  together ; "  this  reasoning  will  open  the 
further  wonders  of  this  vision.  In  the  Scriptures  we  frequently  road 
of  the  four  quarters,  the  east,  west,  north  and  south ;  they  are  always 
mentioned  to  denote  states  of  the  mind  and  life  ;  and  if,  according  to 
the  rule  laid  down  by  the  apostle,  we  were  to  attend  to  the  operations 
of  nature,  the  invisible  things  of  God  and  heaven  might  be  clearly 
seen,  because  they  would  be  imderstood  by  the  things  that  are  made. 

In  nature,  the  east  Ls  the  quarter  where  the  sun  rises  with  its  heat 
and  light  to  bless,  to  enlighten  and  warm  the  earth*;  the  *'Oi<//i  is  where 
the  light  is  in  its  greatest  splendor  and  brightness ;  the  ivest  is  where 
the  sun  sets,  when  we  feel  a  diminution  of  its  rays ;  while  the  north  is 
the  quarter  whore  the  light  torniiuatos  in  obscurity  and  shade.  In  a 
relitrious  sense  the  Lord  himself  is  the  east,  whose  countenance  as  the 


EZEKIEL'S  VISION  OF  HOLY  WATERS. 


375 


sun  shining  in  its  strength,  is  everlastingly  rising  upon  the  families 
of  mankind.  The  heat  of  this  sun  is  his  changeless  love,  the  light  is 
his  eternal  wisdom.  All  who  are  principled  in  an  ardent  state  love 
to  Him,  are  called  sons  of  the  light,  children  of  the  day-spring  from 
on  high,  and  idse  men  of  the  east.  To  these  the  star  in  the  east  will 
appear ;  the  bright  morning  star,  or  knowledge  from  love,  will  never 
fail  to  go  before  them  to  guide  their  steps  and  lead  them  to  the  Lord 
God  the  Saviour  ;  it  Avill  stand  over  where  the  Lord  is.  These  are  the 
wise  men  who,  opening  their  treasures,  will  present  to  the  Lord  gifts, 
gold,  frankincense  and  myrrh — all  the  celestial,  spiritual  and  natural 
goodness  which  they  have  derived  from  Him,  and  which  they  cheer- 
fully offer,  and  dedicate  to  his  service. 

In  nature,  all  light  comes  from  the  sun ;  in  religion,  all  spiritual 
truth,  which  is  heavenly  light,  comes  direct  from  the  Lord,  as  the  Sun 
of  righteousness.  Hence  these  waters,  by  which  are  meant  the  truths 
of  Revelation,  flowing  onward  to  bless  the  house  of  God,  are  said  to 
come  from  the  east.  These  coming  from  the  east  are  said  to  flow  to 
the  SOUTH  of  the  altar,  because,  as  in  nature,  the  south  is  the  quarter 
in  which  light  is  in  its  power  and  splendor,  so  the  south,  in  a  religious 
sense,  is  that  advanced  state  of  the  understanding  in  which  the  divine 
truth  is  seen  in  its  spiritual  power  and  brightness ;  the  altar  denoting 
worship  in  connection  with  such  elevation  of  mind. 

All  who  are  sincere  in  their  religious  professions  and  devotions, 
whatever  be  their  mental  condition  respectivel}^  are  accepted  b)^  the 
Lord,  whether  they  be  principled  in  a  most  ardent  love  to  the  Lord 
denoted  by  the  east,  or  in  a  love  less  ardent  denoted  by  the  west,  where 
the  sun  begins  to  fade  from  our  sight :  whether  they  are  in  states  of 
high  intellectual  brightness  signified  by  the  south,  or  in  those  of  com- 
parative obscurity  and  shade  represented  by  th*  north ;  still,  whatever 
their  condition  may  be,  they  are  filled  with  that  fulness  of  joy  which 
their  states  respectively  are  capable  of  receiving.  Each  in  the 
language  of  Revelation  has  his  measure  filled,  the  good  measure, 
pressed  down  and  shaken  together  and  running  over.  Thus  the  Lord 
gathers  together  his  elect  from  the  four  winds,  from  the  east,  the  loest, 
the  north  and  the  south,  to  sit  down  in  the  tranquil  abodes  of  his 
kingdom. 

We  can  have  no  knowledge  of  the  real  quality  or  spiritual  sense 
of  Divine  Truth  in  its  glory,  nor  see  how  it  operates  within  by  its 
nutritious  powers,  and  how  it  applies  to  all  the  successive  states  in  the 
regenerate  life,  unless  we  are  brought  out  of  our  mental  obscurity. 


376 


THE  KEY  OF  KNOWLEDGE. 


As  we  can  have  no  knowledge  of  the  beauties  of  any  science  without 
penetrating  into  its  secrets,  so  neither  can  we  have  any  view  of  the 
depth  of  these  living  waters,  while  we  dwell  upon  the  surface  of  mere 
literal  truth.  We  must  come  out  of  darkness  before  the  light  can  be 
seen ;  and  this  will  explain  to  us  the  reason  why  the  prophet  was 
brought  out  of  the  way  of  the  gate  northward,  in  order  to  behold 
the  waters  at  the  south  of  the  altar.  In  Ezek.  xlvi.  9,  speaking  of 
worshipping  in  the  temple,  it  is  said,  "  he  that  entereth  in  by  the  way 
of  the  north  gate  to  worship,  shall  go  out  by  the  way  of  the  south  gate  ; " 
and  some  may  be  so  extremely  literal  in  their  views,  as  to  suppose 
that  this  can  only  allude  to  some  custom  of  the  Jews  of  going  in  at 
one  gate  and  out  at  the  other :  but  something  of  a  higher  import  than 
this  is  meant ;  for  this,  literally,  to  us  is  of  no  value  at  all.  It  teaches 
that  the  man  who  enters  in  at  the  north  gate,  who  commences  his 
worship  and  religious  life  in  the  mere  shade  and  ignorance  of  truth, 
will,  if  he  be  faithful  in  his  worship,  increase  in  spiritual  intelligence 
and  wisdom  as  he  journeys  in  his  onward  and  upward  road  ;  he  wiU 
go  on  journeying  like  the  patriarch  towards  the  south ;  his  intelligence 
and  wisdom  will  increase  within ;  what  was  at  first  dark  and  obscure 
will  become  bright  and  shining ;  and  though  he  came  in  at  the  north, 
he  will  go  out  by  the  way  of  the  south.  This  man  will  not  stand  still 
in  the  Divine  life ;  truth  and  wisdom  Mill  increase  in  him.  He  will 
not  return  by  the  way  of  the  gate  whereby  he  came  in. 

Now  it  is  at  the  south  of  the  altar  where  these  waters  are  measured 
to  ascertain  their  depth  ;  and  upon  the  first  measuring  they  were 
shallow,  merely  to  the  ankles.  To  measure,  literally,  is  to  ascertiiin 
quantity,  or  length  and  breadth  of  the  thing  measured ;  but  spiritually, 
to  measure,  as  used  in  Scripture,  is  to  explore — to  meditate  and  investi- 
gate the  qualities  or,  states  of  life.  Hence,  in  Rev.  xi.  1,  it  is  said, 
"  Rise,  and  measure  the  temple  of  God,  and  the  altar,  and  them  that 
worship  therein;"  denoting  exploration  into  the  quality  of  faith  and 
lije,  as  well  as  the  states  of  those  who  worship.  Here,  however,  the 
waters  of  the  sanctuary  are  measured — the  truths  of  Revelation,  these 
living  waters  of  life,  are  explored  as  to  their  true  depth,  their  quality, 
sanctity  and  divinity.  Upon  the  first  measuring,  they  were  only  to 
the  ankles;  they  are  seen  at  first  but  as  shallow  waters,  relating  only 
to  the  external  life  and  outward  actions,  as  being  denoted  by  the  feet 
and  ankle-'),  the  lowest  parts  of  the  body  ;  but  upon  the  second  measur- 
ing, the  waters  are  discovered  to  be  deeper ;  they  come  up  to  the 
knees,  showing  that  they  contain  higher  degrees  of  knowledge  than 


NATURE  AND  DESIGN  OF  MIRACLES. 


377 


those  which  apply  to  the  merely  outward  life,  and  that  they  enter  into 
our  motives  and  intentions.  Upon  the  third  measuring,  the  waters 
still  increase — they  are  now  to  the  loins ;  showing  that  the  intelligence 
of  the  spiritual  man  is  still  deeper,  and  that  it  relates  to  the  conjunc- 
tion of  all  that  is  divinely  good  and  true  in  the  soul,  which  is  shown 
by  the  waters  rising  to  the  loins,  or  middle  of  the  body.  But  the 
fourth  measuring — this  perfect  exploration,  shows  the  true  quality 
and  divinity  of  these  living  waters :  they  are  waters  to  swim  in,  the 
river  is  impassable;  teaching  us  by  this  last  exploration,  that  the 
truths  of  Revelation  are  infinite,  and  that  they  unfold  all  the  celestial 
states  of  life  and  thought,  both  of  angels  and  men.  Surely,  then,  the 
truths  of  Revelation  may  justly  be  called  the  waters  of  life:  they 
contain  all  the  laiv  and  will  of  God  to  man.  Knowing  their  value 
and  worth,  may  we  not  take  up  the  language  of  the  Psalmist,  and  say : 
"  O  how  I  love  thy  law ;  it  is  my  meditation  all  the  day  "  ?  The  Lord 
has  certainly  magnified  his  Word  above  all  his  name. 

Surely,  then,  the  Word  of  God  is  spirit  and  life  throughout,  and 
ought  to  be  interpreted  after  a  spiritual  manner.  The  ministers  of 
Christ,  as  masters  in  Israel,  Avhose  duty  it  is  to  dispense  religious 
instruction  to  the  people,  should  reflect  upon  the  great  responsibility 
of  their  sacred  calling.  They  should  be  active  and  diligent  in  their 
heavenly  work — they  should  penetrate  the  interior  recesses  of  Wis- 
dom's page,  and  thus  be  like  "  the  scribe  instructed  unto  the  kingdom 
of  heaven,  who  bringeth  out  of  his  treasure  things  new  and  old." 
(Matt.  xiii.  52.)  They  should  not  be  like  the  Jewish  lawyers,  the 
expounders  of  the  Divine  law,  who  made  everything  subservient  to 
their  selfish  and  worldly-mindedness.  Their  love  of  the  world  made 
religion  to  consist  in  ceremonies  and  traditions ;  they  devoured  widows' 
houses  while  they,  for  a  pretence,  made  long  prayers ;  they  lost  all 
relish  for  spiritual  things,  and  with  it  the  true  key  of  Scripture  in- 
terpretation, which  led  the  Lord  of  heaven  to  say  to  them :  "  Woe 
unto  you,  lawyers !  for  ye  have  taken  away  the  key  of  knowledge." 
(Luke  xi.  52.) 

Nature  and  Design  of  Miracles. 

By  the  law  of  correspondence,  the  Book  of  Life,  which  without  it 
is  sealed  with  seven  seals,  becomes  opened,  and  the  secrets  of  the  Lord 
are  revealed  to  those  who  fear  Him.    By  this,  the  true  spiritual 
nature  and  design  of  all  the  miracles  and  parables  recorded  in  Scripture 
32* 


378 


THE  KEY  OF  KNOWLEDGE. 


are  of  easy  solution.  We  Avill  select  two  by  way  of  proof ;  one  from 
the  Old  Testament,  the  other  from  the  New. 

Respecting  the  first  miracle,  we  read  that  the  prophet  Elisha,  upon 
his  return  to  Gilgal,  found  that  there  was  a  dearth  in  the  land.  "While 
the  sons  of  the  prophets  were  sitting  before  him,  he  said  unto  his  ser- 
vant, "  set  on  the  great  pot,  and  seethe  pottage  for  the  sons  of  the 
prophets.  And  one  went  out  into  the  field  to  gather  herbs,  and  found 
a  Avild  vine,  and  gathered  thereof  Avild  gourds  his  lap  full,  and  came 
and  shred  them  into  the  pot  of  pottage :  for  they  knew  them  not.  So 
the}'  poured  out  for  the  men  to  eat.  And  it  came  to  pass  as  they  were 
eating  of  the  pottage,  that  they  cried  out  and  said,  O  thou  man  of 
God,  there  is  death  in  the  pot !  and  they  could  not  eat.  But  he  said, 
Then  bring  meal ;  and  he  cast  it  into  the  pot ;  and  he  said.  Pour  out 
for  the  people,  that  they  may  eat.  And  there  was  no  harm  in  the 
pot."  (2  Kings  iv.  38-41.) 

This  miracle  consists  in  changing  the  deleterious  quality  of  the 
food,  and  thus  making  it  harmless,  by  throwing  in  meal  or  fine 
flour ;  and  there  will  be  but  little  difficulty  in  drawing  out  the  spir- 
itual instruction,  if  we  transfer  our  thoughts  from  the  food  which 
nourishes  the  animal  life,  to  that  which  is  necessary  to  the  sustenance 
of  the  soul  of  man.  In  Scripture  the  food  Avhich,  literally,  is  applica- 
ble to  the  body,  is  mentioned  spirituallj'  to  represent  that  which  when 
taken  into  the  system,  nourishes  mental  existence,  and  promotes 
growth  in  the  Divine  life.  All  the  good  that  cometh  down  from 
God  out  of  heaven,  is,  in  the  language  of  Scripture,  expressed  by 
Jood  generally.  It  is  called  tlie  bread  of  life,  the  bread  of  God,  the 
body  and  flesh  of  the  Lord,  marrow  and  fatness,  and  the  meat  which 
perisheth  not;  while  Divine  Truth,  ever  descending  from  the  same 
source  for  our  growth  in  wisdom,  is  called  by  the  names  of  various 
liquids  corresponding  exactly  to  our  mode  and  manner  of  receiving 
it.  Thus  it  is  called  the  water  of  life,  as  also  milk,  wine  and  strong 
drink.  Truth  in  the  Cliristiau's  first  reception  thereof,  is  applied  to 
the  regulation  of  the  outward  life  and  conduct.  In  this  reception  it 
is  the  purifying  or  cleansing  waters ;  but  when  received  in  a  higher 
ground,  so  as  to  afford  the  first  degree  of  internal  nourishment,  it  is 
called  milk,  as  being  adapted  to  the  first,  or  infant  state  of  the  Chris- 
tian life.  When  received  in  a  still  higher  degree,  so  as  to  be  ration- 
ally perceived,  giving  vigor  to  the  understanding  and  ojwning  every 
power  thereof  to  the  clear  knowledge  of  spiritual  truth,  thus  forming 
the  kingdom  of  heaven  in  the  soul,  it  is  then  called  wine ;  but  when 


NATURE  AND  DESIGN  OF  MIRACLES  ILLUSTRATED.  379 


received  in  the  highest  degi-ee  of  ardent  intense  affection,  it  is  called 
strong  drink,  and  wine  on  the  lees.  (Isa.  xxv.  G.)  It  is  thus  narae.d 
from  the  fact,  that  the  truth  so  received,  imparts  exhilarating  pleas- 
ure, strength  and  power  to  the  natural  mind. 

In  regard  to  this  miracle,  we  learu  first,  that  there  was  a  dearth  in 
the  land.  This,  in  a  natural  point  of  view,  is  a  defect  or  scarcity  of 
food.  At  such  times  hunger  and  distress  prevail,  the  inhabitants 
become  emaciated,  and  many  die  of  actual  starvation.  Transfer, 
then,  this  condition  as  applicable  to  the  bodily  life,  to  that  of  the 
soul — the  immortal  man,  and  this  dearth  will  then  be  seen  to  denote 
a  defect  in  the  reception  of  heavenly  food  in  the  land  or  church. 
With  regard  to  the  food  itself,  there  is  no  defect  or  dearth  ;  for  the 
Lord  has  bountifully  supplied  it ;  our  table  is  still  spread — our  cup 
runneth  over.  Whether  we  acknowledge  it  or  not,  it  is  nevertheless 
certain  that  the  Divine  goodness  and  mercy  have  followed  us  all  the 
days  of  our  lives.  But  there  is  a  dearth,  or  defect  in  our  recejjtion 
of  these :  this  is  the  dearth  of  which  the  Scriptures  spiritually  speak, 
and  of  which  they  so  often  lament.  The  Lord  says  by  the  prophet : 
"  Behold  the  days  come,  saith  the  Lord  God,  that  I  will  send  a  famine 
in  the  land ;  not  a  famine  of  bread  nor  a  thirst  for  water,  but  of 
HEARING  the  words  of  the  Lord."  (Amos  viii.  11.)  Here  there  is  no 
defect  or  scarcity  of  bread  and  water — of  the  good  and  truth  of 
heaven ;  but  there  is  in  the  reception  of  these  a  dearth  or  famine, 
consisting  in  not  hearinsr  the  words  of  the  Lord.  There  is  no  thirst 
after  the  truth — no  hearing,  or  real  obedience  of  life.  That  this  is 
the  true  meaning  of  a  famine  is  plain  from  this  passage  in  the 
Psalms,  where  speaking  of  the  really  good,  it  is  said :  "  They  shall 
not  be  ashamed  in  the  evil  time ;  and  in  the  days  of  famine  they 
shall  be  satisfied  "  (xxxvii.  19).  May  we  not  say,  in  reference  to 
every  spiritual  Christian  who  desires  most  ardently  the  bread  and 
water  of  life — the  good  and  truth  of  heaven,  that,  while  the  world- 
ling makes  a  total  rejection  of,  and  pays  a  disregard  to,  the  very  food 
of  heaven,  he  enjoys  his  rich  feast  ?  is  satisfied  with  the  fatness  of  the 
Lord's  house,  and  drinks  of  the  streams  of  his  pleasure  ?  I  do  not 
believe  that  a  single  individual  can  be  found,  who  is  thus  spiritually 
minded,  that  would  relinquish  his  heavenly  food,  together  with  the 
true  pleasure  it  yields,  for  all  that  the  world  could  give  him  in 
exchange. 

The  dearth  was  said  to  be  in  Gilgal.  This  place  was  within  the 
boundaries  of  Canaan,  and  stood  between  Jericho  and  the  banks  of 


380 


THE  KEY  OF  KNOWLEDGE. 


the  Jordan.  It  was  the  place  where  the  Israelites  made  their  first 
encampment  after  crossing  the  river.  Now,  inasmuch  as  the  whole 
of  Canaan  is  representative  of  the  Lord's  church  or  kingdom,  Gilgal, 
beuig  on  the  border  of  the  land,  denotes  the  external  of  the  churchy 
and,  as  it  were,  the  commencement  of  it  in  man.  Here,  at  Gilgal, 
the  mess  of  pottage  was  prepared ;  and  here,  in  reference  to  state,  or 
the  beginning  of  the  spiritual  life,  man  receives  his  first  instruction — 
his  first  food — his  mess  of  pottage.  The  doctrine  of  natural  truth, 
such  as  is  apparent  in  the  literal  sense  of  the  Word,  serves  to  intro- 
duce the  mind  into  higher  degrees  of  purity  and  wisdom.  This  first 
knowledge  is  here  represented  by  Gilgal,  the  place  at  which  the 
Israelites  first  encamped,  and  through  which  they  passed  to  the 
interior  of  the  land.  All  knowledge,  whether  religious,  philosophical 
or  scientific,  is  progressive ;  it  is  gained,  not  all  at  once,  but  by  "  line 
upon  line,  precept  upon  precept,  here  a  little  and  there  a  little."  (Isa. 
xxviii.  10.)  AVe  commence,  as  it  were,  in  the  outer  border  of  Wis- 
dom's land,  in  the  mere  rudiments  of  natural  truth ;  and  by  passing 
through  these,  we  come  into  possession  of  those  higher  degrees  of  in- 
telligence, which  open  to  the  soul  a  view  of  the  interior  riches  of 
Revelation,  and  which  are  only  found  in  the  centre  of  the  land.  But 
what  if  at  this  Gilgal,  at  the  very  threshold  of  the  church,  where  we 
receive  our  first  instruction  in  doctrine  and  life,  where  is  prepared  our 
first  meal ;  what,  if  it  should  be  discovered  here,  that  the  food  pre- 
pared for  our  repast,  instead  of  being  nutritiously  good,  is  injurious 
and  unwholesome  ?  that  upon  tasting  thereof,  its  quality  be  found 
detrimental  to  the  spiritual  life,  as  well  as  destructive  to  our  growth 
in  true  religion  ?  What  if  this  discovery  should  lead  to  the  exclama- 
tion which  was  made  by  the  sons  of  the  prophets  while  they  were  eat- 
ing, "  O  thou  man  of  God,  there  is  death  in  the  pot "  ?  In  this  case, 
nothing  can  be  done  to  render  the  food  eatable,  but  by  throwing  in 
meal  or  fine  flour.  After  this  had  been  done,  it  is  said,  "  there  was 
no  harm  in  the  pot." 

To  see  clearly  the  spiritual  instruction  contained  in  this  extraor- 
dinary miracle,  we  should  know  what  it  was  that  caused  this  death ; 
what  is  meant  by  the  pot  itself,  and  what  by  the  food  it  contained. 
The  cause  of  this  death  we  learn  from  verse  39  ;  for,  after  the  prophet 
had  commanded  his  servant  to  seethe  pottage  for  the  sons  of  the 
prophets,  it  is  said  that  one  went  out  into  the  field  and  gathered 
Avild  gourds  from  a  wild  vine,  and  came  and  shred  them  into  the 
pot  of  pottage ;  for  they  knew  them  not ;  that  is,  they  knew  not 


NATURE  AND  DESIGN  OF  MIRACLES  ILLUSTRATED.  381 


their  quality.  These  wild  gourds,  then,  gathered  from  a  wild,  aud 
not  from  the  true  Vine,  were  the  real  cause  of  there  being  death  in 
the  pot. 

The  general  doctrine  of  the  church,  which  declares  the  existence  of 
a  God,  aud  that  a  life  according  to  his  commandments  is  essential  to 
future  peace,  is  here  denoted  by  the  pot  or  vessel,  and  all  the  singulars 
and  particulars  of  faith,  life  and  practice,  when  mingled  together, 
become  the  spiritual  food  of  man,  and  is  here  signified  by  the  jwttage 
prepared  in  the  vessel.  The  prophet  Elisha  gave  no  command  to 
gather  wild  gourds  from  a  spurious  or  wild  vine ;  this  was  done  in 
ignorance ;  they  knew  them  not.  Christ,  as  the  Lord  God  the 
Saviour,  is  the  true  vine,  and  all  the  doctrines,  truths,  and  purities 
of  life,  which  originate  in  aud  spring  from  Him,  are  the  wholesome 
fruits  from  the  Living  Vine ;  these  become  the  ^^rojjer  food  of  man  : 
they  contain,  not  death  in  the  pot,  but  life  and  everlasting  peace. 

The  Word  of  God  as  the  great  containing  vessel,  has  w^ithin  itself 
everything  essentially  necessary  to  promote  the  growth  of  heavenly 
love  and  wisdom  in  the  soul  of  man.  All  that  is  spiritually  good  and 
true,  delightful  to  the  eyes  and  good  for  food,  are  contained  in  this 
grand  vessel,  the  Word  of  Revelation ;  we  have  no  need  to  go  out, 
and  gather  spurious  food  from  some  foreign  source — the  wild  gourds 
from  a  Avild  vine,  to  mingle  with  the  food  of  heaven ;  or,  to  collect 
the  false  persuasions,  doctrines  and  Avild  human  inventions,  to  mix 
with  the  interior  truths  of  Revelation ;  for  if  this  be  done,  the  effect 
will  be  unavoidable ;  death  will  be  introduced  into  the  pot,  and  the 
food  rendered  unclean.  If  Divine  instruction,  as  food,  is  to  be  dis- 
pensed to  the  people,  it  must  be  prepared  within  the  sacred  vessel, 
and  extracted  solely  therefrom. 

The  pure  doctrines  of  heaven  as  contained  in  the  Word  of  Truth, 
teach  that  there  is  one  true  and  everlasting  God,  the  only  Source  of 
life,  the  Author  and  Giver  of  all  the  blessings  enjoyed  both  by  angels 
and  men.  This  is  the  first  great  truth  of  all  pure  religion  ;  it  is  the 
keystone  of  Christianity,  the  strength  and  support  of  all  our  hopes. 
These  doctrines  teach  also  that  Qod  is  strictly  One  in  essence  aud 
person — a  single  Divine  Being,  and  that  He  is  the  Lord  God  the 
Saviour,  in  whom  all  fulness  dwells,  His  essential  Love  is  called 
Father ;  his  Wisdom  or  Truth,  the  Son ;  and  his  Operative  Influence, 
the  Holy  Spirit — one  God,  in  whom  all  fulness  dwells,  whence  issue 
those  everlasting  blessings  to  his  creation,  which  fill  heaven  with 
wonder  and  the  earth  with  praise.    These  doctrines  again  teach  that 


382 


THE  KEY  OF  KNOWLEDGE. 


God  is  good  to  all,  that  He  is  immutable  and  impartial,  that  his  wis- 
dom is  infinite — his  love  unbounded  and  free.  He  has  created  all, 
redeemed  all,  He  loves  all,  and  Avith  parental  tenderness  calls  all  to 
accept  of  life  and  salvation.  If  any  man  perish,  it  is  not  because 
God  has  left  him,  or  abandoned  hira  to  his  fate  without  help  and 
without  pity ;  his  own  iniquity  separates  him  from  God,  and  his  sins 
hide  from  his  view  the  clemency  which  everlastingly  beams  from  his 
Father's  face.  If  he  perish,  it  is  because  he  loves  evil  and  not  good ; 
he  prefers  darkness  to  light,  and  the  sordid  gratifications  of  sense  to 
the  refined  pleasures  of  heaven.  If,  through  folly,  or  a  corrupt  sys- 
tem of  teaching,  which  always  suits  a  mind  inclined  to  depravity,  he 
should  endeavor  to  charge  his  misery  upon  the  Divine  Being,  the 
voice  of  Truth  will  stifle  his  complaint.  Did  he  never  read  or  hear 
these  words? — "As  I  live,  saith  the  Lord  God,  I  have  no  pleasure  in 
the  death  of  the  wicked ;  but  that  the  wicked  turn  from  his  way  and 
live :  turn  ye,  turn  ye  from  your  evil  way ;  for  why  will  ye  die,  O 
house  of  Israel?"  (Ezek.  xxxiii.  11.)  We  are  also  taught  that  man 
is  an  immortal  being,  and  that  bodily  death  is  the  appointed  gate  of 
life,  through  which  the  man  is  usliered  into  a  real  world,  where  life 
is  continued  amidst  eternally  increasing  joys.  At  this  important 
period,  man  experiences  a  resurrection  either  to  joy  or  shame,  accord- 
ing to  his  past  life. 

These  doctrines,  and  many  othei's  equally  valuable,  are  taught  in  the 
Word  of  Inspiration :  they  make  up  the  proper  religious  food  of  the 
human  race  ;  with  this  should  every  one  be  fed  at  Gilgal,  or  upon  his 
first  entrance  into  the  church.  But,  instead  of  this  being  the  case,  we 
have  quite  another  theory.  One  God  is  indeed  acknowledged  with 
the  lips,  but  tliis  is  completely  neutralized  by  the  unmeaning  creed 
that  follows.  It  is  taught,  as  though  it  were  all  Gospel,  that  there 
are  three  Divine  persons  in  God,  each  of  whom  is  by  himself  dis- 
tinctly God  and  Lord ;  but  this  nevertheless  is  declared  to  be  an  in- 
comprehensible mystery.  It  certainly  is  a  mystery,  and  never  can  be 
understood  because  it  is  an  untruth.  Falsehood  is  wofully  myste- 
rious ;  truth  is  simple  and  clear.  To  this  fundamental  error  is  added, 
the  doctrines  of  absolute  j)redestination  to  death  of  the  many,  partial 
election  of  the  few  to  life  and  peace;  faith  alone  justifying,  the 
appeasing  of  wrath  in  one  Divine  Person  by  the  sufferings  and  death 
of  another,  heaven  purchased  for  the  elect,  while  the  non-elect  are 
brought  into  being  that  they  may  endure  eternal  pain  for  the  glory 
of  God! 


FURTHER  TEST  OF  THE  VALUE  OF  CORRESPONDENCE.  383 


Of  these  pernicious  theories  the  Scriptures  know  nothing.  Do  you 
ask,  reader,  how  we  then  came  by  them  ?  The  answer  is  ready :  they 
are  the  wild  gourds  gathered  from  without — from  the  wild  vine  ;  they 
have  been  ignorantly  shred  into  the  mess  of  pottage,  spoiled  the 
wholesomeness  of  the  food,  and  introduced  death  into  the  pot  instead 
of  life.  To  destroy  their  sad  effects,  Elisha  threw  in  the  meal  or  fine 
flour,  to  teach  us  that  when  the  pure  truth  of  goodness,  signified  by 
the  fine  flour,  is  thrown  in,  all  that  is  false  and  injurious  is  then  dis- 
sipated, and  the  food  becomes  harmless. 

A  Further  Test  of  the  Value  of  Correspondence. 

The  other  miracle  which  we  shall  select  from  the  Gospels,  in  further 
corroboration  of  the  value  of  that  mode  of  Scrijjture  interpretation  for 
which  we  contend,  is  that  of  restoring  sight  to  the  man  born  blind. 
This  miracle  is  recorded  in  the  ninth  chapter  of  John,  and  certainly 
the  means  used  in  the  restoration  of  sight  are  both  singular  and  re- 
markable. It  is  said  that  Jesus  "  spat  on  the  ground,  and  made  clay 
of  the  spittle,  and  He  anointed  the  eyes  of  the  blind  man  with  the  clay, 
and  said  unto  him.  Go,  wash  in  the  pool  of  Siloam  (which  is,  by  inter- 
pretation, sent).  He  went  his  way,  therefore,  and  washed,  and  came 
seeing."  (John  ix.  6,  7.) 

The  infidel  who,  in  theology,  displays  more  of  sarcastic  wit  than  of 
sound  sense,  would  be  led  to  smile  at  this  miracle,  and  perhaps  to  call 
it  a  silly  narrative.  He  might  say,  if  Jesus  Christ  possessed  all  power 
in  heaven  and  earth,  why  not  speak  the  word  at  once,  and  thus  give 
sight  to  the  blind,  without  this  process  of  anointing  the  eyes  with  clay, 
and  commanding  the  man  to  go  and  wash  in  a  pool '?  To  such  persons 
we  would  say,  that  in  matters  of  spiritual  religion  (and  there  is  no 
other  religion),  they  "  do  err,  not  knowing  the  Scriptures  nor  the  power 
of  God."  (Matt.  xxii.  29.)  The  miracle  is  not  recorded,  merel)'  to 
show  the  power  of  the  Lord  in  restoring  natural  sight  to  one  individ- 
ual :  but  it  is  beautifully  descriptive  of  the  process  by  which  the  Lord 
restores  all  men  who  are  obedient  to  his  commands,  to  that  spiritual 
sight  which  gives  a  clear  perception  of  the  vast  realities  of  eternity. 
To  have  a  right  knowledge  of  this  miracle,  every  part  must  be  care- 
fully noticed.  We  should  know  what  is  spiritually  meant  by  being 
born  blind,  what  by  the  clay,  the  pool  of  Siloam,  and  washing  therein... 

In  a  spiritual  sense  every  man  is  born  blind,  that  is,  destitute  of 
knowledge  and  science.  He  comes  into  the  world  feeble  and  alto- 
gether helpless  ;  more  imperfect  and  ignorant  than  any  of  the  animal 


384 


THE  KEY  OF  KNOWLEDGE. 


creation  ;  but  however  paradoxical  it  may  seem,  this  apparent  imper- 
fection of  man  at  his  birth,  is  his  true  perfection.  It  is  impossible  to 
look  upon  man  and  contemplate  his  astonishing  energies  of  mind, 
without  being  struck  with  the  fact,  that  there  is  some  power  inherent 
in  his  constitution  which  is  not  to  be  discovered  even  in  the  most 
sagacious  animals.  These  come  into  their  existence  with  full  posses- 
sion of  all  the  science  and  knowledge  necessary  to  their  life,  above 
which  they  never  do  or  can  rise.  This,  their  j^erfection,  in  reference 
to  man,  is  their  imperfection.  Man,  on  the  contrary,  is  born  without 
any  science  or  knowledge  whatever  ;  in  utter  ignorance,  without  any 
connate  or  innate  ideas,  and  thus  blind :  but  this  imperfection  at  his 
birth,  in  I'eference  to  animals,  is  his  great  perfection  ;  for  in  early  life 
we  find  the  mind,  as  a  celestial  sprout,  beginning  to  put  itself  forth ; 
it  is  indeed  at  first  but  tender  and  Aveak,  and,  as  it  were,  folded  up 
like  an  unopened  bud ;  but  it  soon  begins  by  little  and  little  to  open. 
This  expansion  exhibits  one  beauty  after  another  in  succession — the 
powers  of  mind  become  progressively  developed,  so  that  the  arcana  of 
nature  are  explored  with  wonder  and  delight.  The  mind  of  man, 
which  in  infancy  appeared  like  a  closed  germ  or  bud,  presently  be- 
comes an  opening  blossom,  exhibiting  all  that  mental  richness,  beauty 
and  strength  which  we  observe  in  the  mature  age  of  a  wise,  good  and 
intelligent  man. 

The  human  subject,  though  born  blind,  i.e.  without  any  science  or 
knowledge,  soon  outstrips  the  perfection  peculiar  to  animals.  Their 
highest  excellence  soon  becomes  his  footstool ;  for  the  inferior  animals 
stop  where  man  begins.  The  powers  of  the  human  mind  are  truly 
astonishing ;  but  at  this  we  shall  not  be  surprised  when  we  reflect 
that  Revelation  lias  assured  us  that  man  is  an  image  and  likeness  of 
his  Maker.  How  soon  do  we  find  an  intelligent  man  who  but  a  few 
years  previous  was  blind  as  it  respects  all  science  and  knowledge, 
become  quite  familiar  and  conversant  Avith  the  Avonders  of  nature ! 
He  presses  nature  close  ;  Avhile  she,  in  return  for  his  industry,  rewards 
his  diligence  by  telling  him  all  her  secrets.  To  this  first  kind  of 
knoAvledge  the  animals  never  arrix'e ;  but  CA'en  here  man  makes 
no  stand.  He  rises  above  the  Avorld  in  Avhich  he  dwells,  and  soars 
Avith  Avouderful  facility  to  other  Avorlds  in  the  universe ;  he  calculates 
the  magnitude  of  the  sun,  moon  and  stars ;  describes  the  relative  dis- 
tances of  the  planets,  Avith  their  size  and  density — the  time  of  their 
respective  revolutions  round  the  sun  ;  foretells  eclipses  and  the  return 
of  comets ;  shoAvs  the  velocity  Avith  which  light  travels ;  the  peculiar 


FURTHER  TEST  OF  THE  VALUE  OF  CORRESPONDENCE.  385 


formation  and  constitution  of  different  bodies  wliich  receive  and  reflect 
solar  light,  so  as  to  produce  the  phenomena  of  colors  in  rich  and  beau- 
tiful variety.  But  even  here  man  stops  not.  This  image  and  like- 
ness of  God,  thirsts  after  his  great  prototype,  and  ascends,  by  his 
powers  of  mind,  to  the  very  throne  of  the  Almighty,  and  with  awe 
and  reverence  contemplates  his  Creator,  the  Author  of  his  life — the 
Giver  of  all  his  blessings. 

In  respect  to  celestial  knowledge,  man,  in  the  infancy  of  his  intel- 
lectual being,  is  blind  ;  and  Jesus  (or  the  Divine  Truth  in  which  love 
is  present)  in  passing  by,  recognizes  the  state.  Now  the  first  thing 
necessary  to  open  the  understanding,  the  eye  of  the  soul,  to  a  sight  of 
Divine  realities,  is  to  unite  the  external  truths  of  Revelation  with 
moral  goodness  and  pliability  of  heart.  The  truths  of  the  literal  sense 
of  the  Word,  when  mingled  with  that  moral  goodness  peculiar  to  a 
■well-disposed  mind,  Avill  greatly  assist,  when  reduced  to  practical  life, 
in  opening  the  blind  eyes  to  a  perception  of  heavenly  realities.  This 
union  of  the  outward  truth  with  its  corresponding  goodness  of  life,  is 
described  in  the  miracle  by  the  day  with  which  the  Lord  anointed  the 
eyes  of  the  blind  man ;  and  if,  after  this  jDrocess,  we  obey  the  Divine 
command,  and  go  and  wash  in  the  pool  of  Siloam,  which  is,  by  inter- 
pretation, SENT ;  there  can  be  no  doubt  but  that  we  shall  joyfully 
return  in  the  full  possession  of  sight. 

The  pool  of  Siloam  is  still  with  us,  and  its  cleansing  virtues,  its 
miraculous  properties,  are  as  fresh,  as  vigorous,  and  as  young  as  ever. 
The  Word  of  Divine  Revelation,  which  contains  the  waters  of  life,  at 
once  nutritious  and  cleansing,  is  the  pool  of  Siloam,  and  the  sent  of  God. 
To  go  and  wash  in  this  pool,  denotes  the  Avillingness  with  which  we 
apply  all  its  truths  to  the  purification  of  the  understanding,  that  so 
we  may  feel  their  cleansing  virtue  within,  and  see  clearly  the  way  to 
life,  to  happiness  and  heaven.  If  any  man  wishes  to  be  relieved  from 
mental  blindness,  and  liides  the  things  of  God  and  heaven  from  his 
view,  the  only  cure  for  this  malady  is  to  unite  the  most  simple  truths  of 
Revelation  with  natural  goodness  of  heart,  and  then  to  live  as  these 
truths  direct :  he  will  then  be  found  acting  in  obedience  to  the  Divine 
command.  His  eyes  have  been  anointed  with  the  clay ;  he  has  gone 
to  the  pool  of  Siloam;  he  has  washed  there,  and  has  returned 
SEEING  ! 

The  great  value  of  correspondence  in  leading  to  a  correct  interpre- 
tation of  Scripture,  will  be  further  manifest  by  showing  that  true 
religion  will  always  be  found  in  perfect  harmony  with  every  true 
33  Z 


386 


THE  KEY  OF  KNOWLEDGE. 


discovery  that  has  been  or  ever  shall  be  made,  either  in  philosophy 
or  science.  There  is  not  the  least  discrepancy  between  the  true  doc- 
trines of  religion  and  those  of  science.  If  both  are  true,  they  are  per- 
fectly harmonious ;  for  truth  in  all  cases  is  immutable  and  certain. 
If  there  should  be  discord  or  opposition  between  them,  there  is  some- 
thing wrong  somewhere ;  either  the  doctrines  of  religion,  by  a  false 
interpretation,  are  made  untrue ;  or  if  not,  the  science  is  untrue,  and 
will  not  admit  of  experimental  proof ;  for  if  both  are  true,  they  must 
harmonize  and  mutually  support  each  other. 

The  doctrines  of  true  religion  have  nothing  to  fear,  but  everything 
to  hope  for  and  expect  from  the  march  of  science.  The  morning  light 
of  science  is  hailed  as  a  real  blessing  I  It  is  viewed  as  one  of  the  most 
powerful  auxiliaries  to  religion  ;  and  one  that  will  assist  in  scattering 
to  the  moles  and  to  the  bats  those  false  doctrines  with  which  the 
church  has  been  too  long  pestered.  In  what  is  called  the  dark  ages 
of  bigotry  and  ignorance  (which  always  go  together),  the  religious 
world  opposed  most  decidedly  every  new  discovery  of  scientific  truth, 
if  such  discovered  the  established  creeds  to  be  false.  A  holy  war  was 
raised  against  the  new-born  discovery ;  and  the  cry  of"  the  church  in 
danger,"  was  sufficient  to  excite  popular  clamor.  The  truth  is  that 
the  church  was  in  no  danger,  but  the  creeds  were.  It  is  a  poor 
church  that  is  endangered  by  the  march  of  science ;  it  is  of  but  little 
consequence  whether  such  a  church  live  or  die. 

The  advocates  of  Christianity  will  do  more  real  good  in  proving  its 
truth  by  fair  indisputable  and  rational  argument,  than  they  ever  have 
done  or  can  do  by  making  laws  for  its  defence,  and  punishing  those 
who  attempt  to  sap  or  destroy  the  sacred  edifice.  To  inflict  punish- 
ment for  supposed  offences  committed  against  religion,  is  to  say,  in 
other  words,  that  religion  itself  is  defective  and  weak ;  that  it  has  no 
means  of  proving  the  force  of  its  own  doctrines,  and  that  therefore  it 
is  expedient  to  call  in  the  aid  of  human  laws  for  its  defence.  The 
Christian  religion  wants  nothing  of  this  kind.  All  human  laws  are  so 
many  pests  and  hindrances  to  its  prosperity  and  growth.  Christianity, 
like  the  glorious  orb  of  day,  shines  not  with  any  borrowed  lustre ;  its 
light  is  in  itself,  and  its  truths  for  the  general  good  are  scattered  far 
and  wide.  It  travels  in  its  own  strength,  shedding  around,  in  its 
progress,  those  benign  influences  which  will  enlighten,  warm  and  bless 
all  who  come  within  their  sphere.  Its  line  is  gone  out  through  all  the 
earth  ;  and  the  time  will — must  come — when  there  shall  be  neither 
speech  nor  language  where  the  voice  of  Christianity  is  not  heard. 


THE  TRIBUTE-MONEY  IN  THE  FISH'S  MOUTH.  387 


Every  religion  must  ultimately  stand  by  its  own  native  power,  or 
fall  by  its  own  weakness.  If  tnie,  its  roots  will  strike  deeper  and 
wider  in  the  minds  of  men,  as  their  understandings  advance  in  knowl- 
edge and  wisdom;  it  false,  no  human  laws  can  possibly  prevent  its 
overthrow  and  desolation.  The  Christian  Revelation  as  contained  in 
the  Bible,  is  a  most  powerful  and  solemn  appeal  to  our  reason,  and 
can  offer  no  violence  to  it  in  any  way  whatever ;  and  it  may  safely  be 
depended  on  as  a  truth,  that  any  religion  which  requires  us,  in  the 
great  business  of  faith  or  life,  to  lay  aside  our  reason  and  take  up 
with  a  belief  in  unintelligible  mysteries,  is  false  and  spurious.  Such 
a  system  of  theology  stoops  to  this  mean  artifice  in  order  the  more 
effectually  to  perpetuate  its  unworthy  existence. 

Signification  of  the  Tribute- Ifoney  found  in  the  Fish's  Mouth. 

Religion  and  science  act  together  something  like  cause  and  effect ; 
what  the  former  states,  the  latter  proves.  Religious  truth  is  as  the 
Lord  and  Master,  while  all  the  sciences  are  servants.  Every  science, 
like  the  fish  mentioned  in  the  Gospel,  has  within  itself  its  own  tribute- 
money,  and  whenever  it  is  demanded,  will  cheerfully  render  it  up  to 
promote  the  spiritual  interests  of  the  church  of  God.  When  Christ 
asked  Peter, "  What  thinkest  thou,  Simon?  of  whom  do  the  kings  of  the 
earth  take  custom  or  tribute?  of  their  own  children  or  of  strangers?" 
Peter  replied, "  of  strangers : "  "  then,"  saith  the  Lord, "  are  the  children 
free.  Notwithstanding,  lest  we  should  offend  them,  go  thou  to  the 
sea,  and  cast  a  hook,  and  take  of  the  fish  that  first  cometh  up ;  and 
when  thou  hast  opened  his  mouth,  thou  shalt  find  a  piece  of  money : 
that  take  and  give  unto  them  for  me  and  thee."  (Matt.  xvii.  25-27.) 

Nothing  but  the  immutable  law  of  correspondence  can  unfold  the 
religious  instruction  contained  in  this  singular  miracle.  It  was  a 
practice  with  the  Israelites,  as  appears  from  the  historical  parts  of 
the  Word,  to  take  custom  or  tribute  from  strangers  who  were  not  of 
their  church.  Those  Avho  are  the  true  members  of  the  Lord's  body  or 
church,  are  the  spiritual  and  heavenly  minded ;  they  are  the  free,  and 
the  children  of  the  kingdom ;  while  the  strangers  signify  those  who 
are  merely  naturally-minded  and  worldly.  In  respect  to  man,  in- 
dividually, we  know  that  the  higher  affections  and  thoughts  of  the 
mind,  which  connect  him  with  God  and  heaven,  are  called  spiritual ; 
and  the  lower,  which  connect  him  with  the  world,  are  called  natural. 
The  spiritual  mind  is  the  Lord  and  Master,  the  natural  is  a  servant 
and  tributary.    In  every  well-regulated  mind,  the  supreme  affections 


388 


THE  KEY  OF  KNOWLEDGE. 


and  thoughts  provide  comforts  and  pleasures  for  the  lower,  while  these 
in  return  pay  the  tribute,  are  obedient  to,  and  serve  the  higlier.  To 
instruct  us,  then,  in  this  universal  law,  it  was  provided  and  effected 
that  neither  the  Lord  nor  Peter  should  pay  the  tribute,  but  a,  fish,  by 
which  is  signified  the  living  scientific  knowledge  in  the  external  or 
natural  mind. 

To  show  what  it  is  that  willingly  serves  the  interests  of  true  religion 
by  providing  the  tribute-money,  Peter  was  commanded  to  go  to  the 
sea,  to  cast  a  hook,  to  take  the  fish  that  first  cometh  up ;  and  that  he 
would  find,  upon  opening  his  mouth,  a  piece  of  money,  with  which  he 
was  to  pay  the  tribute.  If  the  Lord's  words  are  spirit  and  life  (and 
no  Christian  can  doubt  it),  we  ought  to  receive  them  as  such,  and  look 
at  them  as  sacred  vessels  containing  the  wisdom  of  the  Most  High. 
Those  who  skim  lightly  over  the  pages  of  sacred  writ,  may  probably 
be  surprised  at  the  tribute-money  being  found  in  the  fish's  mouth,  not 
reflecting  that  it  is  always  found  there.  It  was  there  at  "  the  begin- 
ning, is  now,  and  ever  shall  be,  world  without  end." 

In  respect  to  this  tribute,  Peter  was  the  apostle  who  was  to  procure 
it.  He  received  the  Divine  command,  "  Go  thou  to  the  sea  and  cast 
a  hook."  Peter  was  the  apostle  who  was  first  called,  he  was  a  fisher- 
man, and  by  following  the  Lord  he  was  to  be  made  a  fisher  of  men. 
This  apostle,  in  his  representative  character,  denotes  all  those  who  are 
grounded  in  a  settled  faith  or  confidence  in  all  the  Lord's  promises. 
They  are  not  doubters  of,  but  believers  in,  the  truths  of  Revelation. 
This  principle  of  faith  in  the  Lord,  in  his  divinity  and  power,  is  called 
the  rock  upon  which  the  Lord  would  build  his  church.  Spiritual 
faith  in  the  Lord,  in  his  providence  and  care,  in  the  universality  of 
his  love,  in  his  compassion  and  unchanging  goodness,  united  Avith 
obedience  of  life,  opens  heaven  to  the  soul.  Hence  to  Peter  as  the 
representative  of  this  living  faith,  the  keys  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven 
were  given.  The  power  of  this  faith,  signified  by  the  keys,  when 
rightly  exercised  both  in  thought  and  life,  opens,  as  a  key  does  a  door, 
the  heavenly  state  in  the  soul,  and  introduces  the  man  into  the  full 
enjoyment  of  angelic  bliss.  Whatsoever  this  faith  binds  on  earth,  by 
showing  its  entire  opposition  to  the  angelic  state,  is  bound  in  heaven, 
that  is,  comes  not  into  spiritual  liberty  and  peace.  Whatsoever  this 
faith  shall  loose  on  earth,  by  showing  its  conformity  witli  the  heavenly 
life,  shall  be  loosed  in  heaven — shall  come  into  the  full  liberty  and 
exercise  of  the  Divine  life.  This  spiritual  faith  represented  by  Peter, 
brings  man  into  perfect  liberty  of  mind.    Those  who  are  principled 


THE  TRIBUTE-MONEY  IN  TUE  FISH'S  MOUTH.  389 


therein,  are,  in  matters  of  religion,  free ;  for  the  blessings  of  those 
truths  which  bring  life  and  immortality  to  light,  they  are  not  tributary 
to  any  earthly  power.  In  these  things  they  owe  no  allegiance  but  to 
the  Lord  alone :  Peter,  therefore,  could  not  pay  the  tribute  without 
violating  the  Divine  arrangement  of  spiritual  truth.  If  tribute  be 
required,  the  command  is  still  in  force,  "  Go  to  the  sea  and  cast  a 
hook." 

In  a  former  part  of  this  work  we  showed  that  the  several  portions 
of  the  world  of  nature,  such  as  mountains,  hills,  rivers,  seas,  and  the 
like,  are,  in  Scripture,  mentioned  in  reference  to  man  as  the  world  of 
mind.  By  the  sea,  according  to  correspondence,  is  meant  divine  truth 
in  its  extremes  or  terminations,  and  which  is  properly  termed  natural 
truth ;  for  as  the  sea  is  the  boundary  of  the  land,  so  natural  truth  is 
the  extreme  boundary  of  human  knowledge.  In  this  mighty  deep 
are  contained  all  the  principles  of  scientific  truth,  which  are,  by  the 
same  law  of  correspondence,  the  fishes  of  the  sea,  and  by  Avhich  man 
keeps  his  connection  with  the  world  and  its  objects.  In  Scripture, 
not  only  the  sun,  moon  and  stars,  the  beasts  of  the  earth,  creeping 
things  and  flying  fowl,  with  storms,  vapors  and  clouds,  but  even  the 
fishes  of  the  sea  are  called  upon  to  praise  the  Lord.  I  heard,  says 
John  the  Revelator,  every  creature  that  was  in  the  sea,  praising  the 
Lord,  and  saying,  "  Blessing,  and  honor,  and  glory,  and  power,  be 
unto  Him  that  sitteth  upon  the  throne,  and  unto  the  Lamb  for  ever 
and  ever."  (Rev.  v.  13.)  Now  all  these  do  constantly  praise  the 
Lord  ;  for  every  true  science  within  the  wide  range  of  human  knowl- 
edge, will  be  found  to  contain  its  meed  of  praise,  and  by  paying  the 
tribute,  to  own  religion  as  its  master  and  lord. 

We  may,  perhaps,  think  that  there  can  be  not  the  slightest  con- 
nection between  science  and  religion — that  these  subjects  are  perfectly 
distinct,  having  no  mutual  relationship  whatever :  but  this  arises  from 
our  ignorance — from  our  unwillingness  to  obey  the  Divine  command 
given  to  Peter ;  "  Go  to  the  sea  and  cast  a  hook," — go  and  investigate 
the  interior  principles  of  science,  and  every  one  of  them  will  be  found 
to  contain  within  itself  the  tribute  which  it  owes  to  spiritual  religion, 
and  which  it  cheerfully  renders  up.  The  Lord  said  to  Peter,  "  take 
up  the  fish  that  first  cometh  up,  and  thou  shalt  find  a  piece  of  money," 
— that  is,  not  any  particular  fish,  but  any  one,  the  first  that  comes  up; 
to  instruct  us  that  every  science,  no  matter  what,  contains  its  own 
tribute,  which  it  pays  at  the  shrine  of  religion.  Every  fish  when  its 
mouth  is  opened,  or  when  the  interior  principles  of  science  are  explored 
33* 


390 


THE  KEY  OF  KNOWLEDGE. 


by  Peter,  or  by  those  grounded  in  a  pure  faith,  will  be  found  to  con- 
tain the  tribute-money.  When  this  is  discovered  and  demanded  for 
the  interests  of  true  religion,  it  is  instantly  yielded  up. 

All  the  SCIENCES  which  describe  the  wisdom  of  God,  as  made 
apparent  in  the  harmonies  of  nature,  and  in  all  her  wonder-working 
combinations,  progressions  and  changes,  are,  in  Scripture  language, 
signified  by  the  fishes  of  the  sea.  These  sciences,  when  internally 
explored,  will  be  found  to  contain  infallible  proofs  of  the  existence  of 
a  Supreme  Being,  pointing,  at  the  same  time,  to  the  spirituality  and 
superiority  of  religion,  which  they  constantly  serve,  and  to  which 
they  are  tributaries.  What  is  this  but  proving  the  truth  of  what 
John  the  Revelator  asserts,  that  he  heard  the  fishes  of  the  sea  giving 
praise  to  God  and  saying,  "  Blessing,  and  honor,  and  glory,  and  power, 
be  unto  Him  that  sitteth  upon  the  throne,  and  unto  the  Lamb  for 
ever  and  ever  "  ?  The  science  of  Astronomy,  Chemistry,  Geology, 
Phrenology,  Optics,  Botany,  and  every  true  science,  acknowledges 
true  religion  as  Lord  and  Master,  and  pays  the  tribute.  Let  us  ex- 
amine two  or  three  of  these  spiritual  fishes  of  the  sea  with  respect  to 
the  testimony  they  give  of  religion. 

Religion  teaches  the  worshii)  of  one  God,  who,  as  the  central  Sun 
of  righteousness,  diffuses  his  love  and  wisdom  without  partiality  to  all 
his  creation,  and  that  He  is  good,  universally  good  to  all,  inasmuch  as 
"  He  maketh  his  sun  to  rise  on  the  evil  and  on  the  good."  (Matt.  v. 
45.)  Astronomy  teaches  that  there  is  one  sun  in  the  centre  of  its  sj'S- 
tem,  diffusing  light  and  heat,  without  partiality,  to  all  the  planets  re- 
volving round,  for  their  nourishment  and  support.  Here  astronomy, 
like  the  fish,  yields  up  the  tribute-Juoney,  serving  obediently  the  inter- 
ests of  religion,  by  showing  how  the  "  invisible  things  of  God  are  seen 
by  the  things  that  are  made." 

Religion  teaches  that  the  mind  of  man,  in  the  process  of  regenera- 
tion by  which  alone  he  is  jjm-ified  and  made  fit  for  heaven,  passes 
successive  changes  of  state,  by  which  means,  as  to  affection  and 
thought,  a  separation  is  made  of  what  is  earthly  and  gross,  from  that 
which  is  heavenly.  This  change  or  purification  is  effected  by  the 
operation  of  the  love  of  God  in  man's  will  and  intellect,  which  love  in 
the  corresponding  language  of  Scripture,  is  called  fire.  The  science 
of  chemistry,  which  has  been  properly  termed  "  Fire  Science,"  be- 
cause the  action  of  fire  or  heat  enters  into  all  the  parts  of  chemical 
study,  treats  on  a  small  scale  of  the  changes  effected  by  heat  in  natu- 
ral bodies,  and  of  the  general  laws  relating  to  the  composition  and 


CONNECTION  OF  RELIGION  AND  SCIENCE. 


391 


decomposition  of  substances.  It  is  in  allusion  to  the  Lord  of  heaven 
being  the  only  Regenerator  of  the  minds  of  men,  that  He  is  said  to 
"  sit  as  a  refiner  and  purifier  of  silver :  and  He  shall  purify  the  sons 
of  Levi,  and  purge  them  as  gold  and  silver,  that  they  may  offer  unto 
the  Lord  an  offering  in  righteousness."  (Mai.  iii.  3.)  This  passage 
describes,  spiritually,  the  Lord's  constant  presence  with  man,  together 
with  his  watchful  care  over  him,  while  passing  through  his  regener- 
ating process.  "When  the  Lord's  image  is  reflected  from  the  person 
in  whom  the  process  is  going  on,  the  work  is  accomplished — the 
heavenly  state  is  gained.  Here  the  Lord's  care  is  said  to  be  like  that 
of  a  purifier  of  silver.  Science  illustrates  this  spiritual  truth  ;  for  I 
am  informed  that  the  refiner  of  silver  sits  with  his  eye  steadily  fixed 
upon  the  furnace  to  prevent  injury  being  done  to  the  metal  by  ex- 
ceeding the  proper  time  of  refining.  The  refiner  knows  when  the 
purifying  time  is  completed  by  seeing  his  own  image  reflected  from 
the  silver. 

Connection  of  Religion  and  Science. 

Religion  teaches  that  the  Scriptures  speak  of  man  as  a  little 
WORLD  ;  and  that  he  has  a  vast  variety  of  affections,  desires,  thoughts, 
and  principles  of  action ;  some  high,  lofty,  elevated  and  aspiring, 
which  relate  to  his  religious  life ;  others  of  a  lower  order,  which 
regard  his  moral  life ;  and  a  third  class  the  loAvest,  which  relate  to 
his  civil  or  worldly  life  ;  that  human  nature  in  its  progress  to  spirit- 
ual perfection,  like  the  globe  in  its  revolutions  passes  through  suc- 
cessive changes  of  state  as  to  affection  and  thought ;  thus  that  man,  as 
to  his  mental  constitution,  contains  within  himself  the  evidences  of 
these  changes,  and  that  he  has  impressed  on  the  mind  the  remnants 
or  remains  of  a  primitive  condition,  corresponding  to  the  early  forma- 
tions of  the  crystalline  rocks,  depositions  and  fossil  remains,  which 
indicate  a  primitive  order  of  the  globe.  Scripture  sjieaks  of  man  as 
being,  by  the  Almighty,  both  "  fearfully  and  wonderfully  made." 
This  statement  is  proved  not  only  by  his  astonishing  mental  cajiabili- 
ties,  but  also  by  the  marvelous  construction  of  his  organic  frame.  All 
the  astonishing  wonders  in  man's  creation  are  declared  to  be  the  work 
of  an  Almighty  Creator,  who  in  the  beginning  made  heaven  and  earth 
and  all  that  is  in  them,  who  in  due  time  created  man  in  his  image  and 
likeness,  to  have  the  full  dominion  over  the  beasts,  birds  and  creejiing 
things.  Geology  is  a  science  which  undertakes  to  explain  the  internal 
and  external  structure  of  the  earth  ;  and  from  the  laborious  investiga- 


392 


THE  KEY  OF  KNOWLEDGE. 


tions  of  those  master  minds  in  science,  we  may  hope  to  gain  some  rational 
theory  respecting  its  formation.  This  science  proves,  and  we  think 
satisfactorily,  the  great  antiquity  of  the  earth,  and  so  far  is  it  from 
opposing  religion,  that  it  pays  to  it  a  tribute.  It  traces,  by  rigid 
examinations  of  the  earth's  rocks,  strata,  fossil  remains  and  deposi- 
tions, all  creation  up  to  the  great  First  Cause,  who  in  the  beginning 
was  its  Former  and  !Maker,  and  to  whom  all  praise  is  due."  It  does 
not,  it  is  true,  give  us  any  date  as  to  time,  when  the  beginning  was. 
This  is  omitted  for  the  best  of  reasons,  because  Revelation  makes  no 
statement  of  time,  therefore  geology  can  prove  none.  Go  on,  then. 
Geology,  thou  industrious  little  fish  !  swim  about  in  the  mighty  deep 
you  inhabit,  and  bring  us  more  knowledge  still  about  the  world  in 
which  we  dwell.  Religion  calls  upon  you  to  do  this,  that  you  may 
pay  your  tribute  at  her  sacred  shine. 

Religion  teaches  that  man  is  a  spiritual  and  an  immortal  being ;  that 
at  the  dissolution  of  his  material  body  he  will  experience  a  resurrec- 
tion to  another  world,  either  of  bliss  or  degradation  according  to  the 
quality  of  that  life,  as  to  evil  or  good,  which  he  has  formed  for  him- 
self in  this.  Hence  the  Scriptures  speak  of  two  kinds  of  resurrection ; 
the  one  to  life,  the  other  to  condemnation.  The  true  Christian,  at  his 
resurrection,  enters  a  world  perfect  and  real,  where  evils  and  sorrows 
are  forever  shut  out,  and  where  health  is  everlasting,  and  the  mirth 
of  the  high  spirit  hath  undying  life.  The  ground  of  man's  immor- 
tality is  in  the  rich  gift  which  he  has  received  from  his  Maker,  of  the 
two  faculties  of  will  and  understanding.  Into  these  the  Divine  life 
of  love  and  that  of  wisdom  flow.  They  are  called  in  Genesis  the 
breath  of //yes  (plural)  which  God  breathed  into  his  nostrils,  by  which 
man  became  a  living  soul.  This  is  the  ground  of  our  immortality, 
and  it  explains  these  words  of  the  Lord  to  his  disciples,  "  Because  I 
live,  ye  shall  live  also."  (John  xiv.  19.)  Man,  therefore,  is  so  con- 
structed that,  by  his  mental  powers  and  bodily  organization,  he  can 
hold  commerce  with  two  worlds.  By  his  powers  of  mind,  he  holds 
connection  with  the  spiritual  or  heavenly  world,  and  by  means  of  his 
organized  body,  with  the  world  of  matter.  There  must  then  be,  as 
already  stated,  a  close  corresponding  connection  between  the  mental 
powe!"s  and  all  parts  of  that  organic  structure  of  body,  by  which  they 
are  developed  and  exhibited  in  nature ;  each  mental  power  having. 


•<  Slodern  Geology  in  this  respect  is  very 
different  from  some  of  the  ancient  theories; 
for  while  this  science  traces  all  creation  up 
to  one  ALoiighty  God,  most  of  the  ancients, 


instead  of  teaching  the  world  to  be  derived 
from  n  wise  and  ixiwerful  Being,  taught 
that  the  material  world  gave  birth  to  their 
deities. 


CONNECTION  OF  RELIGION  AND  SCIENCE.  393 

in  the  material  body,  its  own  organ,  by  Avhich  it  is  brought  forth  and 
known  as  a  real  existence.  Phrenology  is  a  science  which,  though 
young — and,  like  all  new  theories,  has  at  present  to  struggle  with 
principalities  and  powers,  and  with  deep-rooted  prejudices  in  high 
places — is  nevertheless  one  that  promises  fair  to  yield  vast  pleasures  to 
the  reflecting  mind.  It  has,  by  the  most  patient  examinations  of  the 
human  brain,  of  its  form,  organization  and  development,  proved  it  to 
be  the  material  instrument  by  which  man  carries  on  a  constant  inter- 
course with  the  external  world — that  it  is  an  aggregate  of  parts,  and 
that  each  has  its  own  proper  function  which  consists  in  manifesting 
outwardly  some  distinct  power  of  mind.  These  parts,  which  are 
called  organs,  are  about  thirty-five  in  number,  and  are  divided 
into  two  classes  or  orders — the  first  called  Feelings,  or  Affective 
Faculties,  and  belong  to  the  will ;  the  second.  Intellectual,  or  Per- 
ceptive Faculties,  and  belong  to  the  understanding. 

Whatever,  then,  may  be  urged  against  this  new  science,  and  how- 
ever it  may  be  checked  in  its  infancy  or  impeded  in  its  growth  to 
manhood ;  however  numerous  its  imperfections  in  some  points  may 
now  be ;  yet,  inasmuch  as  it  is  founded  upon  a  just  philosophy  of  mind, 
there  can  be  no  doubt  of  its  truth  in  the  main.  It  will  certainly  be 
found  to  be  a  living  fish,  and  if  its  mouth  be  opened,  or  its  internal 
princij^les  examined  by  Peter,  or  by  those  capable  of  doing  it,  the 
tribute-money  will  be  found  therein ;  for  it  proves  the  existence  of  a 
Supreme  Being,  all-wise  and  good ;  and  has  placed  in  the  highest 
part  of  man's  intellectual  being,  what  is  called  the  organ  of  veneration, 
which,  being  seated  in  the  centre  of  the  moral  sentiments,  when  en- 
lightened and  influenced  by  the  intellectual,  will  be  exercised  rationally 
in  the  worship  and  praise  of  God. 

Religion  teaches  that  Divine  truth,  as  light  from  the  Sun  of 
righteousness,  comes  directly  from  its  source  in  God,  and  enters  the 
mind  of  man,  by  whom  it  becomes  refracted  and  applied  to  his  own 
state  and  wants;  but  through  whom  it  can  never  pass  to  another 
person  M'ith  the  same  degree  of  illumination.  The  presence  of  this 
intellectual  light  is  instantly  recognized  by  the  formation  of  conscience, 
and  in  the  power  of  distinguishing  right  from  wrong. 

The  science  of  Optics,  among  a  vast  variety  of  other  curious  things, 
teaches  that  the  rays  of  solar  light  are  emitted  from  the  sun  in  direct 
or  straight  lines,  but  that  every  ray  becomes  bent  or  refracted  as  it 
passes  through  any  transparent  object  to  illuminate  another ;  thus 
receiving  variation  and  change  in  passing  through  one  to  the  other, 


394 


THE  KEY  OF  KNOWLEDGE. 


and  not  imparting  the  same  degree  of  brightness,  or  correctness  of 
light,  to  the  second  object  as  to  the  first.  The  presence  of  this  light 
is  instantly  recognized  by  its  revealing  the  form  and  color  of  objects. 

Religion  teaches  that  every  man  grows  in  purity,  wisdom  and 
happiness,  in  the  same  proportion  as  his  mind  is  unvaryingly  turned 
to  the  Lord  as  the  true  and  everlasting  Sun  of  righteousness,  so  as  to 
live  and  flourish  under  his  influence ;  and  it  also  teaches  that  man, 
by  his  creation,  is  gifted  with  the  power  thus  to  turn. 

Botany  treats  of  the  internal  and  external  structure,  of  the  func- 
tions, of  the  organs,  and  of  the  similitudes  and  dissimilitudes  of  the 
almost  infinite  multitude  of  the  objects  in  the  vegetable  kingdom ; 
and  shows  that  solar  light  and  heat  are  essential  to  the  life  and  growth 
of  all  her  forms ;  that  vegetables  have  a  tendency  in  themselves  to 
turn  to  the  sun,  that  they  may  thereby  grow  and  produce  their  fruits; 
and  that  if  by  any  foreign  force  they  are  deprived  of  this  their  in- 
herent tendency,  they  soon  wither  and  die.  Learn  then,  reader,  an 
instructive  lesson  from  these  words  of  the  Saviour :  "  Consider  the 
lilies  of  the  field,  how  they  grow ;  they  toil  not,  neither  do  they  spin." 
(Matt.  vi.  28.)  How  do  the  lilies  grow  ?  By  the  tendency  they  have 
to  turn  to  the  sun,  and  to  receive  the  fulness  of  his  rays.  ISIan, 
spiritually,  grows  in  the  same  way ;  were  he  constantly  to  turn  to  the 
Sun  of  righteousness,  he  would  grow  in  virtue,  wisdom  and  true 
religion,  and  that,  too,  without  any  labor — without  toiling  or  spin- 
ning. 

Religion  teaches  that  each  person,  upon  receiving  love  and  wisdom 
from  God,  applies  them  to  his  own  purposes,  and  produces  those  fruits 
of  life  according  with  the  actual  state  or  condition  of  his  own  mind ; 
and  as  there  are  no  two  modes  of  reception  exactly  alike,  there  can 
be  no  two  states  alike ;  hence  human  characters  vary  in  degree  of 
conduct  and  knowledge,  showing  the  truth  of  Scripture,  that  every 
one  is  rewarded  according  to  his  works.  These  differences  are  not  in 
the  Divine  Love  and  Wisdom,  but  are  modifications  thereof  in  the 
recipient  subject.  Science  teaches  that  the  rays  of  the  sun,  acting 
uniformly  upon  all  vegetables,  expand  and  open  up  their  interior 
qualities,  causing  each  to  produce  its  like ;  thus  presenting  an  endless 
variety  in  their  species  and  qualities.  There  is  no  gathering  grapes 
of  thorns  or  figs  of  thistles. 

In  Scripture,  man  is  frequently  compared  to  trees  of  various  kinds, 
and  the  Lord  is  called  "  the  true  Vine,"  while  those  who  are  his  real 
disciples  are  the  bninches  which  abide  in  Him  and  bear  fruit.  David 


CONNECTION  OF  RELIGION  AND  SCIENCE. 


395 


says :  "  The  trees  of  the  Lord  are  full  of  sap,  the  cedars  of  Lebanon 
which  He  hath  planted."  (Ps.  civ.  16.)  Man  is  evidently  here  the 
subject  treated  of,  and  the  Divine  life  of  united  love  and  wisdom, 
when  received,  becomes  the  vital  fluid  to  the  soul  of  man.  It  rises 
up,  and,  circulating  throughout  the  whole  mental  frame,  produces 
that  beauty  and  richness  of  mind,  that  knowledge,  intelligence  and 
purity  of  action,  which,  in  the  language  of  correspondence,  are  the 
leaves,  blossoms  and  fruits  of  the  mental  tree.  Botany,  in  this  case, 
pays  its  tribute,  by  showing  that  the  sap,  as  the  vegetable  fluid,  is 
composed  of  the  nourishment  extracted  from  the  earth,  by  the  roots 
of  trees  and  plants;  Avhich,  rising  up,  circulates  through  the  trunk 
and  every  limb  and  fibre  of  the  plant,  producing  thereby  its  leaves, 
blossoms  and  fruits. 

We  might  successfully  go  through  all  the  sciences,  and  prove  that 
every  fish  has  within  itself  its  own  tribute-money,  and  that  all  of  them 
are  now  willingly  paying,  at  the  shrine  of  Religion,  their  tribute  and 
praise.  It  is  certain  that  Religion  claims  Science  as  her  handmaid. 
Those  doctrines  of  theology  that  are  sterling  and  sound,  will  always 
find  science  ready  to  prove  and  establish  their  truth.  As  it  has  been 
correctly  observed  that  "  an  undevout  astronomer  is  mad,"  so  a  man 
of  scientific  research,  without  religion,  is  mad  too. 

It  has  been  said,  that  "  the  projier  study  of  mankind  is  man ; "  and 
surely  he  only  can  be  said  properly  to  know  himself,  Avho  sees  every 
thing  around  him  in  connection  wdth  his  eternal  destination.  It  is  to 
be  deeply  lamented  that  the  gratification  of  the  bodily  senses  should 
occupy  so  fully  our  anxiety  and  care,  should  consume  so  much  of  our 
time,  while  those  spiritual  things  which  relate  to  the  wisdom  of  life, 
and  to  all  the  solid  pleasures  of  human  existence,  are  comparatively 
neglected,  as  though  they  were  deemed  secondary  or  of  minor  import- 
ance. The  time  will  certainly  come  to  every  man,  when  he  will  regret 
the  moments  he  has  suffered  to  pass  away  unimproved ;  when  hours, 
weeks  and  years  that  have  been  consumed  in  spiritual  idleness,  will 
stand  before  him  like  so  many  ghastly  skeletons,  upbraiding  him  for 
not  covering  them  with  sinews,  fleali  and  skin,  that  so  the  living  breath 
of  God  might  have  produced  them  as  so  many  angelic  forms. 

How  diflPerent  is  the  life  of  the  good  man — the  sincere  Christian, 
whose  early  days  have  been  spent  under  the  cheering  beams  of  the 
Sun  of  righteousness ;  whose  succeeding  ones  have  been  surrounded 
with  pleasures,  and  whose  end  is  peace,  because  liLs  heaven  is  sure. 
This  is  the  man  who  enjoys  his  feast  with  a  true  relish ;  who  ex- 


396 


THE  KEY  OF  KNOWLEDGE. 


periences  a  calm  even  amidst  the  storms  of  life,  and  whose  every  hour 
improves  the  prospect  of  eternity. 

Conclusion. 

To  bring  the  main  points  of  this  essay  into  a  short  compass,  we  shall 
conclude  by  observing,  that  The  Lord  God  of  Heaven,  the  everlasting 
Sun  of  righteousness,  is  a  Single  Divine  Being,'^  the  alone  Source 
of  life,  the  one  Creator  and  Upholder  of  all  things.  All  created  ex- 
istences came  forth  from  his  love  by  his  wisdom.  The  proximate 
sphere  of  his  glory  is  the  bright  srx  of  all  the  heavens,  and  the 
everlasting  light  of  creation.  The  going  forth  of  these  Divine  creative 
rays  formed  the  sun  in  nature  to  be  their  receptacle,  and  to  become 
the  instrumental  cause  of  producing  those  worlds  which  revolve  in  our 
system ;  making  these  again  to  be  the  abodes  of  rational  and  intelligent 
beings,  formed  to  make  endless  progressions  in  love  and  wisdom ;  and 
to  pass  through  natural  life  to  the  attainment  of  that  which  is  spiritual, 
everlasting  and  pure.  The  sphere  of  Divine  Truth  thus  descending 
with  life  and  vigor,  produced  all  creation  as  a  mighty  mirror  in  which 
the  love,  Avisdom,  goodness,  providence  and  presence  of  God  are  clearly 
reflected  and  seen.  This  truth  at  last,  by  Divine  arrangement,  flowed 
into  the  previously  prepared  minds  of  those  appointed  to  embody  it 
in  natural  language,  and  by  maintaining  a  strict  relationship  between 
spiritual  states  of  mind  and  the  objects  of  nature,  a  close  correspondence 
between  them  is  observed  throughout  the  inspired  language  of  Reve- 
lation, so  that  the  Divine  Truth  thus  embodied,  partaking,  in  its 
descent  from  God  to  man,  of  all  the  states  of  affection  and  thought 
both  of  angelic  and  human  life,  becomes  the  "  Lamp  unto  our  feet," 
and  emphatically  "  the  Word  of  God."  It  is  the  true  light  of  every 
man's  little  world,  full  of  spirituality  and  life,  and  is  as  the  "  finger 
of  God,"  to  point  to  the  regions  of  immortality  and  peace. 


15  Plutarch,  in  his  Dissertation  on  the  word 
EI,  engraved  on  the  temple  of  Apollo,  makes 
the  following  remarks:  "e't,  (says  he)  Tliou 
art:  as  if  it  were  «  ei-,  Thou  art  One.  I  mean 
not  in  the  aggregate  sense,  as  we  say,  one 
army,  or  one  body  of  men  composed  of  many 
individuals;  but  that  which  exists  distinctly 
must  necessarily  be  one  ;  and  the  very  idea 
of  being  implies  individuality.  One  is  that 
which  is  a  simple  being,  free  from  mixture 
and  composition.  To  be  one,  Uierefore,  in 
this  sense,  is  consistent  only  with  a  nature 
entire  in  its  first  principle,  and  incapable 
of  alteration  and  decay."  Again,  Plutarch, 


when  arguing  against  the  Stoics,  who  sup- 
posed if  there  were  a  plurality  of  worlds, 
that  many  Jupiters  or  gods  would  be  neees- 
sjiry  to  govern  tliem,  sjtys:  "Where  is  the 
necessity  of  supposing  many  .Tupitcrs  for  this 
plurality  of  worlds?  Is  not  One  Excellent 
Being,  endued  with  reason  and  intelligence, 
such  as  He  is  whom  we  acknowledge  to  be 
the  Father  and  Lord  of  all  things,  sufficient 
to  direct  and  rule  these  worlds?  If  there 
were  more  supreme  agents,  their  decrees 
would  be  vain,  and  contradictory  to  each 
other." 


CONCLUSION. 


397 


Now  as  the  Word  of  God  is  written  in  agreement  with  the  science 
of  correspondence,  it  follows  that  nothing  but  this  science  can  correctly 
explain  its  sacred  contents.  He,  therefore,  who  desires  to  be  further 
acquainted  with  these  matters,  is  requested  to  read  the  Theological 
Writings  of  Emanuel  Swedeuborg.  They  will  afford  him  information 
of  the  most  instructive  and  delightful  kind. 

Reader !  I  must  now  bid  you  farewell !  Sufficient  has  been  said, 
it  is  hoped,  to  excite  in  your  mind  a  veneration  for  those  Divine 
Oracles  of  Truth  which  shadow  forth,  by  the  luxuriant  appearances 
in  nature,  that  everlasting  land  of  promise,  where  an  exuberance  of 
celestial  felicity  must  ever  reside,  and  ivhere  forever  flow  the  luscious 
streams  of  milk  and  honej'. 
34 


A  KEY 

TO 

THE  SPIRITUAL  SIGNIFICATION  OF  NUMBERS  * 


CHAPTER  lY. 

Introduction  —  Numbers  1  to  12,  Inclusht;  —  One — Two  —  Three  — 
Four  —  Five — Six  — Seven — Eight — Nine — Ten — Eleven — Twelve  — 
A  Eule  foe  Discovering  the  Signification  of  other  Numbers. 

Introduction. 

THE  most  ancient  men  who  were  of  a  celestial  character  and  had 
communication  with  angels,  derived  from  them  the  spiritual  sig- 
nification of  numbers,  both  siraijle  and  compound ;  and  were  in  the 
habit  of  describing  spiritual  and  moral  subjects  by  the  mere  arrange- 
ment of  them  in  a  longer  or  a  shorter  series.  This  knowledge,  to- 
gether with  the  science  of  correspondences  in  general  which  teaches 
the  relation  subsisting  between  things  natural  and  things  spiritual, 
constituted  the  wisdom  of  the  sages  of  antiquity,  and  was  transmitted 
by  them  to  their  posterity  as  the  basis  of  all  their  ecclesiastical  com- 
putations and  historical  descriptions.  But  in  process  of  time  the  sig- 
nification of  compound  numbers  was  first  lost,  and  at  length  even 
that  of  the  simple  numbers ;  so  that  in  the  present  day  few  suspect 
that  anything  more  is  implied  by  the  various  numbers  contained  in 
the  Sacred  Scriptures,  than  what  they  purport  to  be  according  to  the 
common  natural  idea  attached  to  them. 

The  Word  of  the  Lord,  however,  being  altogether  spiritual  in  its 
origin,  and  written  in  strict  conformity  to  the  above-mentioned  science, 
treats  of  heavenly  and  divine  things  under  natural  images ;  and  con- 
sequently, when  it  introduces  numbers  as  well  as  names,  it  is  for  the 
sole  purpose  of  expressing  the  qualities  of  things,  and  the  various 
states  of  the  church,  either  in  a  genuine  or  in  an  opposite  sense. 
Hence  the  several  stages  of  man's  regeneration  arc  described,  in  the 


•  From  a  work  by  Robert  Ilindraarsh,  first  published  in  Mancliestcr,  England,  in  1820. 

398 


INTRODUCTION. 


399 


firet  chapter  of  Genesis,  by  the  first,  second,  third,  fourth,  fifth  and 
.fixth  days  of  creation,  terminating  in  the  seventh  day  or  sabbath  of 
rest,  when,  the  power  of  evil  being  subdued,  man  enters  into  a  state 
of  heavenly  tranquillity  and  peace. 

In  commemoration  of  this  latter  state,  and  to  keep  it  perpetually 
in  view  as  the  end  to  be  obtained  after  the  labors  of  repentance,  ref- 
ormation and  regeneration,  the  seventh  day  was  appointed  to  be  kept 
holy,  and  is  generally  used  to  denote  all  states  of  sanctity  in  the 
church.  In  the  supreme  sense  the  number  seven,  and  the  seventh  day, 
denotes  the  glorification  of  the  Lord's  Humanity,  or  its  full  and  per- 
fect union  with  his  Divinity.  In  the  same  sense  the  number  tliree 
denotes  his  resurrection,  because  on  the  third  day  after  his  crucifixion 
He  rose  from  the  dead.  It  also  on  many  occasions  denotes  a  complete 
state  from  beginning  to  end.  The  number  eigJd  signifies  the  begin- 
ning or  commencement  of  a  new  state,  on  which  account  circumcision 
was  appointed  to  be  performed  on  the  eighth  day.  The  number  ten 
signifies  remains,  and  therefore  tithes  were  instituted  in  the  Jewish 
church,  and  given  to  the  priests  as  an  acknowledgment  that  every 
mercy  and  blessing  was  derived  solely  from  the  Lord.  So  again  the 
number  twelve  denotes  all  the  truths  and  goods  of  the  church :  hence 
the  Jewish  or  Israelitish  people  were  arranged  into  twelve  tribes ;  and 
hence  the  Lord  chose  twelve  apostles  who  were  his  more  immediate 
followers ;  and  hence  also  the  city  New  Jerusalem  is  described  as 
having  twelve  gates,  and  at  the  gates  twelve  angels,  and  the  wall  of 
the  city  as  having  twelve  foundations. 

That  numbers  signify  the  qualities  of  things,  is  further  evident 
from  Apoc.  xiii.  18,  where  it  is  written,  "  Here  is  wisdom  :  Let  him 
that  hath  understanding  count  the  7iumber  of  the  beast :  for  it  is  the 
number  of  a  man ;  and  his  number  is  six  hundred  threescore  and  six." 
Man,  in  respect  to  his  affections,  good  or  evil,  is  in  the  Word  fre- 
quently compared  to  a  beast :  hence  the  members  of  the  church  in 
general  are  called  sheep,  or  a  flock  of  sheep  ;  and  their  teachers  are 
called  shepherds.  Again,  so  far  as  they  are  receptive  of  divine  truths, 
and  acquire  therefrom  states  of  intelligence  and  wisdom,  they  are  also 
properly  denominated  men.  Now  as  numbers  are  expressive  of 
qualities,  it  is  plain  that  by  counting  the  number  of  the  beast,  is  sig- 
nified to  investigate,  scrutinize,  examine  and  ascertain  the  quality  of 
the  doctrine  or  faith  alluded  to.  It  follows,  therefore,  that  the  num- 
ber of  the  beast,  or  the  number  of  a  man,  denotes  the  quality  of  the 
church  described  in  the  above  chapter,  particularly  as  to  its  affection 


400 


A  KEY  TO  NUMBERS. 


for  truth,  or  as  to  the  doctrine  and  faith  'vvhich  it  professes.  And 
this  quality  is  represented  by  the  number  666,  to  signify  that  eyery 
truth  and  eyery  good  of  the  Word  has  been  falsified,  peryerted  and 
destroyed. 

This  number,  666,  is  the  sum  or  result  of  6  x  100  phi^  6  x  10 
plus  6 ;  and  it  denotes  the  character  or  quality  of  faith  separate  from 
charity  or  a  good  life,  as  comprehending  all  falsities  and  eyils  in  one 
complex,  or  the  falsification  of  eyery  di^'ine  truth  of  the  Word,  and 
the  profanation  of  what  is  most  holy.  The  number  6  from  which 
the  number  of  the  beast  arises  by  triplication,  signifies  the  same  as 
3x2,  also  the  same  as  12,  of  which  it  is  the  half,  yiz.,  all  the  truths 
and  goods  of  the  church ;  and  in  an  opposite  sense,  in  reference  to 
the  beast,  all  falsities  and  eyils  coUectiyely.  The  triplication  of  this 
number  extends  its  signification,  inyolying  not  only  a  state  of  profa- 
nation, but  also  the  full  consummation  or  end  of  the  church  whose 
leading  doctrines  are  here  characterized  in  symbolic  language. — 
A.  R.  610.    Ap.  Ex.  847.    A.  C.  4495,  10217. " 

Other  numbers  in  like  manner  haye  their  peculiar  significations, 
without  a  knowledge  of  which  it  is  impossible  to  form  a  correct  judg- 
ment of  the  many  extraordinary  things  contained  in  the  Word :  and 
eyen  the  plainest  historical  descriptions,  which  to  the  generality  of 
readers  appear  to  haye  no  other  sense  than  what  is  usually  under- 
stood by  the  terms  employed,  haye  yet  a  latent  internal  signification, 
which  can  only  be  unfolded  by  the  science  of  correspondences  and 
of  numbers. 

To  elucidate,  therefore,  the  elements  of  this  science,  more  particu- 
larly in  respect  to  numbers,  and  to  enable  the  reader  in  some  measure 
to  comprehend  that  wisdom  which  distinguishes  the  Di\-ine  Records 
from  every  human  production,  we  shall  giye  briefly  the  spiritual  sig- 
nification of  the  numbers  1  to  12  inclusive,  together  with  a  rule  for  dis- 
covering the  signification  of  any  other  number  as  far  as  1,000,000,  or 
even  100,000,000,  mentioned  in  Dan.  vii.  10. 

Examples  showing  the  application  of  the  different  numbers,  and  in 
confirmation  of  the  various  significations  belonging  to  those  of  each 
class,  simple  and  compound,  will  then  be  given  from  the  Word  both 
of  the  Old  and  the  Xew  Testament.  From  all  which  will  be  seen 
the  great  importance  of  the  science  of  numbers  in  deciphering  the 
language  of  Holy  Writ ;  a  science,  indeed,  little  known  at  the  present 
day,  having  been  lost  to  the  world  for  many  ages,  but  which,  neverthe- 
less, in  conjunction  with  that  of  correspondences  in  general,  is  the  only 


introduction: 


401 


true  key  to  the  internal,  genuine  and  spiritual  sense  of  Divine  Reve- 
lation. The  authorities  from  the  difterent  works  of  Emanuel  Swe- 
DENBORG,  who  is  to  be  considered  as  the  reviver  of  this  science,  w  ill 
also  be  given  in  their  proper  places,  for  the  satisfaction  of  the  reader. 

It  may  be  observed  as  a  general  rule,  that,  when  numbers  are 
doubled  or  midtiplied,  they  involve  the  same  signification  as  the  sim- 
ple or  radical  numbers,  from  which  they  arise,  but  more  fully ;  and 
that  numbers  divided  involve  the  same  also  as  their  integral  numbers, 
but  not  in  so  full  a  degree.— A.  C.  3239,  3960,  5291,  5335,  5708, 
10255. 

The  midtipKcation  likewise  of  any  number  signifying  a  few,  and  of 
fractional  mmbers,  as  J,  i,  yo'  ^^c.,  diminishes  their  value,  and 
causes  them  to  signify  still  less  than  the  whole  numbers,  of  which 
they  are  parts,  until  their  power  is  nearly  extinguished.  Hence  their 
signification  becomes  so  reduced  that  the  expressions  necessarily  de- 
note an  end  or  last  term  ;  as  for  example,  the  end  of  a  church,  or  of 
any  particular  state  belonging  to  the  church,  when  that  is  the  subject 
more  immediately  under  consideration. — A.  C.  813. 

It  may  be  proper  further  to  observe,  that  in  cases  where  mention  is 
made,  in  the  Word,  of  numbering,  telling,  or  counting,  yet  without  speci- 
fjnng  any  particular  number,  by  such  expression  is  signified  knoiving 
or  ascertaining  the  quality  of  the  persons,  things  or  subjects  treated  of; 
also  arranging  and  disposing  into  order  according  to  their  respective 
qualities.  Thus  Jehovah  is  said  "  to  tell  the  number  of  the  stars,  and 
to  call  them  by  their  names,"  Ps.  cxlvii.  4 ;  "to  muster  the  host  of 
the  battle,"  Isa.  xiii.  4  ;  and  "  to  bring  md  the  host  of  heaven  by  num- 
ber," Isa.  xl.  26 ;  by  which  is  spiritually  understood,  that  the  Lord 
alone  arranges  and  disposes  into  order  the  things  signified  by  the 
host  of  heaven  and  by  the  stars,  viz.,  the  truths  and  goods  of  faith 
and  love.  The  seed  of  Abram  is  said  to  be  innumerable,  "  as  the 
dust  of  the  earth,  and  as  the  stars  of  heaven,"  Gen.  xiii.  16 ;  xv.  5 ; 
not  because  his  descendants  were,  or  were  to  be,  more  numerous  than 
other  nations,  (Deut.  vii.  7,)  but  on  account  of  the  spiritual  things 
represented  and  signified  by  them,  viz.,  the  truths  and  goods  of  heaven 
and  the  church,  Avhich  are  innumerable. 

In  like  manner,  and  with  reference  to  the  same  spiritual  blessings, 
Jehovah  promises  by  the  prophet  "  to  multiply  the  seed  of  David  as 
the  host  of  heaven,  which  cannot  be  numbered,  and  as  the  sand  of 
the  sea,  w'hich  cannot  be  measured,"  Jer.  xxxiii.  22.  And  in  another 
place,  "  The  number  of  the  children  of  Israel  shall  be  as  the  sand  of 
34*  2A 


402 


A  KEY  TO  NUMBERS. 


the  sea,  whicli  cannot  be  measured  nor  numbered,"  Hos.  i.  10.  The 
same  is  also  understood  by  the  words  of  Balaam,  when  he  took  up 
his  parable,  and  said,  "  Who  can  count  the  dust  of  Jacob,  and  the 
number  of  the  fourth  part  of  Israel  ?  "  Num.  xxiii.  10 ;  where  it  is 
plain  that  counting  or  numbering,  inasmuch  as  the  passage  forms  a 
part  of  a  parable,  is  not  to  be  taken  literally  but  spiritually.  Again, 
mention  is  made  of  "  telling  or  counting  the  towers  of  Zion,"  Ps.  xlviii. 
12 ;  Isa.  xxxiii.  18 ;  of  "  numbering  the  houses  of  Jerusalem,"  Isa. 
xxii.  10 ;  of  "  taking  the  sum  of  the  children  of  Israel,  after  their 
number,"  Ex.  xxx.  12;  Num.  i.  2;  of  "passing  flocks  under  the 
hands  of  him  that  telleth  them,"  Jer.  xxxiii.  13;  and  of  "numbering 
our  days,"  Ps.  xc.  12 ;  where  by  counting,  telling  and  numbering,  is 
signified  examining,  considering  and  marking  the  quality  of  truths  and 
goods  in  the  church,  and  in  our  own  minds ;  also  ai-ranging  and  dis- 
posing into  order,  by  divine  assistance,  the  various  states  of  life  as  we 
enter  upon  them.  In  like  manner  Job  says,  that  "his  steps  are 
numbered  or  counted,"  Chap.  xiv.  16 ;  xxxi.  4.  And  our  Lord  in 
the  Gospel  assures  us,  that  "  the  very  hairs  of  our  head  are  all  num- 
bered," Matt.  X.  30.  In  an  opposite  sense,  to  number  is  to  icind  up, 
to  finish  and  condemn :  thus  it  is  written  of  Belshazzar  and  his  king- 
dom, "  Mene,  mene,  tekel,  upharsin ;  thou  art  numbered,  numbered, 
weighed,  and  divided,  that  is,  finished  and  condemned,"  Dan.  v.  25  to 
28.  And  again,  "  Therefore  will  I  number  you  to  the  sword,  and  ye 
shall  all  bow  down  to  the  slaughter,"  Isa.  Ixv.  12.  In  the  same  sense 
the  Lord  is  said  to  have  been  "  numbered  with  the  transgressors,"  Isa. 
liii.  12.  David  also  was  condemned  for  "  numbering  the  people  of 
Israel  and  Judah ;"  and  in  consequence  thereof  "  a  pestilence  was 
sent  among  them,  which  carried  off  seventy  thousand  men,"  2  Sam. 
xxiv.  1  to  15.  The  reason  why  so  severe  a  punishment  followed  the 
act  of  mimbering  the  people  was,  not  because  there  was  any  evil  or 
crime  in  the  thing  itself,  abstractly  considered,  but  because  it  rep- 
resented and  spiritually  implied  the  presumption  of  man's  will  and 
his  own  self-derived  intelligence,  in  attempting  to  arrange  and  dis- 
pose into  order  the  tilings  of  heaven  and  the  church,  together  with 
the  destruction  inevitably  attending  the  same ;  when  yet  the  Lord 
alone  is  possessed  of  such  power,  and  He  alone  claims  the  preroga- 
tive of  exercising  it  according  to  the  dictates  of  his  own  divine  wis- 
dom.—A.  C.  10217,  10218.    A.  R.  364.    Ap.  Ex.  453. 

As  in  the  explanation  to  be  given  in  the  following  pages,  of  the 
spiritual  signification  of  certain  numbers,  mention  will  frequently 


THE  NUMBER  ONE. 


403 


be  made  of  remains,  and  also  of  fulness,  or  a  full  state — terms  well 
understood  by  those  who  are  already  acquainted  with  the  doctrines 
of  the  New  Jerusalem,  but  perhaps  obscure  and  unintelligible  to 
others — it  may  be  expedient  to  state  the  sense  intended  to  be  con- 
veyed by  each  expression. 

By  remains  are  meant  all  states  of  the  affection  of  good  and  truth, 
with  which  man  is  gifted  by  the  Lord,  from  infancy  to  the  end  of  life ; 
thus  all  states  of  innocence,  charity,  mercy  and  faith,  whereby  the 
evils  of  human  nature  may  be  counteracted,  softened  and  subdued,  in 
order  that  the  principles  of  a  new  and  heavenly  life  may  be  implanted 
and  established  within  him.  It  is  by  remains  that  man  has  communi- 
cation with  heaven ;  that  he  is  capable  of  overcoming  in  spiritual 
temptations,  and  entering  into  actual  conjunction  with  the  Lord ;  that 
he  is  afterwards  preserved  from  falling  into  evil ;  and  that  after  death 
he  is  rendered  blessed  and  haj^py  forever  in  heaven. 

By  fulness,  or  a  full  state,  is  signified  an  entire  period  from  begin- 
ning to  end ;  thus  when  man  is  fully  prepared  to  receive  the  influx 
of  innocence  from  the  Lord,  or  when  the  truths  of  faith  are  in  con- 
junction with  the  good  of  charity.  The  state  is  therefore  said  to  be 
full,  when  spiritual  good  has  received  its  quality  from  truth,  and  con- 
sequently when  man,  being  regenerated,  regards  truth  from  a  principle 
of  good,  and  no  longer  regards  good  from  a  principle  of  truth,  as  he 
did  before  regeneration,  or  during  the  process  of  its  accomplishment. 
Fulness  of  state  or  fulness  of  time,  is  also  an  expression  used  to  denote 
the  consummation  or  end  of  the  church,  when  there  is  no  longer  to 
be  found  in  it  either  faith  or  charity,  in  the  true  sense  of  those  words. 
It  is  in  reference  to  such  a  state  of  the  church,  that  the  Lord  is  said 
to  come  in  the  fulness  of  times,  in  order  to  establish  a  new  church  in 
the  room  of  the  former. 

Having  made  these  preliminary  observations,  we  now  proceed  to 
explain  the  numbers  from  one  to  twelve  inclusive ;  adding  also  a  rule 
for  determining  the  signification  of  numbers  above  twelve. 

One. 

Oneness  or  unity  is  constituted  of  several  various  things  so  arranged 
as  to  be  in  concord  or  harmony  with  each  other ;  which  concord  or 
harmony  of  several  things  arises  from  their  all  having  respect  to  one 
origin,  that  is,  to  one  Lord  who  is  the  life  of  all.  Hence  heaven, 
though  consisting  of  innumerable  societies,  is  nevertheless  one;  and 
man,  though  consisting  of  a  great  variety  of  powers,  faculties,  mem- 


404 


A  KEY  TO  NUMBERS. 


bers  and  organs,  is  yet  one.  There  is  no  such  thing  as  one  absolutely, 
or  one  simply,  but  one  harmonically,  consisting  of  many  various  things 
collected  together  into  one  form,  and  tending  to  one  end  or  use,  and 
on  that  account  called  one.— A.  C.  457,  1285, 3035, 3241,  3986,  4149, 
5962,  7836,  8003,  9828.    H.  &  H.  56,  405. 

In  the  Divine  Unity  itself  there  are  infinite  things  appertaining  to 
divine  love  and  divine  •svisdom,  which,  though  distinct,  or  capable  of 
distinct  contemplation,  are  yet  perfectly  and  pre-eminently  one. — 
D.  L.  14,  17  to  22. 

We  are  therefore  instructed  by  the  Sacred  Scriptures,  that  God,  the 
creator  and  preserver  of  heaven  and  earth,  is  One  in  essence  and  in 
person  :  and  though  He  is  designated  by  many  names  and  characters, 
especially  by  the  terms  Father,  Son  and  Holy  Spirit,  yet  these  are 
not  to  be  regarded  as  evidences  of  a  plurality  of  divine  persons,  but 
solely  as  characteristic  denominations  of  the  three  great  essentials 
belonging  to  the  Divine  Being.  For  as  the  human  soul,  body  and 
operation  are  three  essential  constituents  of  one  man,  so  in  like  man- 
ner, but  infinitely  above  the  comparison,  the  Father,  Son  and  Holy 
Spirit  are  three  essentials  of  one  God,  who  is  no  other  than  our  Lord 
and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ.— A.  C.  14,  15,  2149,  3704,  10816.  H.  & 
H.  2  to  6.    D.  L.  45,  46,  60.    T.  C.  R.  2,  3,  164  to  170. 

One  has  various  significations,  according  to  the  subject  treated  of, 
and  in  each  case  includes  many  particulars.  Sometimes  it  more 
immediately  refers  to  the  divine  good,  as  in  Matt.  xix.  17 ;  xxiii. 
9 ;  sometimes  to  the  divine  truth,  as  in  Matt.  xiii.  45,  46 ;  xxiii.  8  ; 
Luke  XV.  8 ;  John  viii.  18 ;  and  at  other  times  to  both  in  union  or 
conjunction,  as  in  Gen.  ii.  24 ;  Matt.  xix.  5  ;  John  x.  30. — A.  C.  3241, 
3986,  4149. 

Like  other  numbers,  one  also  is  capable  of  an  op^wsite  signification ; 
and  hence  one  talent  denotes  faith  in  a  state  of  separation  from  charity, 
or  the  knowledge  of  good  and  truth  committed  to  the  memory  only, 
and  not  to  the  life,  as  in  Matt.  xxv.  14  to  30 ;  Luke  xix.  20. — Ap. 
Ex.  193,  675. 

The  Lord  calls  himself  the  First  and  the  Last,  to  signify  that  He 
is  the  One  Only  God  of  heaven  and  earth,  the  sole  fountain  of  love, 
wisdom  and  life,  from  whom  are  derived  all  things  in  heaven  and  the 
church,  from  fiist  principles  to  ultimate  or  last  efi'ects. — A.  R.  29,  38. 
Ap.  Ex.  41,  56. 

One,  undei-stood  as  the  half  of  two,  denotes  some  degree  of  con- 
junction.— A.  C.  9530. 


THE  NUMBER  ONE. 


405 


One  is  predicated  of  good,  and  indicates  what  is  perfect. — Ap.  Ex. 
374. 

The  first-begotten  or  primary  essential  of  the  church,  in  appearance, 
or  as  to  time,  is  truth  or  faith  ;  but  in  reality,  or  as  to  essence  and 
value,  is  good  or  charity.— C.  L.  126.  A.  C.  2435,  3325, 4925,  9223, 
9224. 

The  Lord  is  called  first-begotten,  because  from  Him  are  derived 
love  and  faith  in  the  church. — A.  C.  352. 

He  is  also  called  the  first-begotten  from  the  dead,  because  He  is, 
even  as  to  his  Humanity,  the  very  or  essential  truth  united  with  the 
divine  good,  from  whom  all  men,  in  themselves  dead,  continually 
derive  their  life.— A.  R.  17.    Ap.  Ex.  28. 

The  first-begotten  of  Egypt  represented  faith  separate  from  char- 
ity.—A.  C.  1063. 

The  first-begotten  among  clean  beasts  and  the  first-fruits  of  the  earth 
were  dedicated  to  Jehovah,  to  denote  that  all  things  of  good  and 
truth,  with  every  spiritual  and  natural  blessing,  are  derived  from 
Him  alone.— A.  "c.  9223. 

The  first  day  and  the  eighth  day,  as  well  as  the  seventh,  are  called  a 
sabbath,  Lev.  xxiii.  39,  because  they  denote  the  beginning  of  a  new 
state,  in  which  the  conjunction  of  good  and  truth  takes  place. — A.  C. 
9296. 

EXAMPLES. 

(1.)  Gen.  xxxviii.  27  to  30.  "And  it  came  to  pass  in  the  time 
of  her  travail,  that,  behold,  twins  were  in  her  Avomb.  And  it  came 
to  pass  when  she  travailed,  that  the  one  put  out  his  hand ;  and  the 
midwife  took  and  bound  upon  his  hand  a  scarlet  thread,  saying,  This 
came  out  first.  And  it  came  to  pass  as  he  drew  back  his  hand,  that, 
behold,  his  brother  came  out ;  and  she  said.  How  hast  thou  broken 
forth  ?  this  breach  be  upon  thee :  therefore  his  name  was  called  Pha- 
rez.    And  afterwards  came  out  his  brother,  that  had  the  scarlet 

thread  upon  his  hand ;  and  his  name  was  called  Zarah."  The 

subject  treated  of  in  this  passage,  in  the  spiritual  sense,  is  that  of 
primogeniture,  or  priority  in  the  church ;  it  having  been  a  disputed 
point  from  the  most  ancient  times,  whether  the  good  which  is  of 
charity  or  the  truth  which  is .  of  faith,  is  the  first-begotten.  For  as 
good,  when  man  is  re-born,  does  not  evidently  appear,  but  is  con- 
cealed in  his  interiors,  and  only  manifests  itself  in  a  certain  affection 
unnoticed  by  the  external  or  natural  man,  until  regeneration  is  com- 
pleted ;  while  truth,  which  enters  by  the  senses  and  lodges  in  the 


406 


A  KEY  TO  NUMBERS. 


memory,  plainly  discovers  itself ;  therefore  many  have  adopted  the 
erroneous  supposition  that  truth  is  the  first-heyotten,  or  most  essential 
principle  of  the  church ;  and  indeed  so  essential,  that,  under  the 
name  of  faith  it  is  capable  of  effecting  salvation  without  the  good 
which  is  of  charity :  when  nevertheless  the  Word  in  its  genuine  sense 
teaches  that  good  is  actually  the  first-begotten,  and  truth  only  appar- 
ently such.  This  is  described  by  the  various  circumstances  attend- 
ing the  birth  of  the  twins  Zarah  and  Pharez.  The  first  who  put  out 
his  hand  on  which  the  midwife  bound  the  scarlet  thread,  represented 
spiritual  good  or  charity ;  and  therefore  the  primogemture,  priority, 
or  superiority,  was  actually  his,  because  he  first  opened  the  womb ; 
which  was  confirmed  by  the  midwife's  binding  a  scarlet  thread  on 
his  hand,  and  saying,  This  came  out  first.  The  scarlet-colored  thread 
also  signifies  spiritual  good,  and  the  hand  denotes  the  power  thereof ; 
which  being  first  manifested,  is  therefore  actually  entitled  to  the 
right  of  primogemture;  see  Ex.  xiii.  2,  12;  but  being  afterwards 
drawn  back  or  concealed,  it  leaves  to  spiritual  truth  or  faith  the 
apparent  right  of  superiority.  The  birth  of  Pharez,  brother  of  the 
former,  is  called  by  the  midwife  a  breach,  because  she  supposed  him 
to  be  the  same  child,  on  whose  hand  she  had  tied  the  scarlet  thread, 
and  it  appeared  to  her  that  he  had  broken  or  torn  it  asunder ;  by 
which  circumstance  also  is  spiritually  signified,  that  truth  represented 
by  Pharez,  is  at  first  apparently  separate  from  good,  though  in  re- 
ality it  is  not ;  for  this  child  had  not  broken  the  thread,  having  never 
worn  it,  and  consequently  having  never  been  entitled  to  the  right  of 
primogeniture,  except  in  the  estimation  of  the  midwife,  who  repre- 
sented the  natural  mind  on  its  first  reception  of  divine  truth.  By 
the  complete  birth  afterwards  of  Zarah,  with  the  scarlet  thread  on 
his  hand,  is  represented  and  signified  that  good  is  at  length  acknowl- 
edged to  be  actually  the  first-begotten  in  the  church,  because  Zarah 
who  represented  good  or  charity,  first  opened  the  womb  by  putting 
forth  his  hand,  though  he  afterwards  drew  it  back,  and  thereby  per- 
mitted his  brother  to  take  the  birthright  or  precedence,  at  least  for 
a  season.  In  like  manner,  during  the  first  stages  of  regeneration, 
man  is  apparently  under  the  influence  and  dominion  of  truth  or 
faith ;  but  when  his  regeneration  is  eflEccted,  he  is  then  manifestly 
under  the  influence  and  dominion  of  good  or  charity.  The  same 
things  are  represented  by  Esau  and  Jacob  struggling  together  in  the 
womb  of  Rebekah,  and  by  Jacob's  taking  hold  on  Esau's  heel  at  the 
time  of  their  birth.  Gen.  xxv.  22  to  2G :  also  by  Jacob's  laying  his 


THE  NUMBER  ONE. 


407 


right  hand  upon  the  head  of  Ephraim  the  younger  son  of  Joseph, 
and  his  left  hand  upon  the  head  of  Manasseh  the  elder  son,  when  he 
blessed  them  both.  Gen.  xlviii.  13  to  20.— See  A.  C.  4916  to  4930. 

(2.)    Deut.  vi.  4.    "Hear,  O  Israel,  Jehovah  our  God  is  One 

Jehovah."  The  divine  love  and  the  divine  wisdom,  or  the  divine 

good  and  the  divine  truth,  which  are  denoted  by  the  two  terms  Je- 
hovah and  God,  are  here  expressly  said  to  be  one. — See  A.  C.  2921. 
T.  C.  R.  6,  37  to  47. 

(3.)  Ps.  xxvii.  4.  "  One  thing  have  I  desired  of  Jehovah,  that 
will  I  seek  after,  that  I  may  dwell  in  the  house  of  Jehovah  all  the 
days  of  my  life,  to  behold  the  beauty  of  Jehovah,  and  to  inquire  in 
his  temple."  The  one  thing  to  be  desired  is  here  described  as  in- 
volving at  least  three  things,  viz.,  dAvelling  in  the  house  of  Jehovah, 
beholding  his  beauty,  and  inquiring  in  his  temple ;  that  is,  abiding 
in  the  good  of  love  to  the  Lord,  and  in  the  delight  of  learning  and 
perceiving  the  truths  appertaining  to  that  good.  But  as  they  all 
tend  to  one  end  or  use,  which  is  conjunction  Avith  the  Lord  and  final 
happiness,  they  may  in  this  sense  be  regarded  as  one. — See  Ap.  Ex. 
799.    A.  C.  414,  3384. 

(4.)    Zech.  xiv.  9.    "  In  that  day  Jehovah  shall  be  one,  and  his 

name  one."  Here  the  divine  essence  called  Jehovah,  and  the 

divine  form  which  is  his  name,  are  both  declared  to  be  one.  The 
first  is  the  pure  Divinity,  the  second  is  the  Divine  Humanity ;  which, 
though  in  some  respects  distinguishable  as  two  before  the  Lord's  in- 
carnation, by  reason  of  his  then  manifesting  himself  in  the  person  of 
an  angel,  who  was  also  at  times  called  Jehovah,  as  in  Gen.  xix.  24 ; 
Ex.  xxiii.  20  to  23,  are  now  perfectly  one,  in  consequence  of  his 
glorification,  or  union  of  the  human  essence  with  the  Divine. — See 
A.  C.  6000. 

(5.)    Matt.  vi.  33.    "  Seek  ye  first  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  his 

righteousness,  and  all  these  things  shall  be  added  unto  you."  The 

kingdom  of  God  is  the  Lord  himself,  and  his  church :  his  righteous- 
ness  (or  justice)  denotes  good  proceeding  from  Him :  and  to  seek  this 
first,  is  to  desire  with  the  chief  affections  of  the  heart  to  perform  use- 
ful service  to  mankind,  from  pure,  disinterested  love  to  the  Lord  and 
to  our  neighbor.  When  the  Lord,  and  the  good  proceeding  from  Him, 
are  thus  made  the  objects  of  a  man's  affections  and  life,  then  all  other 
things,  whether  spiritual  or  natural,  that  are  conducive  to  his  eternal 
welfare  and  happiness,  will  be  added  unto  him. — See  Ap.  Ex.  1193. 
A.  C.  5449,  9184.    H.  &  H.  64. 


408 


A  KEY  TO  NUMBERS. 


(6.)  Matt.  xix.  5.  "  For  this  cause  shall  a  man  leave  father  and 
mother,  and  cleave  to  his  Avife :  and  they  twain  shall  be  one  flesh." 

 The  union  or  conjunction  of  two  minds  is  here  called  one  flesh ; 

from  which  it  plainly  appears  that  oneness  or  unity  is  not  to  be  re- 
garded as  one  thing  simply,  but  as  arising  from  two  or  more  in  a 
state  of  harmony  and  concord. — See  A.  C.  10169.  Ap.  Ex.  725.  H. 
&  H.  372.    C.  L.  215. 

(7.)    Matt.  xix.  17.    "  There  is  none  good  but  one,  that  is  God." 

 The  divine  unity  is  here  clearly  set  forth,  particularly  in  reference 

to  the  attribute  of  goodness  or  love. — See  A.  C.  10154,  10336,  10619. 
Ap.  Ex.  25-4. 

(8.)  Matt,  xxiii.  8,  9.  "  Be  not  ye  called  Rabbi :  for  one  is  your 
Master,  even  Christ,  and  all  ye  are  brethren.    And  call  no  man  your 

Father  upon  the  earth  :  for  one  is  your  Father  who  is  in  heaven."  

The  terms  Rabbi,  Master,  and  Christ,  have  respect  to  divine  wisdom  or 
divine  truth,  while  the  term  Father  is  intended  to  distinguish  divine 
love  or  divine  good,  each  belonging  to  one  and  the  same  God,  and 
each  expressive  of  his  divine  unity. — See  A.  C.  3703.    Ap.  Ex.  746. 

(9.)  Matt.  XXV.  14,  15.  "The  kingdom  of  heaven  is  as  a  man 
travelling  into  a  far  country,  who  called  his  ow  n  servants,  and  delivered 
unto  them  his  goods.  And  unto  one  he  gave  five  talents,  to  another 
two,  and  to  another  one,  to  every  man  according  to  his  several  ability ; 
and  straightway  took  his  journey.  Then  he  that  had  received  the 
five  talents,  went  and  traded  with  the  same,  and  made  them  other  five 
talents.  And  likewise  he  that  had  received  two,  he  also  gamed  other 
two.    But  he  that  had  received  o?ie,  went  and  digged  in  the  earth  and 

hid  his  lord's  money."  The  man  travelling  into  a  far  country  is 

the  Lord,  who  on  his  departure  from  the  world,  and  his  apparent  ab- 
sence or  distance  after  that  time,  is  described  as  taking  a  long  jour- 
ney. The  talents  given  to  the  different  servants  denote  all  the  knowl- 
edges of  truth  and  good  derived  from  the  AVord,  together  with  the 
faculty  of  perceiving  and  understanding  their  nature  and  use.  To 
trade  with  the  talents  is  to  acquire  intelligence,  wisdom  and  true 
spiritual  life  by  means  of  those  knowledges.  They  who,  from  some  or 
a  few  knowledges  acquire  much  intelligence  and  wisdom,  are  repre- 
sented by  the  servant  who  increased  his  five  talents  to  ten ;  the  number 
five  denoting  little  or  few,  and  the  number  ten  much.  And  they  who 
are  continually  endeavoring  to  form  in  themselves  the  conjunction  of 
good  and  truth,  or  of  charity  and  faith,  are  rejjresented  by  the  ser- 
vant who  of  two  talents  made  other  two ;  the  number  two  denoting 


THE  NUMBER  ONE. 


409 


a  state  of  spiritual  conjunction,  and  other  two,  making  together  Jour, 
the  same  thing  in  greater  fulness  and  perfection.  But  they  who  re- 
ceive the  knowledges  of  truth  and  good  in  the  memory  only,  and  make 
not  the  proper  use  of  them,  by  acquiring  through  their  means  states, 
of  intelligence,  wisdom  and  spiritual  life,  are  represented  by  the  ser- 
vant who  received  one  talent,  and  who  went  and  digged  in  the  eai-th 
and  hid  his  lord's  money  :  the  earth  here  denoting  the  memory  of  the 
natural  man,  and  digging  and  hiding  money  therein  the  unjust  ap- 
plication of  his  faculties  to  those  external  pursuits  which  are  grounded 
in  self-love  and  the  love  of  the  world. — See  Ap.  Ex.  193,  675.  A.  C. 
2967,  5291. 

(10.)  Mark  x.  21.  "  Jesus  beholding  him,  loved  him,  and  said  unto 
him  :  One  thing  thou  lackest :  go  thy  way,  sell  whatsoever  thou  hast, 
and  give  to  the  poor ;  and  thou  shalt  have  treasure  in  heaven ;  and 

come,  take  up  the  cross  and  follow  me."  The  one  thing  here  spoken 

of  as  lacking,  consisted  in  the  following  particulars,  viz.,  1.  That  he 
had  not  withdrawn  his  heart  from  the  love  of  riches :  2.  That  he  had 
not  endured  temptations,  and  so  resisted  or  fought  against  the  con- 
cupiscences of  evil :  and  3.  That  he  did  not  as  yet  acknowledge  the 
Lord  as  God  incarnate.  The  Lord  therefore  exhorted  him  to  sell 
what  he  had  and  give  to  the  poor,  that  is,  to  remove  from  his  mind 
the  inordinate  love  of  riches,  to  renounce  his  proprium,  together  with 
the  false  traditions  of  the  Jewish  church,  and  at  the  same  time  to  do 
the  M  orks  of  charity  ;  also  to  take  up  his  cross,  that  is,  to  resist  the 
evil  propensities  of  his  nature  by  enduring  temptations ;  and  lastly 
to  follow  the  Lord,  that  is,  to  acknowledge  and  worship  Him  as  the 
only  God  of  heaven  and  earth. — See  D.  Life,  66.  Ap.  Ex.  122,  893, 
934. 

(11.)  Luke  X.  41,  42.  "Jesus  answered  and  said  unto  her,  Martha, 
Martha,  thou  art  careful  and  troubled  about  many  things.  But  one 
thing  is  needful :  and  Mary  hath  chosen  that  good  part,  which  shall 

not  be  taken  away  from  her."  The  one  thing  needful  is  love  to  the 

Lord,  which  involves  every  other  good.  It  was  this  love,  accom- 
panied with  close  attention  to  the  words  of  Jesus,  for  which  Mary 
was  distinguished,  (see  ver.  39,)  and  which  is  called  that  good  part, 
which  shall  not  be  taken  away  from  her. 

(12.)  John  viii.  17,  18.  "  It  is  written  in  your  law,  that  the  testi- 
mony of  two  men  is  true.    I  am  [one]  that  bear  witness  of  myself,  and 

the  Father  that  sent  me  heareth  witness  of  me."  In  this  passage 

one  (though  not  literally  expressed  in  the  original)  is  yet  understood, 
35 


410 


A  KEF  TO  NUMBERS. 


and  predicated  of  divine  truth,  which  being  the  same  thing  as  spirit- 
ual light,  and  Jesus  being  himself  that  light  or  truth,  it  is  therefore 
said  that  He  bears  witness  of  himself ;  for  light  is  its  own  evidence. 
.And  as  divine  good  is  inseparable  from  divine  truth,  being  within  it 
as  its  very  life,  it  is  also  said  that  the  Father,  by  which  expression  is 
meant  divine  good  or  divine  love,  beareth  witness  of  Jesus :  "  for," 
says  He,  "  I  am  not  alone,  but  I  and  the  Father  that  sent  me,"  ver. 
16.  And  again  "  He  that  sent  me  is  with  me :  the  Father  hath  not 
left  me  alone,"  ver.  29.  It  is  observable  that,  though  Jesus,  in  the 
above  passage,  makes  a  comparison  between  the  testimony  of  two 
men,  and  that  of  himself  and  the  Father,  yet  He  does  not  give  us  to 
understand  that  the  Father  and  He  are  two  different  and  distinct 
persons,  like  two  men,  but  states,  first,  that  He  himself  is  one  that 
bears  witness,  and  then  (not  that  the  Father  is  another  that  bears 
witness  also,  as  might  perhaps  be  expected  by  those  who  regard  the 
Father  and  Son  as  two  distinct  persons,  but  simply)  that  the  Father 
who  sent  Him  likewise  bears  witness  of  Him ;  by  which  is  meant,  as 
already  explained,  the  united  testimony  of  divine  good  and  divine 
truth  to  the  high  character  which  our  Lord  had  just  before  given  of 
himself.  Nothing  is  more  common  in  the  Word,  than  for  two  or 
more  distinct  individuals  to  represent  the  different  essentials,  attri- 
butes and  offices  belonging  to  the  one  God ;  as  for  example,  Abra- 
ham, Isaac,  Jacob,  Moses,  Aaron,  Joshua,  Samuel,  David,  Solomon, 
etc. :  yet  who  would,  on  that  account,  infer  that  there  are  as  many 
divine  persons  in  the  Godhead  represented,  as  there  were  individual 
men,  patriarchs,  prophets,  priests,  and  kings,  representing  f  Surely 
no  one  can  thus  mistake  the  Sacred  Writings.  The  testimony  of 
two  men,  therefore,  which  is  cited  by  our  Lord  in  the  way  of  com- 
parison with  the  testimony  of  himself  and  the  Father,  or  what  is  the 
same  thing,  with  the  testimony  of  his  own  divine  truth  and  divine 
good,  ought  never  to  be  regarded  as  any  proof  of  there  being  two 
Divine  Persons  in  the  Godhead,  more  especially  as  He  is  careful  in 
the  comparison  to  omit  all  mention  of  any  other  Divine  Person  but 
himself  alone,  who  is  expressly  called  the  Everlasting  Father,  as  well 
as  the  Son,  in  Isa.  ix.  6.— See  A.  C.  -3704,  9503.    Ap.  Ex.  635. 

(13.)    John  x.  30.    "  I  and  my  Father  are  one."  Jesus,  who 

speaks,  is  the  Humanity  ;  his  Father  is  the  Divinity ;  and  these  are 
said  to  be  one,  comparatively  as  the  body  and  soul  of  a  man  are  one ; 
that  is,  one  in  life,  one  in  action,  consequently  one  in  essence  and  one 
in  person.    The  same  may  be  said  of  divine  wisdom  and  divine  love. 


THE  NUMBER  TWO. 


411 


or  divine  truth  and  divine  good :  though  they  are  distinguishable  the 
one  from  the  other,  and  capable  of  being  separately  contemplated, 
yet  in  operation,  end,  and  use,  they  are  perfectly  one. — See  A.  C. 
3704,  9315,  9818,  10053,  10125,  10579.  A.  R.  21.  D.  Love,  14  to 
16.    C.  L.  82,  118.    D.  Wis.  1. 

(14.)  John  xvii.  11,  21,  22.  "Holy  Father,  keep  through  thine 
own  name  those  whom  thou  hast  given  me,  that  they  may  be  one,  as 
we  are.  .  .  .  That  they  all  may  be  one,  as  thou,  Father,  art  in  me, 
and  I  in  thee ;  that  they  also  may  be  one  in  us :  'that  the  world  may 
believe,  that  thou  hast  sent  me.  And  the  glory  which  thou  gavest 
me,  I  have  given  them  ;  that  they  may  be  one,  even  as  we  are  one." 
 Two  kinds  of  union  or  oneness  are  here  spoken  of ;  that  subsist- 
ing between  the  Father  and  the  Son,  and  that  between  the  Lord  and 
man.  The  former  is,  in  the  strictest  sense  of  the  word,  what  it  im- 
ports to  be,  a  nnion  of  the  Divine  and  Human  essence  in  one  person 
or  form.  The  latter  may  properly  be  termed  conjunction,  because  it 
is  a  relation  opened  and  afterwards  subsisting  between  the  Creator 
and  the  creature,  or  between  what  is  infinite  and  whal  is  finite,  which 
can  never  be  identified  as  absolutely  one :  whereas  in  the  former  case 
the  union  is  most  perfect,  there  being  nothing  of  the  Divinity  but 
what  is  at  the  same  time  Human,  and  nothing  of  the  Humanity  but 
what  is  at  the  same  time  Divine,  each  infinite,  and  both  one. — See 
A.  C.  1013,  2034,  2803,  10067. 

Two. 

The  number  hvo  belongs  to  the  celestial  class  of  expressions,  being 
predicated  of  goods  or  evils,  and  denotes  all  good  or  evil  in  the  com- 
plex.—A.  C.  10624.    Ap.  Ex.  430.    A.  R.  322. 

It  also  signifies  union,  conjunction,  or  the  heavenly  marriage  of 
good  and  truth,  or  of  charity  and  faith.— A.  C.  5194,  5291, 5893, 8423. 
Ap.  Ex.  430.   A.  R.  322. 

Conjunction  in  general,  proved  from  all  parts  of  the  human  frame. 
— C.  L.  316. 

All  and  singular  things  in  conjunction,  consequently  what  is  full. 
—A.  C.  9037,  9166,  9529. 
What  is  perfect.— A.  C.  9861. 

What  is  successive,  or  another  in  succession. — A.  C.  5623. 
All  things  as  to  good. — A.  R.  322. 

Good  and  truth  from  the  Lord,  also  from  self. — A.  C.  9942. 

The  same  in  relation  to  three,  as  siv  are  to  seven,  viz.,  labor,  combat, 


412 


A  KEY  TO  NUMBERS. 


and  dispersion  of  Avhat  is  evil  and  false ;  sometimes  also  what  is  pro- 
fane.— A.  C.  720,  900.  But  when  contrasted  with  three  or  seven  as 
a  holy  number,  it  denotes  what  is  relatively  profane. — lb.  720. 

Duplication,  or  a  number  doubled,  has  the  same  signification  as  the 
simple  number  from  Avhich  it  arises. — A.  C.  5291.  It  also  denotes 
extension,  communication,  and  influx. — A.  C.  9622.  Likewise  much. 
— A.  R.  762.    Two  and  two  or  pairs.— A.  C.  747. 

EXAMPLES. 

(1.)  Gen.  vii.  2.  "Of  every  clean  beast  thou  shalt  take  to  thee 
by  sevens,  the  male  and  his  female :  and  of  beasts  that  are  not  clean 
by  tivos,  the  male  and  his  female."  By  every  clean  beast  are  sig- 
nified the  affections  of  good  in  man  :  and  their  being  taken  into  the 
ark  by  sevens,  denotes  a  state  of  holiness,  such  being  the  signification 
of  the  number  seven.  The  male  and  his  female  denote  the  conjunc- 
tion of  truths  with  goods.  By  the  unclean  beasts  are  signified  evil 
affections :  and  their  going  by  pairs  or  by  twos  into  the  ark,  denotes 
a  state  of  relative  profanation :  for  the  number  two,  when  the  subject 
treated  of  is  the  state  before  regeneration,  bears  the  same  relation  to 
three,  as  six  days  of  labor  do  to  the  seventh  of  rest,  and  consequently 
signifies  a  state  respectively  unholy  or  profime.  The  male  and  female 
of  unclean  beasts  denote  the  conjunction  of  falsities  with  evils. — See 
A.  C.  713  to  721. 

(2.)  Ex.  xxxiv.  1.  "And  Jehovah  said  unto  Moses,  Hew  thee 
two  tables  of  stone  like  unto  the  first ;  and  I  will  write  upon  these 
tables  the  words  that  were  in  the  first  tables,  which  thou  brakest." 

 The  reason  why  the  ten  commandments  were  written  on  two 

tables  was,  because  the  number  two  denotes  conjunction  in  general, 
and  the  two  tables  of  the  law  denoted  conjunction  with  the  Lord. 
Hence  they  are  called  tables  of  the  covenant  between  the  Lord  and 
man,  Deut.  ix.  9 ;  hence  also  the  ark,  into  which  the  tables  were  put, 
is  called  the  ark  of  the  covenant,  Jo.«h.  iii.  11.— See  T.  C.  R.  285,  287. 

(3.)  2  Kings  ii.  23,  24.  "And  he  went  up  from  thence  to  Bethel : 
and  as  he  was  going  up  by  the  way,  there  came  forth  little  children 
out  of  the  city  and  mocked  him,  and  said  unto  him.  Go  up,  thou 
bald-head,  go  up,  thou  bald-head.  And  he  turned  back  and  looked 
on  them,  and  cursed  them  in  the  name  of  Jehovah :  and  there  came 
forth  tivo  she-bears  out  of  the  wood,  and  tare  forty  and  two  children 

of  them."  The  reason  why  the  children  were  cursed  by  Elisha, 

and  afterwards  torn  in  pieces  by  tivo  she-bears  merely  on  account  of 


THE  NUMBER  TWO. 


413 


their  calling  him  bald-head,  cannot  be  understood  without  first  know- 
ing what  Elisha  represented,  and  what  is  signified  by  baldness,  and 
what  by  boars.  That  it  could  not  be  the  wish  of  Elisha  that  such 
an  ininiodcrate  punishment  should  be  inflicted  on  a  number  of  little 
children  for  so  trifling  a  cause  as  that  of  calling  him  bald-head,  must 
be  plain  to  every  intelligent  reader  ;  for  who  that  has  the  least  spark 
of  humanity  in  his  breast,  could  be  so  cruel  and  unjust?  The  con- 
duct of  the  children  in  taunting  and  reproaching  the  prophet,  Avas 
indeed  a  crime,  but  surely  not  of  so  atrocious  a  character  as  to  re- 
quire the  punishment  of  death,  and  in  a  manner  the  most  revolting 
to  our  feelings.  But  the  church  being  at  that  time  a  representative 
church,  it  was  permitted  by  the  Divine  Providence  that  such  an 
event  should  take  place,  for  the  purpose  of  holding  up  to  view  the 
dangerous  consequences  of  vilifying,  reprobating  or  despising  the 
Lord  and  his  Word.  For  Elisha  as  a  prophet  represented  the  Lord 
as  to  the  Word,  and  consequently  the  Word  itself  By  calling  him 
bald-head,  was  signified  to  deprive  the  Word  of  its  natural  or  literal 
sense,  as  they  do  who  reject  it  as  a  thing  of  no  account,  who  also  de- 
spise its  plain  style,  and  think,  if  it  contain  divine  truth,  that  it  might 
have  been  expressed  in  more  elegant  and  intelligible  language.  By 
bears  out  of  the  wood  was  signified  the  power  of  the  Word  arising 
out  of  its  literal  sense ;  also  they  who  exercise  such  power,  whether 
they  be  good  or  evil,  especially  such  as  separate  the  external  from  its 
internal  sense :  the  bears  are  said  to  be  she-bears,  because  the  female 
among  animals  denotes  aflfection ;  hence  the  she-bear  denotes  the 
affection  of  natural  truth,  as  well  as  its  power.  And  by  the  forty- 
two  children  or  boys  who  were  torn  by  the  bears,  were  signified  all 
Avho  blaspheme  or  despise  the  Word  on  account  of  its  natural  sense 
being  such  as  it  is,  together  with  the  punishment  which  they  un- 
avoidably bring  upon  themselves  in  another  life.  The  reason  why 
hvo  bears  were  concerned  in  the  destruction  of  the  children  was,  be- 
cause that  number  involves  a  full  state  either  of  good  or  evil  accord- 
ing to  the  nature  of  the  subject,  in  the  present  case  a  full  state  of 
evil,  or  what  is  the  same  thing,  the  conjunction  of  evil  and  falsehood, 
and  the  full  punishment  thereof — See  Ap.  Ex.  781,  1086.  A.  C. 
3301.    A.  K.  47,  575. 

(4.)  Isa.  xvii.  6.  "  Yet  gleaning  grapes  shall  be  left  in  it,  as  the 
shaking  of  an  olive-tree,  two  three  berries  in  the  top  of  the  uppermost 
bough,  four  five  in  the  outmost  fruitful  branches  thereof,  saith  Jeho- 
vah the  God  of  Israel."  The  prophet  here  treats  of  the  vastation 

35* 


414 


A  KEY  TO  NUMBERS. 


of  the  church,  and  speaks  of  the  few  remaining  who  are  in  good  and 
truth.  A  comjjarison  is  made  with  the  shaking  of  an  olive-tree,  be- 
cause by  an  olive-tree  is  signified  the  church  in  respect  to  the  good 
of  love,  and  by  its  branches  the  truths  thence  derived.  Two  three 
signify  a  few  who  are  in  good  and  thence  in  truths ;  two  denote  good, 
and  three  truths.  Four  five  signify  a  few  who  are  in  good ;  four 
good,  and  five  a  few.  The  olive-tree  is  described  as  being  fruitful, 
to  denote  those  in  the  church  who  are  in  the  good  of  life.  Such  be- 
ing the  signification  of  the  different  numbers  here  mentioned,  they 
are  therefore  said  to  be  two  three,  and  four  jive,  not  two  or  three,  and 
four  or  five.— See  Ap.  Ex.  532.    A.  C.  649. 

(5.)    Amos  iy.  8.    "  So  two  three  cities  wandered  unto  one  city, 

to  drink  water ;  but  they  were  not  satisfied."  The  subject  treated 

of  in  this  passage  is  the  defect  of  genuine  truth  at  the  end  of  the 
church,  when  they  who  desire  to  obtain  it  from  spiritual  affection, 
cannot  discover  it  in  the  various  systems  of  doctrine,  which  are  then 
generally  taught.  Tico  three  cities  denote  all  who  are  in  the  affec- 
tion or  love  of  truth  from  good :  a  city  is  the  truth  of  doctrine :  to 
drink  water,  is  to  learn  truths ;  to  wander  from  one  city  to  another, 
is  to  make  inquiry  concerning  the  different  doctrines :  and  to  receive 
no  satisfaction,  is  to  be  unable  to  discover  genuine  truth  in  any  of 
them.— See  Ap.  Ex.  532. 

(6.)  Zech.  iv.  2,  3,  11,  12,  14.  "And  the  angel  said  unto  me, 
What  seest  thou  ?  And  I  said,  I  have  looked,  and  behold,  a  candle- 
stick all  of  gold,  with  a  bowl  upon  the  top  of  it,  and  his  seven  lamps 
thereon,  and  seven  pipes  to  the  seven  lamps,  which  were  upon  the 
top  thereof :  and  tivo  olive-trees  by  it,  one  ujjon  the  right  side  of  the 
bowl,  and  the  other  upon  the  left  side  thereof.  Then  I  said  unto 
him.  What  are  these  two  olive-trees  upon  the  right  side  of  the  candle- 
stick, and  upon  the  left  side  thereof?  And  I  again  said  unto  him, 
What  be  these  two  olive-branches  which  through  the  two  golden  pipes 
empty  the  golden  oil  out  of  themselves?  Then  said  he,  These  are 
the  tivo  anointed  ones  that  stand  by  the  Lord  of  the  whole  earth." 

 The  golden  candlestick,  with  the  seven  lamps,  etc.,  denotes  the 

New  Church,  which  will  be  in  illustration  by  virtue  of  truth  derived 
from  the  good  of  love.  The  tivo  olive-trees,  the  two  olive-branches, 
and  the  two  golden  pipes,  denote  the  good  of  love  to  the  Lord  and  of 
charity  to  the  neighbor,  together  with  the  truths  derived  therefrom  ; 
the  olive-tree  on  the  right  being  love  to  the  Lord ;  and  that  on  the 
left,  charity  to  the  neighbor :  and  as  these  are  wholly  derived  from 


THE  NUMBER  TWO. 


415 


the  Tiord,  who  is  the  only  God  of  the  church,  they  are  therefore  de- 
scribed as  "  the  two  anointed  ones  that  stand  by  or  before  the  Lord 
of  the  \Yhole  earth."— See  A.  R.  43.  Ap.  Ex.  375,  638.  A.  C. 
9780. 

(7.)  Matt.  ii.  16.  "  Then  Herod,  when  he  saw  that  he  was  mocked 
of  the  wise-men,  was  exceeding  wroth,  and  sent  forth,  and  slew  all 
the  children  that  were  in  Bethlehem,  and  in  all  the  coasts  thereof, 
from  two  years  old  and  under,  according  to  the  time  which  he  had 

diligently  inquired  of  the  wise-men."  According  to  the  natural 

sense  of  the  historical  transaction  related  in  this  chapter,  it  appears 
that  wise-men  from  the  east  came  to  Jerusalem  about  the  time  of  the 
birth  of  our  Lord,  inquiring,  "  Where  is  he  that  is  born  King  of  the 
Jews  ?  For  we  have  seen  his  star  in  the  east,  and  are  come  to  wor- 
ship him."  Herod,  the  reigning  king,  being  informed  of  this  circum- 
stance, and  entertaining  no  other  idea  of  a  King  than  that  of  an 
earthly  prince  or  ruler,  feared  lest  himself  and  his  family  might  be 
superseded  in  the  government  of  Judea  by  the  newly-born  child. 
To  make  sure,  therefore,  of  his  destruction,  he  issued  an  order  that 
all  the  children  under  his  jurisdiction  of  two  years  old  and  under, 
should  be  immediately  put  to  death.  But  the  design  of  Herod  being 
previously  known  to  Infinite  Wisdom,  the  new-born  King  of  the 
Jews  was  by  divine  appointment  removed  to  the  land  of  Egypt, 
where  he  continued  till  the  death  of  the  tyrant.  Thus  the  jealousy 
and  cruelty  of  Herod  on  the  one  part,  and  the  divine  providence 
and  protection  on  the  other,  are  ftilly  exemplified  in  the  facts  his- 
torically described.  But  if  the  same  transactions  and  circumstances 
be  viewed  according  to  their  spiritual  purport,  it  will  then  be  seen 
that  when  the  Lord  came  into  the  world,  all  spiritual  truth,  all  inno- 
cence, charity  and  heavenly  aflfection,  represented  by  the  children, 
were  extinguished  and  destroyed  in  the  church,  as  well  as  in  the 
world  at  large ;  for  this  is  Avhat  was  spiritually  signified  by  Herod's 
destroying  the  children  of  ttvo  years  old  and  under.  And  as,  not- 
withstanding all  the  efforts  of  Herod,  or  the  powers  of  darkness  rep- 
resented by  him,  the  young  child  Jesus  was  still,  by  the  divine  inter- 
position, miraculously  preserved,  so  we  are  instructed  by  this  example 
of  a  wise  and  merciful  Providence,  that  a  ncAV  church  on  earth  was 
to  be  established  by  the  Lord,  now  incarnate,  who  is  himself  the  sole 
Fountain  of  all  spiritual  truth,  innocence,  charity  and  heavenly  affec- 
tion. Hence  it  is  written  in  the  prophecy  of  Jeremiah,  in  reference 
to  this  very  event :  "  Thus  saith  Jehovah,  A  voice  w'as  heard  in  Ea- 


416 


A  KEY  TO  NUMBERS. 


mall,  lamentation  and  bitter  weeping ;  Eachel  weeping  for  her  chil- 
dren, refused  to  be  comforted  for  her  children,  because  they  were 
not.  Thus  saith  Jehovah,  Refrain  thy  voice  from  weeping,  and  thine 
eyes  from  tears:  for  thy  work  shall  be  rewarded,  saith  Jehovah,  and 
they  shall  come  again  from  the  land  of  the  enemy.  And  there  is  hope 
in  thine  end,  saith  Jehovah,  that  thy  children  shall  come  again  to  their 
own  border."  Jer.  xxxi.  15  to  17.  By  Rachel  was  represented  the 
spiritual  internal  church,  and  by  her  children  truths  derived  from 
a  spiritual  origin.  By  her  weeping,  and  refusing  to  be  comforted 
for  her  children,  because  they  were  not,  is  signified  that  no  spiritual 
truth  was  left  remaining.  By  the  exhortation  to  refrain  from  weep- 
ing, and  from  tears,  and  the  promise  that  her  Avork  should  be  re- 
warded, is  signified  that  there  would  be  no  more  grief  on  that  ac- 
count, because  the  Lord  was  born,  from  whom  would  be  derived  a 
new  church,  which  Avould  be  in  truths  from  spiritual  affection :  her 
Avork  or  labor  alludes  to  the  combat  of  the  Lord  against  the  infernal 
powers,  and  his  victory  over  them,  for  the  purpose  of  establishing 
his  church  :  and  her  reward  is  heavenly  happiness.  By  the  children 
coming  again  from  the  land  of  the  enemy  to  their  own  border,  and 
by  hope  in  the  end,  is  signified  the  establishment  of  a  new  church  in 
the  room  of  that  which  had  perished :  to  come  again  from  the  land 
of  the  enemy,  is  to  be  led  out  of  an  infernal  state :  hope  in  the  end, 
denotes  the  commencement  of  a  new  church  at  the  expiration  of  the 
old  :  and  the  return  of  the  children  to  their  own  border,  is  the  recep- 
tion of  spiritual  truths  by  those  Avho  shall  become  members  of  that 
new  church. — From  this  view  of  the  subject,  it  appears  that  the  num- 
ber two  is  predicated  of  the  conjunction  of  truth  with  good,  or  of 
faith  with  charity  ;  and  that  two  years  and  binder,  being  the  age  of 
the  children  destroyed,  imi)ly  a  want  of  conjunction  in  those  things 
which  are  constituent  of  a  church,  and  their  consequent  extinction 
in  the  human  mind.— See  Ap.  Ex.  695.    T.  C.  R.  205. 

(8.)  Matt.  X.  9, 10.  "Provide  neither  gold,  nor  silver,  nor  brass 
in  your  pui'ses ;  nor  scrip  for  your  journey,  neither  tivo  coats,  neither 

shoes,  nor  yet  staves:  for  the  workman  is  worthy  of  his  meat."  

When  the  Lord  sent  forth  his  twelve  disciples  to  preach  the  kingdom 
of  God,  He  gave  them  this  command,  thereby  instructing  them  that 
they  ought  not  to  possess  or  cherish  any  good  and  truth  derived  from 
themselves,  but  solely  that  which  is  derived  from  the  Lord.  By 
gold,  silver,  brass  in  the  punse,  and  a  scrip,  are  signified  various 
kinds  of  good  and  truth  derived  from  self,  and  not  from  tlic  Lord. 


THE  NUMBER  TWO. 


417 


By  two  coats,  two  pair  of  slices,  autl  two  staves,  are  signified  truths  of 
different  orders,  internal  and  external,  and  their  powers  both  from 
the  Lord  and  from  self;  wliich  mixture  of  things  from  the  Lord  and 
of  things  from  man,  being  a  species  of  profanation,  and  destructive 
of  spiritual  life,  was  therefore  prohibited  by  him.  But  the  disciples 
were  allowed  to  take  one  coat,  one  pair  of  shoes,  and  one  staff,  as 
appears  from  Mark  vi.  8,  9 ;  Luke  ix.  3 ;  by  which  was  signified, 
that  all  must  be  derived  from  the  Lord  alone,  who  would  bestow 
every  necessary  blessing  upon  them  gratuitously. — See  A.  C.  4677, 
9942    Ap.  Ex.  242. 

(9.)  Matt,  xviii.  19,  20.  "  I  say  unto  you,  that  if  two  of  you  shall 
agree  on  earth,  as  touching  any  thing  that  they  shall  ask,  it  shall  be 
done  for  them  of  my  Father  wh<)  is  in  heaven.  For  where  two  or 
three  are  gathered  together  in  my  name,  there  am  I  in  the  midst  of 

them."  In  this  passage  two  is  predicated  of  good,  and  three  of 

truth,  not  in  relation  to  two  or  three  persons  only,  but  abstractly  and 
universally :  hence  by  the  tivo  first  mentioned  are  denoted  all  who 
are  in  good,  and  by  the  two  or  three  afterwards  mentioned,  all  who 
are  in  truth  derived  from  good.  By  two  or  three  being  gathered  to- 
gether is  signified  the  conjunction  of  good  and  truth,  or  of  charity 
and  faith,  in  one  mind  :  and  as  all  good  and  truth  are  derived  from 
the  Lord,  and  may  be  considered  as  manifestations  of  his  presence, 
it  is  therefore  said  of  these  tivo  principles  of  the  heavenly  life,  that 
the  Lord  is  "  in  the  midst  of  them." — See  Ap.  Ex.  411,  532. 

(10.)  Luke  X.  35.  "  And  on  the  morrow,  when  he  departed,  he 
took  out  tivo  pence,  and  gave  them  to  the  host,  and  said  unto  him : 
Take  care  of  him ;  and  whatsoever  thou  spendest  more,  when  I  come 

again,  I  will  repay  thee."  The  whole  parable  of  the  man  who  fell 

among  thieves,  is  a  description,  first,  of  those  who  profess  to  be  of 
the  church,  like  the  priest  and  Levite,  and  yet  neglect  to  perform 
works  of  charity ;  and,  secondly,  of  those  who  make  no  such  pro- 
fession, like  the  Samaritan,  and  yet  love  the  truth,  and  are  desirous 
of  helping  and  benefiting  their  neighbor  to  the  utmost  of  their 
ability.  The  man  who  had  been  stripped  and  wounded  and  nearly 
killed  by  thieves,  represents  all  such  as  had  been  deprived  of  truths 
and  infested  with  false  doctrines  by  the  diflferent  teachers  in  the 
Jewish  or  perverted  church,  so  that  their  spiritual  life  was  nearly 
extinguished.  By  the  Samaritan's  binding  up  his  wounds,  pouring 
in  oil  and  wine,  setting  him  on  his  own  beast,  bringing  him  to  an  inn, 
and  taking  care  of  him,  is  signified  an  endeavor  on  the  part  of  those 

2B 


418 


A  KEF  TO  NUMBERS. 


who  are  in  states  of  charity  to  their  neighbor,  to  relieve  him  in  every 
possible  way,  by  kindness,  iastruction,  or  otherwise.  And  by  his 
giving  two  pence  to  the  master  of  the  inn,  on  his  departure,  and 
recommending  him  to  his  care,  as  to  one  better  instructed,  and  more 
able  to  supply  his  wants,  than  himself,  are  signified  all  things  belong- 
ing to  charity  in  general,  which  are  in  the  power  of  those  represented 
by  the  Samaritan.  From  this  brief  explanation  of  the  above  parable, 
it  appears  that  the  number  tivo  is  predicated  of  the  good  of  love  and 
charity ;  and  that  two  pence,  being  a  sum  of  small  value,  and  charac- 
teristic of  the  scanty  knowledrje  of  the  gentiles,  further  imply  that 
such  charity  was  exercised  according  to  the  best  of  their  judgment, 
knowledge  or  understanding. — See  Ap.  Ex.  375,  376,  444.  A.  C. 
9057. 

(11.)  Luke  xxi.  1  to  4  "And  he  looked  up,  and  saw  the  rich 
men  casting  their  gifts  into  the  treasury.  And  he  also  saw  a  certain 
poor  widow  casting  in  thither  two  mites.  And  he  said,  Of  a  truth  I 
say  unto  you,  that  this  poor  widow  hath  cast  in  more  than  they  all. 
For  all  these  have  of  their  abundance  cast  in  unto  the  offerings  of 
God  :  but  she  of  her  penury  hath  cast  in  all  the  living  that  she  had." 

 In  this  passage  the  two  mites  evidently  denote  all  things  of 

charity  and  faith  in  conjunction,  and  consequently  in  their  fulness: 
for  it  is  said  of  the  poor  widow,  who  made  an  ofiering  of  them,  that 
she  gave  more  than  all  the  rich  men  had  given,  even  all  the  living  that 
she  had.— See  T.  C.  R.  459. 

(12.)  Apoc.  xi.  3,  4.  "And  I  will  give  power  unto  my  two  wit- 
nesses, and  they  shall  prophesy  a  thousand  two  hundred  and  three- 
score days,  clothed  in  sackcloth.    These  are  the  two  olive-trees  and 

the  tivo  candlesticks  standing  before  the  God  of  the  earth."  The 

two  witnesses  here  spoken  of  are  the  two  essentials  of  the  New  Church ; 
the  first  of  which  is,  that  the  Lord  is  the  God  of  heaven  and  earth, 
and  that  his  Humanity  is  Divine;  the  second  is,  that  conjunction 
with  the  Lord  is  effected  by  a  life  according  to  the  precepts  of  the 
decalogue:  and  these  two  witnesses  are  said  to  be  clothed  in  sack- 
cloth, because  heretofore  these  two  great  essentials  of  love  and  wisdom, 
good  and  truth,  charity  and  faith,  have  not  been  received  and  ac- 
knowledged in  the  church.  The  same  are  also  described  as  tivo  olive- 
trees  and  two  candlesticks  standing  before  the  God  of  the  earth  ;  the 
tivo  olive-trees  being  love  and  wisdom,  and  the  tivo  candlesticks  being 
charity  and  faith,  both  derived  from  the  Lord.  The  reason  why  the 
two  witnesses  are  called  two  olive-trees  and  two  candlesticks,  which 


TIIK  NUMBER  THREE. 


419 


yet  are/o?fr  in  number,  is  because  two,  as  well  as  /o!^*,  signify  conjunc- 
tion, and  hence  one  thing  in  the  church.  This  conjunction  of  good 
and  truth  into  one  is  called  the  heavenly  marriage,  which  constitutes 
the  very  essence,  life  and  perfection  both  of  heaven  and  the  church. 
—See  A.  R.  490  to  493.    Ap.  Ex.  375,  635  to  639.    A.  C.  9780. 

Three. 

The  number  three  belongs  to  the  spiritual  class  of  expressions, 
being  predicated  of  truths  or  falsities,  and  denotes  all  truth  or  falsity 
in  the  complex.— A.  C.  10624.  A.  R.  315,  348,  400.  Ap.  Ex.  194, 
430,  532. 

It  also  signifies  fulness  in  regard  to  any  subject. — A.  C.  10127.  Ap. 
Ex.  430. 

An  entire  period  from  first  to  last,  consequently  what  is  continuous 
or  successive.— A.  C.  2788,  5122,  5144.    Ap.  Ex.  532. 

What  is  fiill  and  complete  from  beginning  to  end. — A.  C.  4010, 
5122,  4495.    T.  C.  R.  210,  211,  387.   A.  R.  505.  Ap.  Ex.  430,  532. 

What  is  perfect — because  in  all  nature  and  in  man  himself  there 
prevails  a  successive  order,  as  end,  cause  and  efiect. — A.  C.  9864, 
9825.    D.  L.  W.  296,  297. 

What  is  holy  and  inviolable,  like  the  number  seven.  A.  C.  482. — 
But  is  frequently  predicated  of  things  not  holy. — A.  R.  505. 

The  resurrection  of  the  Lord. — A.  C.  901. 

A  full  state  of  the  church  from  beginning  to  end,  also  the  last 
state.— A.  C.  1825. 

A  new  state  after  the  end. — A.  C.  5123. 

The  last  and  at  the  same  time  the  first,  or  the  end  and  at  the  same 
time  the  beginning. — A.  C.  4901. 

A  third  part,  in  like  manner  as  the  number  three,  denotes  all, 
especially  in  reference  to  truth. — A.  R.  322,  400,  541.  Sometimes 
what  is  not  yet  full  and  complete. — A.  C.  2788,  5159. 

The  third  day,  like  the  seventh,  involves  what  is  holy,  and  this  by 
reason  of  the  resurrection  of  the  Lord  on  the  third  day :  it  denotes 
also  the  coming  of  the  Lord  into  the  w'orld,  and  to  glory,  likewise 
every  coming  of  the  Lord  to  man.— A.  C.  720,  728,  901,  2788. 

Triangular  forms  represent  things  true  and  right,  as  jour-square 
forms  represent  things  good  and  just,  and  round  forms,  things  good 
in  general,  especially  of  the  external  man,  or  in  the  lowest  degree. 
—A.  C.  8458,  9717,  9861.    A.  R.  905. 


420 


A  KEY  TO  NUMBERS. 


EXAJIPLES. 

(1.)  Gen.  xviii.  6.  "And  Abraham  hastened  into  the  tent  unto 
Sarah,  and  said :  Make  ready  quickly  three  measures  of  fine  meal, 

knead  it,  and  make  cakes  upon  the  hearth."  By  the  three  men  or 

three  angels,  who  came  unto  Abraham,  were  represented  the  three 
essentials  belonging  to  the  Lord,  viz.,  the  Essential  Divine,  the  Divine 
Human  and  the  Holy  Proceeding.  By  making  ready  three  measures 
of  fine  meal,  is  signified  preparation  for  conjunction :  fine  meal  sig- 
nifies the  celestial  and  spiritual  principles  of  love :  and  three  measures 
thereof  denote  not  only  a  full  state,  but  also  what  is  holy. — See  A. 
C.  2170  to  2177. 

(2.)  Ex.  xix.  11,  12.  "And  Jehovah  said  unto  Moses,  Go  unto 
the  people,  and  sanctify  them  to-day  and  to-morrow,  and  let  them 
Avash  their  clothes,  and  be  ready  against  the  third  day;  for  the  third 
day  Jehovah  will  come  down  in  the  sight  of  all  the  people,  upon 

mount  Sinai."  The  descent  of  Jehovah  in  an  external  appearance 

before  the  eyes  Of  the  Israelites,  signified  the  coming  of  the  Lord, 
and  illummation  of  the  understanding  by  an  influx  of  divine  wisdom 
from  Him :  hence  by  their  sanctifying  themselves,  washing  their  clothes, 
and  making  ready  against  the  third  day,  is  evidently  denoted  a  full 
state  of  preparation  to  receive  Him.  With  the  Israelites  who  only 
represented  a  church,  and  were  not  a  real  church,  this  prejjaration 
consisted  in  putting  on  an  extraordinary  appearance  of  sanctity  and 
purity  in  externals,  while  their  internals  were  closed  against  the  influ- 
ences of  heaven.  But  with  a  member  of  the  real  church,  it  is  efl!ected 
by  deep  repentance  and  humiliation  both  of  heart  and  life. — See  A. 
C.  8788  to  8793. 

(3.)  Ex.  xxiii.  14,  17;  Dcut.  xvi.  16.  "T/iree  times  thou  shalt 
keep  a  feast  unto  me  in  the  year.    Three  times  in  the  year  all  thy 

males  shall  appear  before  the  Lord  Jehovah."  Feasts  in  ancient 

times  were  instituted  in  commemoration  of  man's  deliverance  from 
his  spiritual  enemies,  and  his  consequent  regeneration,  which  was 
effected  by  the  coming  of  the  Lord  into  the  world.  They  therefore 
signified  worship  from  a  cheerful  and  grateful  heart.  In  the  Israel- 
itish  church  they  were  appointed  to  be  held  three  times  in  a  year,  to 
denote  the  continual  and  j)erpetiial  worship  of  the  Lord  ;  a  year  being 
expressive  of  an  entire  period,  and  the  number  three  signifying  what 
is  full  or  complete  from  beginning  to  end,  thus  full  and  perfect 
deliverance  from  a  state  of  dauuiatiou,  and  at  the  same  time  purifi- 


THE  NUMBER  THREE. 


421 


cation  from  falsities,  the  implantation  of  truth  and  good,  and  finally 
regeneration.  The  first  feast,  which  was  the  feast  of  unleavened 
bread,  called  also  the  feast  of  the  passover,  signified  purification 
from  falsities :  the  second,  which  was  the  feast  of  harvest  or  of  the 
first-fruits  of  labor,  called  also  the  feast  of  weeks,  signified  the  im- 
plantation of  truth  in  good :  and  the  third,  which  was  the  feast  of 
ingathering,  called  also  the  feast  of  tabernacles,  signified  the  implanta- 
tion of  good  itself,  when  man  no  longer  acts  from  a  dictate  of  truth, 
but  from  the  pure  aflTection  and  delight  of  love,  that  is,  of  charity. 
This  latter  is  the  new  heavenly  life  communicated  by  the  Lord  to 
man  through  the  previous  process  of  regeneration.  By  every  male 
appearing  three  times  in  the  year  before  the  Lord  Jehovah,  is  signi- 
fied the  continual  presence  of  the  Lord  with  man  in  the  truths  of 
faith :  and  this  presence  of  the  Lord  is  effected,  in  proportion  as 
man  lives  according  to  the  precepts  of  divine  truth,  under  the  influ- 
ence of  love,  charity  and  the  good  of  innocence,  these  constituting 
the  habitation  of  the  Lord  in  the  human  mind. — See  A.  C.  7093, 
9286  to  9297. 

(4.)  Hosea  vi.  2.   "  Afler  two  days  will  He  revive  us,  in  the  third 

day  He  will  raise  us  up,  and  we  shall  live  in  his  sight."  The  third 

day,  in  allusion  to  the  coming  of  the  Lord  and  his  resurrection  from 
the  dead,  denotes  an  entire  period  from  beginning  to  end,  also  the 
communication  of  si^iritual  life  to  man  by  regeneration,  and  at  the 
same  time  a  state  of  holiness,  while  the  two  preceding  days  denote  a 
previous  state  of  impurity.— See  A.  C.  720,  2788,  4495,  5890.  Ap. 
Ex.  532. 

(5.)  Amos  i.  3,  6,  9,  11,  13.  "Thus  saith  Jehovah,  For  three 
transgressions,  and  for  four,  I  will  not  turn  away  the  punishment 

thereof."  By  three  and  four  transgressions  are  not  meant  so  many 

in  number,  according  to  the  natural  or  obvious  signification  of  the 
terms,  but  by  three  is  meant  every  transgression  of  the  divine  law 
from  a  principle  of  falsity,  and  by  four  every  transgression  from  a 
principle  of  evil.  The  number  three,  in  a  good  sense,  is  predicated  of 
truth,  and  in  an  opposite  sense,  of  what  is  false,  in  each  case  involving 
an  idea  of  what  is  full  and  complete.  In  like  manner  the  number 
foxir  is  predicated  either  of  what  is  good  or  of  what  is  evil,  and  at  the 
same  time  involves  the  conjunction  of  good  with  truth,  or  of  evil  with 
falsity. — See  Ap.  Ex.  532. 

(6.)  Zech.  xiii.  8,  9.  "  And  it  shall  come  to  pass  that  in  all  the 
land,  saith  Jehovah,  two  parts  therein  shall  be  cut  oflf  and  die,  but 
36 


422 


A  KEY  TO  NUMBERS. 


the  third  shall  be  left  therein.  And  I  w  ill  bring  the  third  part 
through  the  fire,  and  will  refine  them  as  silver  is  refined,  and  will  try 

them  as  gold  is  tried."  By  all  the  land,  or  the  whole  earth,  is 

meant  the  whole  church  :  by  two  parts  therein  being  cut  off,  is  meant 
that  all  good  would  perish :  by  a  third  pai-t  berag  left,  is  meant  that 
something  of  truth  would  remain,  but  scarce  any  thing  of  a  genuine 
character  :  and  by  bringing  a  third  part  through  the  fire,  refining  and 
trying  them  as  silver  and  gold,  is  meant  purification  from  falsities 
and  evils,  for  the  purpose  of  implanting  in  their  stead  genuine  good 
and  truth.  Two  parts  are  predicated  of  good,  and  a  third  part  of 
truth.— See  Ap.  Ex.  242,  532. 

(7.)  Matt.  xiii.  33.  "  The  kingdom  of  heaven  is  like  unto  leaven, 
which  a  woman  took  and  hid  in  three  measures  of  meal,  till  the  whole 

was  leavened."  By  the  woman  here  mentioned  is  signified  the  church 

as  to  its  affection  or  love  of  divine  truth,  whether  existing  in  a  society 
or  in  an  individual.  By  leaven  is  meant  the  false  principle  opposing 
the  truth,  (called  also  by  our  Lord  the  leaven  of  the  Pharisees,  and 
of  the  Sadducees,  Matt.  xvi.  6,  11,  12,)  which  produces  a  kind  of 
spiritual  fermentation  in  the  mind,  and  is  permitted  to  take  place  for 
the  sake  of  man's  purification.  Of  this  nature  are  temptations,  with- 
out which  man's  regeneration  cannot  be  advanced  :  it  is  therefore  said 
that  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  like  unto  such  leaven.  By  the  three 
measures  of  meal  are  meant  all  the  principles  of  truth  and  good  hith- 
erto received  by  man  from  the  Lord  :  and  by  the  woman's  hiding  the 
leaven  therein,  until  the  whole  was  leavened,  is  signified  that  man's 
whole  spiritual  life  is  affected,  renovated  and  purified,  by  means  of 
the  various  temptations  through  which  he  passes. — See  A.  C.  7906. 
Ap.  Ex.  532. 

(8.)  Matt.  xvi.  21.  "From  that  time  forth  began  Jesus  to  show 
unto  his  disciples  how  that  He  must  go  unto  Jerusalem,  and  suffer 
many  things  of  the  elders  and  chief  priests  and  scribes,  and  be  killed, 
and  be  raised  again  the  third  daj'."  The  third  day,  especially  in  refer- 
ence to  the  Lord,  signifies  what  is  full  and  complete :  hence  his  res- 
urrection on  tlie  third  day  denotes  the  perfect  glorification  of  his 
Humanity,  or  its  full  union  with  his  Divinity,  all  that  is  written  of 
Him  in  Moses,  the  Prophets,  and  the  Psalms,  having  been  accom- 
plished in  and  by  Him.— See  A.  C.  2788,  4495. 

(9.)  Liike  xiii.  7.  "  Tlicn  said  He  unto  the  dresser  of  his  vine- 
yard, Behold,  these  three  years  I  come  seeking  fruit  on  this  fig-tree, 
and  find  none :  cut  it  down,  why  cumbereth  it  the  ground  ?"  By  the 


THE  NUMBER  THREE. 


423 


fig-tree  is  here  meant  the  Jewish  church,  which  was  a  church  ouh'  in 
externals,  and  therefore,  properly  speaking,  the  mere  representative 
of  a  church.  By  its  bearing  no  fruit,  is  signified  that  they  were 
destitute  even  of  natural  good,  or  good  in  the  lowest  degree,  from  a 
spiritual  origin.  By  seeking  fruit  on  that  tree  for  three  years,  and 
finding  none,  is  signified  that  the  Jewish  people  were,  from  first  to  last, 
or  from  the  very  beginning  of  their  history  to  the  end,  a  depraved 
and  rebellious  race,  without  either  internal  or  external  good,  and 
having  nothing  of  the  character  of  a  true  church  among  them :  on 
Avhich  account  it  is  said  of  the  tree,  "  Cut  it  down,  why  cumbereth  it 
the  ground  ? "  That  the  Jewish  nation  would  also  continue  in  this 
unfruitful  state,  even  after  their  dispereion  and  intermixture  among 
Christians,  from  whom  they  might  receive  much  useful  instruction 
concerning  the  Lord  as  the  true  Messiah,  and  concerning  his  spiritual 
kingdom,  is  foreseen  and  plainly  described  in  the  following  verses, 
where  the  vine-dresser  says :  "  Lord,  let  it  alone  this  year  also,  till  I 

shall  dig  about  it,  and  dung  it :  and  if  it  bear  fruit,  ;  and  if  not, 

then  after  that  thou  shalt  cut  it  down."  The  English  translators 
have  inserted  the  Avord  ivell  after  fruit,  in  order  to  complete  the  literal 
sense :  but  in  the  original  the  passage  is  left  in  suspense,  or  in  the 
form  of  an  ellipsis,  without  any  term  expressive  of  a  favorable  result ; 
Avhich  very  circumstance,  in  the  internal  sense,  tacitly  announces  a 
prediction,  that  the  Jewish  nation,  under  the  symbolical  character  of 
a  fig-tree,  would  never  produce  fruit,  that  is,  would  never  become  a 
true  church,  notwithstanding  the  opportunities  afforded  them  of  hear- 
ing the  gospel  from  Christians,  in  addition  to  their  possessing  the  law 
of  INIoses  and  the  prophets.  The  same  is  signified  by  the  Lord's  words 
to  the  fig-tree,  when  He  found  nothing  thereon,  but  leaves  only : 
"Let  no  fruit  grow  on  thee  henceforward  Jorever."  Matt.  xxi.  19; 
Mark  xi.  13,  14.— See  Ap.  Ex.  403. 

(10.)    Apoc.  xii.  4.    "And  his  tail  drew  the  third  part  of  the  stars 

of  heaven,  and  did  cast  them  to  the  earth."  By  the  tail  of  the  dragon 

is  signified  the  falsification  and  adulteration  of  the  truths  of  the  Word, 
by  those  who  reason  in  favor  of,  a  trinity  of  persons  in  the  Godhead, 
and  who  teach  that  faith  separate  from  charity  is  sufficient  for  salva- 
tion. By  the  stars  of  heaven  are  meant  the  spiritual  knowledges  of 
good  and  truth  derived  from  the  Word.  By  drawing  the  third  part 
of  the  stars  of  heaven,  and  casting  them  to  the  earth,  is  signified  the 
perversion,  extinction,  and  destruction  of  all  those  spiritual  knowl- 
edges or  heavenly  truths. — See  A.  R.  541.    Ap.  Ex.  718  to  720. 


424 


A  KET  TO  NUMBERS. 


(11.)  Apoc.  xvi.  13.  "And  I  saw  three  unclean  spirits,  like  frogs, 
come  out  of  the  mouth  of  the  dragon,  and  out  of  the  mouth  of  the  beast, 
and  out  of  the  mouth  of  the  false  prophet."  By  the  dragon  is  signi- 
fied the  doctrine  of  three  divine  persons  and  of  justification  by  faith 
alone,  together  with  aU  such  persons  in  the  church,  particularly  in 
the  Protestant  or  Reformed  church,  as  acknowledge  this  doctrine  and 
live  accordingly,  that  is,  in  evil.  By  the  beast,  which  in  this  case  is 
the  beast  rising  up  out  of  the  sea  (chap.  xiii.  1)  are  signified  the  men 
of  the  external  church,  or  the  laity,  Avho  confirm  themselves  in  the 
same  acknowledgment  and  faith.  And  by  the  false  prophet,  or  beast 
rising  up  out  of  the  earth  (chap.  xiii.  11),  are  signified  the  men  of  the 
internal  church,  or  the  clergy,  who  teach  and  maintain  the  doctrines 
above  alluded  to.  The  mouth  of  the  dragon,  beast  and  false  prophet,  evi- 
dently denotes  their  doctrine,  preaching  and  discourse.  By  unclean 
spirits  are  signified  lusts,  or  impure  desires,  in  this  case  the  lusts  of 
falsifying  truths ;  and  by  frogs,  to  which  they  are  compared,  are  meant 
reasonings  from  such  lusts.  The  number  three  denotes  all,  likewise 
altogether  and  merely ;  thus  when  applied  to  unclean  spirits  resem- 
bling frogs,  it  denotes  viere  reasoning  from  an  evil  and  disorderly 
state  of  mind.— See  A.  R.  701,  702.    Ap.  Ex.  998  to  100. 

(12.)  Apoc.  xxi.  13.  The  wall  of  the  holy  city,  New  Jerusalem, 
had  "  on  the  east  three  gates,  on  the  north  three  gates,  on  the  south 

three  gates,  and  on  the  west  three  gates."  By  the  New  Jerusalem  as 

a  city,  is  meant  the  New  Church  as  to  doctrine.  By  the  wall  thereof 
is  meant  the  Word  in  its  literal  sense,  from  which  doctrine  is  derived  : 
for  as  a  wall  is  a  defence  to  a  city  and  its  inhabitants,  so  the  literal 
sense  of  the  Word  is  a  defence  to  its  spiritual  or  internal  sense.  By 
the  gates  of  the  city  is  meant  introduction  into  the  New  Church 
by  means  of  the  knowledges  of  truth  and  good  derived  from  the 
Word.  And  by  there  being  three  gates  on  each  quarter  of  the  city, 
is  signified  that  a  full  and  free  entrance  is  granted  to  all  who  are  in  a 
higher  or  lower  degree  of  love  and  wisdom  from  the  Lord  :  for  by  the 
east  is  signified  the  love  and  affection  of  good  in  a  superior  degree, 
and  by  the  west  the  same  in  an  inferior  degree ;  by  the  south  is  sig- 
nified wisdom  and  the  affection  of  truth  in  a  superior  degree,  and  by 
the  north  the  same  in  an  inferior  degree.  The  whole  number  of  gates 
is  said  to  be  twelve,  because,  like  the  number  three,  they  are  predi- 
cated of  truths  from  good,  and  involve  what  is  full,  complete  and 
universal.— See  A.  R.  899  to  901. 

Besides  the  preceding  examples,  many  others  are  to  be  found  in 


THE  NUMBER  THREE. 


425 


the  Word  wherein  the  number  three  is  particularly  conspicuous,  and 
claims  an  interpretation  far  beyond  that  of  the  literal  and  obvious 
meaning  usually  attached  to  it.  Among  them  are  the  following, 
where  it  is  written,  That  the  Israelites  should  go  three  days'  journey 
into  the  wilderness,  and  sacrifice  to  their  God,  Ex.  iii.  18.  That 
there  was  a  thick  darkness  in  all  the  land  of  Egypt  for  three  days, 
so  that  they  did  not  see  one  another  for  three  days,  Ex.  x.  22,  23. 
That  the  fruit  of  the  trees  planted  in  the  land  of  Canaan  should  be 
accounted  as  uncircumcised  for  three  years.  Lev.  xix.  23.  That  the 
third  year  was  to  be  the  year  of  tithing,  Deut.  xxvi.  12.  That  Joshua 
commanded  the  people  to  prepare  themselves  for  passing  over  J ordan 
within  three  days.  Josh.  i.  11.  That  Jehovah  called  Samuel  three 
times ;  that  Samuel  ran  to  Eli  three  times ;  and  that  Eli  perceived 
the  third  time,  that  Jehovah  had  called  Samuel,  1  Sam.  iii.  1  to  8. 
That  three  things  were  proposed  to  David,  that  he  might  choose  one 
of  them,  viz.,  seven  years  of  famine,  three  months'  flight  before  his 
enemies,  or  three  days'  pestilence  in  the  land,  2  Sam.  xxiv.  12,  13, 
That  Elijah  stretched  himself  upon  the  widow's  child  three  times. 
1  Kings  xvii.  21.  That  Elijah  ordered  water  to  be  poured  on  the 
burnt  sacrifice,  and  on  the  wood,  three  times,  1  Kings  xviii.  33.  That 
Isaiah  walked  naked  and  barefoot  three  years  for  a  sign  and  wonder, 
Isa.  XX.  3.  That  Ezekiel  was  commanded  to  take  a  razor,  to  pass  it 
over  his  head  and  his  beard,  to  weigh  and  divide  the  hair,  and  to 
burn  a  third  part  with  fire,  to  smite  a  third  part  with  a  knife,  and  to 
scatter  a  third  part  in  the  wind,  as  a  sign  of  judgments  about  to  fall 
on  Jerusalem,  Ezek.  v.  1,  2,  12.  That  Daniel,  having  the  windows 
of  his  chamber  open  towards  Jerusalem,  kneeled  upon  his  knees  three 
times  a  day,  and  prayed,  Dan.  vi.  10.  That  Daniel  mourned  three 
full  weeks,  Dan.  x.  2,  3.  That  Jonah  was  in  the  belly  of  the  fish 
three  days  and  three  nights,  as  an  emblem  of  the  Son  of  ]\Ian  being 
three  days  and  three  nights  in  the  heart  of  the  earth,  Jonah  i.  17, 
Matt.  xii.  40.  That  the  man,  who  planted  a  vineyard,  and  let  it  out 
to  husbandmen,  sent  servants  to  them  three  times,  and  afterwards  his 
son,  Luke  xx.  9  to  13.  That  Peter  denied  the  Lord  three  times.  Matt, 
xxvi.  34,  69  to  75.  That  the  Lord  distinguished  the  times  of  his  life 
into  three,  saying,  Go  and  tell  that  fox.  Behold,  I  cast  out  devils,  and 
I  do  cures  to-day  and  to-morrow,  and  the  third  day  I  shall  be  perfected : 
nevertheless  I  must  walk  to-day  and  to-morrow,  and  the  day  following, 
Luke  xiii.  32,  33.  That  the  Lord  three  times  said  to  Peter,  Lovest 
thou  me  ?  and  that  Peter  was  grieved  thereat  the  third  time,  John 
36* 


426 


A  KEY  TO  NUMBERS. 


xxi.  15  to  17.  That  the  marriage  in  Cana  of  Galilee  was  on  the 
third  day,  John  ii.  1.  That  the  Lord  said  to  the  JeAvs,  Destroy  this 
temple,  and  in  three  days  I  will  raise  it  up.  But  he  spake  of  the 
temple  of  his  body,  John  ii.  19  to  21.  That  he  prayed  in  Geth- 
semane  three  times.  Matt.  xxvi.  36  to  44.  That  he  was  crucified  the 
third  hour,  Mark  xv.  25.  That  there  Avas  darkness  over  the  whole 
land  for  three  hours,  from  the  sixth  hour  until  the  ninth  hour,  Mark 
XV.  33.  That  the  superscription  on  the  cross  Avas  written  in  three 
languages,  in  HebreAv,  in  Greek,  and  in  Latin,  John  xix.  20.  That 
the  Lord  rose  from  the  dead  on  the  third  day  after  his  crucifixion, 
being  the  first  day  of  the  Aveek,  INIatt.  xx\'iii.  1  to  7. 

Four. 

The  number  fo^tr  belongs  to  the  celestial  class  of  expressions,  being 
predicated  of  goods  or  evils,  and  denotes  all  good  or  evil  in  the  com- 
plex.—A.  C.  10624.    Ap.  Ex.  430. 

It  also  signifies  conjunction  to  the  full,  in  like  manner  as  the  number 
two.— A.  C.  8877,  9103,  9864. 

All  good,  also  the  conjunction  of  good  and  truth. — A.  R.  322, 
348. 

Union,  as  consisting  of  pairs,  in  like  manner  as  the  number  tivo, 
Avheu  it  regrards  marriage. — A.  C.  1686,  8872,  9601. 

Things  conjoined,  like  good  and  truth. — A.  C.  6157. 

When  considered  in  relation  to  five,  by  Avhich  are  signified  remains, 
then  the  number  four  denotes  goods  and  truths  not  yet  become  re- 
mains, that  is,  not  yet  appropriated  by  man. — A.  C.  6157. 

A  fourth  part,  as  well  as  the  number  four,  denotes  all  good. — A. 
R.  322. 

Anything  quadrated,  or  four-square,  denotes  what  is  just,  or  Avhat 
bears  an  equal  respect  to  the  different  states  of  good  and  truth.  In 
general,  round  forms  represent  things  good ;  four-square  forms,  things 
just,  that  is,  things  good  in  the  external  man ;  and  linear  or  tri- 
angidar  forms,  things  true  and  right,  also  in  the  external  man. — A. 
C.  8458,  9717,  9861.    A.  R.  905. 

The  four  quarters  or  corners  of  the  Avorld,  called  the  east,  the  south, 
the  Avest,  and  the  north  ;  the  four  Avinds ;  the  four  seasons  of  the 
year,  called  spring,  summer,  autumn,  and  Avinter  ;  and  the /our  times 
of  the  day,  called  morning,  mid-day,  evening,  and  night ;  signify  all 
states  of  good  and  truth  ;  the  east,  si)ring  and  morning,  denoting 
good  in  its  rising,  also  superior  or  interior  degrees  of  love  from  the 


THE  NUMBER  FOUR. 


427 


Lord ;  the  south,  summer  and  mid-day,  denoting  truth  in  its  light, 
also  superior  or  interior  degrees  of  wisdom  and  intelligence;  the 
west,  autumn  and  evening,  denoting  good  in  its  decline,  also  inferior 
or  exterior  degrees  of  love  ;  and  the  north,  Avinter  and  night,  denoting 
truth  in  obscurity,  also  inferior  or  exterior  degrees  of  wisdom  and 
intelligence;  and  frequently  the  total  privation  of  them,  which  is 
Ignorance,  error  and  folly.— A.  C.  3708,  9642,  9648.  H.  &  H.  141 
to  153.    D.  Love,  121.    A.  R.  342,  343. 

EXAMPLES. 

(1.)  Gen.  xiv.  8,  9.  "  And  there  went  out  the  king  of  Sodom,  and 
the  king  of  Gomorrah,  and  the  king  of  Admah,  and  the  king  of 
Zeboiim,  and  the  king  of  Bela,  (the  same  is  Zoar,)  and  they  joined 
battle  with  them  in  the  vale  of  Siddim ;  Avith  Chedorlaomer  the  king 
of  Elam,  and  with  Tidal  king  of  nations,  and  Amraphel  king  of 

Shinar,  and  Arioch  king  of  Ellasar:  four  kings  with  five."  By 

the  five  kings  first  mentioned  are  signified  evils  and  falsities  in  gen- 
eral, together  with  the  lusts  and  persuasions  thence  arising :  and  by 
the  four  kings,  against  whom  they  fought,  are  meant  truths  and  goods 
in  the  external  man,  which  before  regeneration  are  only  apparent 
truths  and  goods.  The  number  Jour,  as  applied  to  these  last  kings, 
denotes  union  or  conjunction,  in  like  manner  as  the  number  two : 
while  the  number  five,  as  applied  to  the  former  kings,  denotes  dis- 
union. The  whole  history  of  Abraham  being  a  description  of  the 
process  of  man's  regeneration,  and  of  the  Lord's  glorification  while 
on  earth,  the  particulars  contained  in  this  chapter  concerning  the 
battle  of  the  four  kings  against  five,  the  victory  of  the  former  over 
the  latter,  their  capture  of  Lot,  and  his  recovery  by  Abram,  are  to 
be  understood,  spiritually,  as  follows.  The  five  kings,  as  already  ob- 
served, denote  evils  and  falsities  belonging  to  th§  natural  or  external 
man,  who  is  represented  by  Lot  dwelling  in  Sodom  :  the  four  kings 
are  apparent  truths  and  goods,  by  means  of  which  gross  evils  and 
falsities  are  overcome  or  removed  in  the  first  stage  of  man's  regen- 
eration, and  by  which  also  the  Lord  in  his  childhood  conducted  the 
early  process  of  his  glorification.  But  Abram,  who  is  the  interior 
rational  man,  being  informed  that  Lot  is  captured  by  the  four  kings, 
that  is,  perceiving  that  the  external  man  is  as  yet  under  the  influence 
and  dominion  of  such  truths  and  goods  as  are  merely  apparent  and 
not  genuine,  hastens  to  the  relief  of  his  brother  Lot,  in  other  words, 
purifies  the  external  man,  dissipates  not  only  the  evils  and  falsities 


428 


A  KET  TO  NUMBERS. 


therein,  but  also  the  mere  appearances  of  truth  and  good,  and  intro- 
duces in  their  stead  the  celestial  and  spiritual  things  of  love  and  faith, 
so  that  the  external  and  the  internal  are  conjoined,  and  in  the  case 
of  the  Lord,  united  as  one. — See  A.  C.  1681  to  1719. 

(2.)  Ex.  XX.  5.  "  I  am  Jehovah  thy  God,  a  jealous  God,  visiting 
the  iniquity  of  the  fathers  upon  the  sons,  upon  the  thirds  and  upon 
the  Jourtlis,  to  them  that  hate  me ;  and  showing  mercy  unto  thou- 
sands, to  them  that  love  me  and  keep  my  commandments."  By  vis- 
iting the  iniquity  of  the  fathers  upon  the  sons,  is  not  meant  that  the 
children  shall  suffer  the  punishment  due  to  the  crimes  of  the  parents ; 
for  this  is  expressly  contrary  to  the  divine  law,  Deut.  xxiv.  16 ;  but 
that  evil  is  transmitted  hereditarily  from  one  generation  to  another, 
and  that  without  repentance  it  successively  increases.  In  the  true 
spiritual  sense,  the  term  thirds,  usually  but  not  necessarily  understood 
of  childi-en  of  the  third  generation,  denotes  falsities  in  a  state  of  ful- 
ness from  beginning  to  end,  consequently  in  a  long  continued  series : 
and  the  term  fourths,  usually  but  not  necessarily  understood  of  chil- 
dren of  the  fourth  generation,  denotes  falsities  conjoined  with  evils  in 
a  long  series.  Hence  by  visiting  the  iniquity  of  the  fathere  upon  the 
sons,  upon  the  thirds  and  fourths,  is  signified  the  prolification  of  the 
false  principle  from  e\'il,  and  that  continually.  This  is  said  to  be  the 
case  with  those  who  hate  Jehovah,  that  is,  who  wholly  deny  the  di- 
vinity of  the  Lord  and  give  themselves  up  to  an  evil  life :  whereas 
of  those  who  love  Jehovah,  or  who  worship  the  Lord,  and  live  in 
conformity  to  his  commandments,  it  is  said  that  He  showeth  mercy 
unto  thousands,  in  other  words,  that  He  perpetually  communicates 
to  them,  by  an  influx  of  good  and  truth  from  himself,  the  blessings 
of  heaven  and  eternal  life— See  A.  C.  8875  to  8881. 

(3.)  Ex.  xxvii.  1,  2,  4.  "And  thou  shalt  make  an  altar  of  shit- 
tim-wood,  five  cubit%  long,  and  five  cubits  broad :  the  altar  shall  be 
four-square,  and  the  height  thereof  shall  be  three  cubits.  And  thou 
shalt  make  the  horns  of  it  upon  the  four  corners  thereof :  his  horns 
shall  be  of  the  same :  and  thou  shalt  overlay  it  with  brass.  And 
thou  shalt  make  for  it  a  grate  of  net-work  of  brass :  and  upon  the 
net  shalt  thou  make  four  brazen  rings  in  the  four  corners  thereof." 

 By  the  altar  was  represented  the  Lord  as  to  divine  love,  also 

worship  directed  to  Him  from  pure  love:  by  shittim-wood,  of  which 
it  was  to  be  made,  is  signified  the  good  of  merit  and  justice  of  the 
Lord  ;  for  wood  in  general  signifies  good,  and  shittim-wood,  being  an 
excellent  kind  of  cedar,  signifies  spiritual  good  ;  and  in  reference  to 


TUE  NUMBER  FOUR. 


429 


the  Lord,  his  merit  and  justice.  The  length  and  breadth  of  the  altar 
being  the  same,  denotes  equality  with  respect  to  good  and  truth,  and 
consequently  the  marriage  or  conjunction  of  both.  Thus  it  was  or- 
dered to  hQ  Jour-square,  because  this  kind  of  dimension  signifies  what 
is  just  in  the  Lord,  and  in  the  worship  directed  to  Him :  and  the 
worship  is  said  to  be  just,  when  the  good  and  truth  contained  in  it 
are  from  the  Lord  and  not  from  man.  The  height  thereof  also  Avas 
to  be  three  cubits,  to  denote  that  the  degrees  of  good  must  be  full 
and  complete :  for  height  has  respect  to  the  degrees  of  good,  and 
three  cubits  to  their  fulness.  By  the  horns  upon  the  four  corners  of 
the  altar  is  signified  the  power  of  truth  derived  from  good  in  every 
way :  horns  denote  power.  Jour  denote  conjunction,  and  corners  de- 
note firmness  and  strength ;  hence  by  horns  on  the  Jour  corners  is 
signified  power  in  every  Avay  and  direction.  By  the  Jour  brazen 
rings  on  the  Jour  corners  of  the  net-work  of  brass,  is  signified  the 
sphere  of  good,  by  which  conjunction  is  effected :  the  net-work  de- 
notes the  exti'eme  or  outermost  princijDles  of  life  corresponding  to  the 
interior :  the  rings  denote  the  sphere  of  divine  good ;  their  number 
Jour,  conjunction  ;  and  their  quality  brass,  natural  good,  or  good  in 
the  external.  From  all  which  and  other  particulars,  when  sj^irit- 
ually  understood,  it  plainly  appears  that  the  altar  of  burnt-offering 
with  its  vai'ious  appendages,  was  built  for  the  purpose  of  represent- 
ing, in  visible  forms,  the  true  worship  of  the  Lord,  which  is  that  of 
the  heart,  the  understanding  and  the  life. — See  A.  C.  9714  to  9729. 

(4.)  Ex.  xxviii.  16.  "  Foursquare  it  shall  be,  being  doubled  ;  a 
span  shall  be  the  length  thereof,  and  a  span  shall  be  the  breadth  there- 
of." By  the  breast-plate  of  judgment  is  signified  the  divine  truth 

shining  forth  from  the  divine  good  in  an  external  or  visible  form. 
It  was  called  the  breast-plate  of  judgment,  because  thereby  responses 
were  given  from  heaven,  and  divine  truth  was  revealed.  By  its 
form  being  Jour-square,  when  doubled,  is  signified  what  is  just  and 
perfect ;  the  term  Jour-square  denoting  what  is  just,  as  being  derived 
from  the  Lord  who  is  the  Fountain  of  justice ;  and  the  term  doubled, 
like  the  number  tivo,  implying  perfection,  conjunction  and  fulness. 
There  were  in  the  breast-plate  Jour  rows  of  precious  stones,  two  on  the 
right  side  and  two  on  the  left :  those  on  the  right  represented  things 
celestial,  and  those  on  the  left  things  spiritual ;  while  their  iuclosure 
in  one  square  represented  the  perfect  conjunction  of  good  and  truth, 
as  proceeding  from  the  Lord,  both  generally  and  particularly. — See 
A.  C.  9857  to  9874. 


430 


A  KEY  TO  NUMBERS. 


(5.)  Ezek.  xxxvii.  9.  "  Thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah,  Come  from 
the  four  winds,  O  breath,  and  breathe  upon  these  slain,  that  they 
may  live."  By  wind  or  breath  in  the  Sacred  Scriptures,  is  signi- 
fied the  influx  of  divine  tinith  from  the  Lord  through  the  angelic 
heaven,  ^yhereby  new  life  is  inspired  into  man  by  regeneration :  hence 
by  the  four  winds,  in  allusion  to  the  four  quarters  of  the  spiritual 
world,  are  signified  all  the  goods  of  love  and  all  the  truths  of  faith 
in  conjunction  ;  the  eastern  and  southern  quarters  denoting  good  and 
truth  in  the  highest  or  most  perfect  state ;  and  the  western  and  north- 
ern quarters,  good  and  truth  in  a  lower  and  more  obscure  state.  The 
same  is  signified  by  the  four  winds  in  Matt.  xxiv.  31 ;  also  by  the 
four  Avinds  blowing  from  the  four  corners  of  the  earth  in  Apoc.  vii. 
1 ;  and  in  various  other  passages. — See  Ap.  Ex.  417,  418,  665.  A.  R. 
342,  343. 

(6.)  Dan.  vii.  2,  3.  "  Daniel  spake,  and  said,  I  saw  in  my  vision 
by  night,  and  behold,  the  four  winds  of  the  heaven  strove  upon  the 
great  sea.  And  four  great  beasts  came  up  from  the  sea,  diverse  one 
from  another."  By  the  four  winds  are  here  signified  falsities  con- 
joined with  evils ;  by  winds  falsities  from  evils,  and  by  four  their 
conjunction.  The  subject  treated  of  in  this  passage  being  different 
from  that  in  the  prophet  Ezekiel  above  adduced,  the  signification  of 
the  four  Aviuds  accordingly  changes,  to  an  opposite  sense,  as  is  usual 
in  the  Word :  and  instead  of  denoting  an  influx  from  heaven  for  the 
regeneration  of  man,  they  here  announce  an  influx  from  hell  gener- 
ating evils  and  falsities  of  every  description.  It  therefore  follows 
that  four  great  beasts  immediately  came  up  from  the  sea,  by  which 
are  signified  all  kinds  of  evil  and  false  principles  in  conjunction, 
originating  in  the  love  of  dominion,  and  after  successive  accumula- 
tions at  length  destroying  the  whole  church.  On  this  account  the 
fourth  or  last  beast  is  described  as  being  "  dreadful  and  terrible,  ex- 
ceedingly strong,  devouring  the  whole  earth,  treading  it  down,  and 
breaking  it  in  pieces,"  ver.  7,  23.— See  Ap.  Ex.  418,  556,  650. 

(7.)  Zech.  i.  18  to  21.  "  Then  I  lifted  up  mine  eyes,  and  saw, 
and  behold,  four  horns.  And  I  said  unto  the  angel  that  talked  with 
mo.  What  are  these  ?  And  he  answered  me.  These  are  the  horns 
which  have  scattered  Judah,  Israel  and  Jerusalem.  And  Jehovah 
showed  me  four  smiths.  Then  said  I,  What  come  these  to  do?  And 
he  spake,  saying,  Tlicsc  are  the  horns  which  have  scattered  Judah,  so 
that  no  man  did  lift  up  his  head :  but  these  are  come  to  fray  them, 
to  cast  out  the  liorns  of  the  gentiles,  which  lift  up  their  horn  over 


TUE  NUMBER  FOUR. 


431 


the  laud  of  J udah  to  scatter  it."  In  this  passage  the  vastation  of 

the  church  is  described,  aud  then  its  restoration.  By  Judah,  Israel 
and  Jerusalem,  is  signified  the  church,  and  its  doctrine.  The  Jour 
horns  which  scattered  them,  signify  the  falsities  of  evil  which  have 
vastated  the  church :  horns  denote  power ;  and  the  number  four 
shows  that  the  effect  was  complete,  by  reason  of  the  coujunction  of 
evils  and  falsities.  The  Jour  smiths  have  the  same  signification  as  the 
iron  on  which  they  work,  namely,  truth  in  the  ultiinates,  which  is 
powerful  and  strong,  consequently  the  same  as  a  horn  of  iron.  It  is 
therefore  said  of  them,  "  These  are  come  to  cast  out  the  horns  of  the 
gentiles,  which  lift  up  their  horn  over  the  land  of  Judah  to  scatter 
it : "  the  horns  of  the  gentiles  are  the  falsities  of  evil,  which  have 
vastated  and  destroyed  the  church.  As  the  Jour  horns  which  scat- 
tered Judah,  Israel  and  Jerusalem,  do,  on  the  one  part,  signify  the 
power  of  false  principles  when  in  conjunction  with  evil ;  so  the  Jour 
smiths  do,  on  the  other  part,  signify  the  power  of  truth  when  in  con- 
junction with  good ;  and  it  is  by  this  power  that  the  church  is 
restored. — See  Ap.  Ex.  316. 

(8.)  Zech.  vi.  1  to  6.  "And  I  turned  and  lifted  up  mine  eyes  and 
looked,  and  behold,  there  came  Jour  chariots  out  from  between  two 
mountains,  and  the  mountains  were  mountains  of  brass.  In  the  first 
chariot  were  red  horses,  and  in  the  second  chariot  black  horses,  and 
in  the  third  chariot  W'hite  horses,  and  in  the  fourth  chariot  grizzled 
robust  horses.  Then  I  answered  and  said  unto  the  angel  that  talked 
with  me.  What  are  these,  my  lord  ?  And  the  angel  answered  and 
said  unto  me,  These  are  the  Jour  spirits  of  the  heavens,  which  go  forth 

from  standing  before  the  Lord  of  all  the  earth."  The  subject 

treated  of  in  this  passage  is  the  propagation  of  the  church  among 
those  who  as  yet  are  not  in  the  light  of  divine  truth,  because  they 
are  not  yet  in  possession  of  the  Word.  Four  chariots  are  first  seen 
to  come  out  from  between  two  mountains,  by  w^hich  are  signified  the 
doctrinals  of  good :  chariots  denote  doctrinals ;  and  their  number 
being  Jour,  denotes  the  conjunction  of  good  and  truth  therein :  a 
mountain  denotes  love,  consequently  two  mountains  denote  the  two 
kinds  of  love,  which  constitute  the  essentials  of  the  church,  viz.,  love 
to  the  Lord  aud  love  to  our  neighbor,  these  being  the  true  ijrinciples 
of  all  union  and  conjunction ;  and  the  mountains  are  said  to  be  of 
brass,  because  brass  denotes  external  or  natural  good,  which  is  first 
manifested  at  the  commencement  of  a  church.  By  the  red,  black, 
white  and  grizzled  robust  horses,  are  understood  the  various  qualities 


432 


A  KEY  TO  NUMBERS. 


of  the  understanding  of  divine  good  and  truth  at  the  beginning  and 
in  the  future  progress  of  the  church :  by  the  red  horses  the  quality 
of  the  understanding  with  respect  to  good,  and  by  the  white  horses 
the  quality  of  the  understanding  with  respect  to  truth,  both  in  the 
beginning  of  the  church :  by  the  white  horses  are  denoted  the  quality 
of  the  understanding  as  to  truth,  and  by  the  grizzled  horses  the  same 
as  to  truth  and  good  united,  both  in  the  succeeding  states  of  the 
church :  and  by  their  being  called  also  robust  or  strong  horses  is 
denoted  the  quality  of  the  understanding  with  respect  to  its  jjower  of 
resisting  falsities  and  evils.  These  horses  and  chariots  are  called  the 
four  spirits  (or  four  winds)  of  the  heavens,  to  denote  the  influx  of 
divine  good  and  divine  truth  into  the  church,  in  all  its  fulness  and 
power  of  conjunction:  and  they  are  said  to  go  forth  from  standing 
before  the  Lord  of  the  whole  earth,  to  denote  that  such  influx  pro- 
ceeds solely  from  the  Lord,  who  is  the  God  of  the  church.  In  the 
succeeding  verses,  it  is  stated  that  Ihe  black  horses  went  forth  into 
the  north  country,  and  that  the  white  followed  after  them,  in  conse- 
quence of  which  the  sj^irit  of  Jehovah  was  quieted ;  by  which  is 
signified,  that  the  understanding  of  divine  truth  was  at  first  obscure, 
but  afterwards  more  clear  and  perfect,  with  those  who  had  heretofore 
been  in  ignorance,  and  thus  conjunction  was  effected  between  the 
Lord  and  his  church.  The  north  country  denotes  a  state  of  ignorance 
and  obscurity.  By  the  grizzled  horses  going  forth  towards  the  south 
country,  and  the  robust  horses  walking  to  and  fro  through  the  earth, 
is  signified  that  they  who  from  the  good  of  life  are  in  the  aflection  or 
desire  of  knowing  the  truths  of  the  church,  at  length  come  into 
genuine  spiritual  light,  and  have  the  power  of  resisting  evils  and 
falsities,  and  thereby  become  the  true  church  of  the  Lord.  The  south 
country  denotes  a  state  of  intelligence,  or  the  clear  perception  of 
divine  "truth.— See  A.  C.  3708.    Ap.  Ex.  355,  364,  418. 

(9.)  Matt.  xiv.  25.  "And  in  the  fourth  watch  of  the  night  Jesus 
went  unto  them,  walking  on  the  sea."  By  the  sea  are  here  signi- 
fied the  ultinuite  or  lowest  principles  of  heaven  and  the  church.  By 
the  Lord's  walking  upon  the  sea,  is  signified  his  presence  in  those 
principles,  and  an  influx  of  life  from  Him  into  such  as  are  still  in 
externals,  enabling  them  to  keep  in  subjection  the  disorderly  and 
turbulent  affections  of  the  natural  man.  But  as  it  too  often  happens 
that  man's  faith  in  the  Lord  is  weak  and  wavering,  therefore  this 
state  of  mind  is  also  represented  in  the  succeeding  verses  by  Peter's 
beginning  to  sink  through  fear,  while  he  was  walking  on  the  water 


TUE  NUMBER  F0U2. 


433 


to  go  to  Jesus,  who,  on  his  crying  out  for  help,  immediately  stretched 
out  his  hand  and  saved  him.  By  the  fourth  watch  in  which  this 
transaction  occurred,  is  signified  the  first  state  of  the  church,  when 
good  begins  to  act  by  truth :  for  the  fourth  watch,  being  the  last 
watch  of  the  night,  and  ushering  in  the  dawning  of  the  day  or  morn- 
ing, involves  the  end  of  a  preceding  state,  and  the  commencement  of 
a  new  one,  when  good  is  in  conjunction  with  truth,  thus  when  the 
Lord  makes  his  advent  to  man. — See  Ap.  Ex.  514. 

(10.)  John  iv.  35.  "  Say  not  ye,  There  are  yet /o?«r  months,  and 
then  Cometh  harvest  ?    Behold,  I  say  unto  you,  Lift  up  your  eyes, 

and  look  on  the  fields ;  for  they  are  white  already  to  harvest."  

By  the  harvest  are  signified  all  things  conducive  to  man's  spiritual 
nourishment,  namely,  truths  of  doctrine  and  goods  of  life,  the  full 
implantation  of  which  in  him,  together  with  their  ajjproaching  con- 
junction by  regeneration,  is  denoted  by  four  months  yet  to  come. 
The  fields  which  signify  the  church,  are  said  to  be  white  to  har- 
vest when  the  truths  of  faith  derived  from  charity  are  pure  and  gen- 
uine, or  when  the  understanding  and  affections  are  under  the  in- 
fluence of  heavenly  light  and  heat. — See  Ap.  Ex.  911. 

(11.)  Apoc.  iv.  6.  "And  in  the  midst  of  the  throne,  and  round 
about  the  throne,  were  four  beasts  full  of  eyes  before  and  behind." 

 By  the  throne  is  meant  the  universal  heaven  in  which  the  Lord 

is  present  by  his  Word.  By  the  four  beasts  which  were  seen  in  the 
midst  of  the  throne,  and  round  about  the  throne,  is  signified  the 
Word  with  respect  to  first  and  last  principles,  or  with  respect  to  divine 
love  and  divine  wisdom  in  union.  They  are  said  to  be  full  of  eyes 
before  and  behind,  to  denote  not  only  the  divine  wisdom  contained 
both  internally  and  externally  in  the  Word,  but  also  the  divine  care, 
circumspection  and  providence,  lest  the  interior  heavens  should  be 
approached  in  any  other  spirit  than  that  of  the  good  of  love  and 
charity.  These  four  beasts  are  the  same  as  the  four  animals,  living 
creatui'es,  or  cherubim,  mentioned  in  the  first  and  tenth  chapters  of 
Ezekiel,  having  the  faces  of  a  lion,  a  calf,  a  man,  and  an  eagle ;  by 
each  of  Avhich  is  signified  something  properly  characteristic  of  the 
Word  ;  as  for  example,  by  the  lion  is  meant  the  divine  truth  of  the 
Word  in  respect  to  its  power ;  by  the  ox  or  calf,  the  same  as  to  affec- 
tion ;  by  the  man,  the  same  as  to  wisdom ;  and  by  the  eagle,  the 
same  again  as  to  knowledges  whereby  the  understanding  is  formed. 
—See  A.  R.  239  to  246.    Ap.  Ex.  277  to  281. 

(12.)  Apoc.  xxi.  16.  "  And  the  city  lieth  four-square,  and  the 
37  20 


434 


A  KEY  TO  NUMBERS. 


length  is  as  large  as  the  breadth."  By  the  city  New  Jerusalem  is 

signified  the  New  Church  in  regard  to  its  doctrine.  Ey  its  being 
Jour-square,  is  signified  what  is  just,  having  an  equal  respect  to  the 
different  degrees  of  good  and  truth,  in  like  manner  as  the  four  sides 
of  a  square  bear  reference  to  the/oM?-  quarters  of  the  heavens.  And 
hence  it  is  said  that  the  length,  by  which  is  meant  the  good,  is 
equal  to  the  breadth,  by  which  is  meant  the  truth ;  thus  that  good 
and  truth  in  the  New  Church  constitute  one,  like  essence  and  its 
form.  In  general  it  may  be  observed,  that  quadrangular  forms  sig- 
nify what  is  just  and  good,  and  triangular  forms  what  is  right  and 
true,  each  in  the  external  or  lowest  degree. — See  A.  R.  905,  906. 

Five. 

When  the  number  five  has  relation  to  such  numbers  as  signify 
much,  it  then  denotes  a  little  or  a  few. — A.  C.  649,  798,  5291.  Ap. 
Ex.  548. 

It  also  signifies  disunion,  because  a  little. — A.  C.  1686. 

Any  thing  small,  or  a  short  time. — A.  R.  427. 

Likewise  much,  as  well  as  a  little,  and  something,  according  to 
the  nature  of  the  subject  treated  of. — A.  C.  5291 :  fully  illustrated, 
5708,  5956.    Ap.  Ex.  430. 

The  same  as  10,  100,  and  1000,  viz.,  much,  all,  what  is  full,  and  in 
the  supreme  sense,  in  reference  to  the  Lord,  what  is  infinite. — A.  C. 
9716. 

Remains,  but  not  in  so  full  a  degree  as  the  number  ten  imijlies. — 
A.  C.  5291,  5894. 

What  is  equal  of  good  and  truth. — A.  C.  9716. 
As  much  as  is  sufficient  or  necessary. — A.  C.  9689. 
All  the  remainder. — A.  R.  738. 

When  contrasted  with  four,  denotes  disunion. — A.  C.  1686. 
All  of  one  part,  when  ten  denotes  all  of  good  and  truth. — A.  C. 
9604,  9665. 

When  ten  signifies  all,  then  the  half  of  that  number,  or /re,  signifies 
some;  when  ten  signifies  fulness,  then^re  signifies  as  much  as  is  suf- 
ficient, or  what  is  correspondent ;  and  when  ten  signifies  much,  then 
five  signifies  something. — A.  C.  10255. 

A  fifth  part,  in  like  manner  as  the  inimber  five,  signifies,  remains, 
etc.— A.  C.  6156. 

To  quintate  signifies  the  same  as  to  decimate,  that  is,  to  make  re- 
mains, or  to  collect  goods  and  truths,  also  to  preserve. — A.  C.  5291. 


THE  NUMBER  FIVE. 


435 


EXAMPLES. 

(1.)  Gen.  xlv,  22.  "  To  all  of  them  he  gave  each  man  changes  of 
raiment:  but  to  Benjamin  he  gave  three  hundred  pieces  of  silver,  and 
five  changes  of  raiment."  Benjamin,  as  the  medium  of  reconcilia- 
tion or  conjunction  between  Joseph  and  his  ten  brethren,  represents 
that  new  principle  of  divine  truth  from  the  Lord,  which  equally  j^ar- 
takes  of  internal  good,  represented  by  Joseph,  and  of  natural  or  ex- 
ternal truths,  represented  by  the  other  ten  sons  of  Jacob :  for  the 
design  of  regeneration  being  to  unite  the  internal  and  the  external 
of  man,  that  process  is  described  in  this  chapter;  and  Benjamin  rep- 
resents the  medium  or  point  of  conjunction  between  those  two  states 
or  degrees  of  life.  By  the  changes  of  raiment  given  to  each  man,  is 
signified  that  new  truths  were  communicated  to  the  natural  princijile 
on  this  occasion :  for  raiment  denotes  truths,  and  a  change  of  them 
new  truths,  or  such  as  are  more  holy  than  the  former,  in  consequence 
of  their  conjunction  with  good.  And  by  Benjamin's  receiving  a 
greater  portion  than  the  rest,  viz.,  three  hundred  pieces  of  silver,  and 
five  changes  of  raiment,  is  signified,  that  the  medium  itself  of  con- 
junction, as  being  nearer  the  source  of  internal  good  represented  by 
Joseph,  is  moi'e  fully  receptive  of  truth  from  such  good ;  and  as 
having  also  an  immediate  influence  or  power  over  truths  in  the  natural 
principle,  represented  by  his  ten  brethren,  is  gifted  at  the  same  time 
with  an  abundance  of  truth  from  that  principle  now  in  a  state  of  re- 
generation. Three  hundred  pieces  of  silver  denote  fulness  of  truth 
derived  from  good :  for  the  number  three  hundred,  like  three,  from 
which  it  arises  by  multiplication  with  a  hundred,  denotes  fulness,  and 
a  hundred  much.  Five  changes  of  raiment  also  denote  much,  or  an 
abundance  of  truths  from  the  natural  or  external  principle. — See  A. 
C.  5822,  5954  to  5956. 

(2.)  Ex.  xxii.  1.  "If  a  man  shall  steal  an  ox  or  a  sheep,  and 
kill  it,  or  sell  it ;  he  shall  restore  five  oxen  for  an  ox,  and  four  sheep 

for  a  sheep."  By  an  ox  is  signified  the  affection  of  good  in  the 

exterior  man,  or  exterior  good  ;  and  by  a  sheep,  the  afiection  of  good 
in  the  interior  man,  or  interior  good.  By  stealing  them  is  signified 
to  deprive  another  of  such  goods ;  by  killing  them  is  signified  to  ex- 
tinguish them ;  and  by  selling  them  is  signified  to  alienate  them,  so 
that  they  are  no  longer  in  one's  possession.  The  correspondent  pun- 
ishment and  restitution  for  the  commission  of  such  evils,  are  signified 
by  the  law  which  enjoins  that  five  oxen  shall  be  restored  for  an  ox, 


436 


A  KEY  TO  XUMBEnS. 


and  four  sheep  for  a  sheep.  Pi-.ni:?ament  to  a  great  degree,  and  at 
the  same  time  amendment  with  respect  to  exterior  good,  are  signified 
by  the  restoration  of  jive  oxen,  the  number  five  here  denoting  much, 
or  to  a  great  degree,  or  Avhat  is  sufficient :  and  punishment  to  the  full, 
and  at  the  same  time  amendment  with  respect  to  interior  good,  are 
signified  by  the  restoration  of  four  sheep,  the  number  Jour  here  de- 
noting to  the  full.  The  reason  why  interior  good  is  to  be  restored  to 
the  jull,  that  is,  this  good  constitutes  the  spiritual  life  of  man ;  and 
unless  spiritual  life  be  restored  to  the  full,  exterior  good  which  con- 
stitutes the  natural  life,  cannot  be  restored ;  for  this  latter  life  is 
restored  by  the  former,  just  as  the  external  man  is  regenerated  by  the 
internal.  But  exterior  good,  or  good  in  the  natural  principle,  cannot 
be  restored  to  the  full,  because  the  stroke  or  wound  inflicted  upon  it 
by  evil  of  life,  remains  as  a  perpetual  scar :  nevertheless  it  may  be 
restored  to  a  great  degree,  or  to  a  degree  sufficient  to  make  it  harmonize 
with  interior  good  in  the  spiritual  principle.  That  these  cii'cumstances 
belonging  to  man's  spiritual  life  might  be  expressed  in  language  con- 
sistent with  the  rest  of  divine  revelation,  that  is  to  say,  by  correspond- 
ences, it  was  therefore  laid  down  as  a  law  in  the  Jewish  representative 
church,  that  five  oxen  should  be  restored  as  the  penalty  for  one  ox, 
and  Jour  sheep  as  the  penalty  for  one  sheep,  that  should  be  either 
stolen,  killed,  or  sold.  On  any  other  ground  of  interpretation  than 
the  spiritual  one  here  given,  what  reason  can  be  assigned  why  five 
oxen,  and  only/o?<r  sheep,  should  be  restored?  especially  when  it  is 
considered,  that  the  value  of  a  single  ox  far  exceeds  that  of  a  sheep, 
and  consequently  that  the  penalty  of  five  oxen  must  j^ress  much  more 
heavily  on  the  ability  of  the  criminal  to  make  restitution,  than  the 
penalty  of  Jour  sheep,  though  the  guilt  in  each  ca.se  is  the  same? 
This  difficulty  or  apparent  inequality  in  the  divine  law,  which  arises 
from  the  letter  only  when  separated  from  its  spiritual  sense,  is  how- 
ever not  merely  removed  by  a  knowledge  of  the  science  of  correspond- 
ences, and  of  the  spiritual  signification  of  numbers,  according  to  which 
this  and  every  other  part  of  the  Word  is  written,  but  is  absolutely 
converted  into  a  beauty ;  because  the  whole  passage  is  now  seen  to  be 
a  manifest  proof  of  the  divine  goodness,  wisdom  and  justice,  and  no 
longer  detains  the  mind  with  images  drawn  in  shadow,  but  displays 
to  an  enlightened  understanding  all  the  brilliancy  and  perfection  of 
truth.— See  A.  C.  90\  S  to  9103.    Ap.  Ex.  548. 

(3.)  Lev.  xxvi.  8.  "  And  five  of  you  shall  chase  a  hundred,  and 
a  hundred  of  you  shall  put  ten  thousand  to  flight."  When  the 


THE  NUMBER  FIVE. 


437 


number /I'e  is  contrasted  with  a  higher  number,  it  then  denotes  some- 
thing small,  or  a  few,  or  indeed  all  of  one  part ;  while  the  greater 
number  denotes  much,  or  all  of  the  other  part.  So  in  the  present 
passage  by  five  is  meant  a  small  portion  of  spiritual  good  and  truth 
received  from  the  Lord,  in  comparison  with  the  great  multitude  of 
evils  and  falsities  in  man  by  nature,  signified  by  a  hundred  of  the 
enemy,  which  small  portion  is  nevertheless  made  available  to  the  re- 
moval of  those  evils  and  falsities  during  the  process  of  regeneration. 
The  same  explanation  will  apply  to  a  hundred,  when  contrasted  with 
ten  thousand.— See  A.  R.  427.    Ap.  Ex.  548. 

(4.)  Isa.  xix.  18.  "  In  that  day  shall  five  cities  in  the  land  of 
Eg3'pt  speak  the  language  of  Canaan,  and  swear  to  Jehovah  of  hosts : 

each  one  shall  be  called  the  city  of  the  sun."  By  this  passage  is 

signified,  that  at  the  coming  of  the  Lord  into  the  world,  many  of  the 
gentiles  who,  in  consequence  of  their  ignorance  of  the  Word,  were 
but  natural  men,  would,  on  hearing  the  gospel  preached  to  them,  be- 
come spiritual  men,  embrace  the  genuine  doctrine  of  the  church,  and 
worship  the  Lord  from  a  principle  of  pure  love  and  charity.  The 
period  alluded  to  by  the  words,  "  in  that  day,"  is  the  coming  of  the 
Lord,  when  the  state  of  those  who  are  in  natural  or  external  scien- 
tifics,  will  be  changed  by  their  reception  of  the  divine  truths  of  the 
Word.  Five  cities  in  the  land  of  Egypt,  speaking  the  language  of 
Canaan,  denote  the  genuine  truths  of  the  doctrine  of  the  church  com- 
municated to,  and  received  by  them  in  abundance :  five  denotes  many, 
or  in  abundance :  cities  denote  the  truths  of  doctrine :  the  language 
or  lip  of  Canaan  denotes  the  genuine  doctrinals  of  the  church :  to 
swear  to  Jehovah,  is  to  make  confession  of  the  Lord :  each  one  being 
called  the  city  of  the  sun,  signifies  that  the  doctrine,  even  in  its  ex- 
ternal form,  will  be  that  of  love  and  charity  from  a  spiritual  origin, 
and  will  shine  with  heavenly  light,  as  with  the  radiance  of  the  sun. 
The  translators  of  the  English  Bible  appear  to  have  mistaken  the 
sense  of  the  last  clause  in  the  verse,  and  have  rendered  it  thus :  "  One 
shall  be  called  the  citij  of  destruction."  But  the  context,  as  well  as 
the  original  expression  (ir  hacheres),  which  is  literally  the  city  of  the 
sun,  plainly  implies  something  good,  not  evil — a  blessing,  and  not  a 
curse — as  the  result  of  the  Lord's  advent,  and  the  establishment  of 
a  new  church  among  the  gentiles. — See  Ap.  Ex.  223,  391,  548,  654. 

(5.)  Matt.  XXV.  1,  2.  "  Then  shall  the  kingdom  of  heaven  be 
likened  unto  ten  virgins,  who  took  their  lamps,  and  went  forth  to 
meet  the  bridegroom.  And  five  of  them  were  wise,  and  five  were 
37* 


i38 


A  KEY  TO  NUMBERS. 


foolish."  By  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  signified  the  church :  the 

same  also  is  signified  by  a  virgin  in  respect  to  the  aflection  or  love  of 
divine  truth.  Ten  virgins,  therefore,  signify  all  who  are  of  the  church, 
and  who  have  an  affection  for  the  truth,  either  internal  or  external, 
either  for  the  sake  of  truth,  or  for  the  sake  of  some  worldly  and 
natural  advantage.  By  the  five  wise  virgins  are  meant  all  of  the 
former  description,  and  by  the  five  foolish  virgins  all  of  the  latter : 
for  as  the  number  of  each  class  cannot  be  supjjosed  to  be  determined 
by  the  precise  number  expressed,  it  is  plain  that  by  five  are  meant 
some,  or  some  part  of  the  whole,  and  indeed  all  of  a  similar  character, 
whether  it  be  that  of  wisdom  or  of  folly.  By  their  lamps  are  sig- 
nified the  knowledges  of  truth  and  good  from  the  Word,  also  the 
truths  of  doctrine  and  of  faith.  By  oil  is  signified  the  good  of  love 
and  charity:  and  by  the  bridegroom  is  understood  the  Lord.  All 
the  virgins  had  lamps,  by  which  is  understood,  that  all  were  in  the 
possession  of  knowledges  from  the  Word.  But  some  of  them  had  no 
oil  in  their  vessels  with  their  lamps;  that  is  to  say,  they  were  desti- 
tute of  the  good  of  love  in  their  hearts,  though  possessed  of  light  in 
their  understanding:  hence  the  latter  are  called  foolish  vii'gins, 
while  the  former  are  called  wise.  From  this  parable  therefore  it  is 
evident,  that  the  number  ten.  signifies  all  the  professing  members  of 
the  church  in  general,  and  that  the  number  five  signifies  some,  or  a 
certain  part  of  them. — See  Ap.  Ex.  252,  548,  675. 

{Q.)  Matt.  xxv.  14,  15.  "  The  kingdom  of  heaven  is  as  a  man 
travelling  into  a  far  country,  who  called  his  own  servants  and  deliv- 
ered unto  them  his  goods.  And  unto  one  he  gave  five  talents,  to 
another  two,  and  to  another  one,  to  every  man  according  to  his  several 

ability,  and  straightway  took  his  journey."  By  the  man  travelling 

into  a  far  country  is  meant  the  Lord,  who,  since  his  personal  departure 
from  the  world,  appears  to  be  absent,  or  is  generally  thought  to  be 
so ;  though  in  reality  He  is  equally  present  with  men,  as  He  was 
when  in  the  flesh ;  nay,  more  so,  for  being  now  in  a  body  altogether 
Divine,  and  bearing  no  relation  whatever  to  either  time  or  space.  He 
is  omnij)resent.  By  his  servants  are  signified  all  mankind,  but 
especially  those  who  belong  to  the  church.  By  delivering  unto  them 
his  goods,  is  signified  that  He  conununicates  to  all,  though  in  difier- 
ent  degrees,  according  to  their  capacity  of  reception,  the  knowledges 
of  good  and  truth,  which  constitute  the  wealth  of  heaven  ;  to  those 
who  are  of  the  church  in  a  direct  manner  by  his  Word,  and  to  others, 
viz.,  to  gentiles  who  are  out  of  the  church,  in  an  indirect  manner  by 


THE  NUMBER  FIVE. 


439 


those  laws  of  religion  which  they  regard  as  divine.  By  the  servant 
who  received  five  talents,  are  signified  all  those  who  have  admitted 
some  goods  and  truths  from  the  Lord  into  their  minds,  and  who  thus 
have  received  some  though  comparatively  but  a  Jew  remains.  Of 
this  servant  it  is  said  in  the  succeeding  part  of  the  parable,  that  by 
trading  he  gained  other yi ye  talents,  so  that  they  became  ten;  by  which 
is  signified,  that  by  diligence,  and  a  proper  use  of  the  jew  knowledges 
at  first  received,  he  at  length  acquired  much  wisdom :  for  as  the  num- 
ber five  denotes  somewhat,  or  a  few,  so  the  number  ten  denotes  much, 
or  all ;  each  number  being  predicated  of  remains,  which  consist  of 
the  various  knowledges  of  truth  and  good,  together  Avith  affections 
for  the  same,  received  from  the  Lord  and  treasured  up  in  the  mind 
from  infancy.  By  the  servant  who  received  tivo  talents,  are  signified 
all  such  as  in  advanced  or  mature  age  have  adjoined  charity  to  faith  ; 
the  number  tivo  here,  as  in  other  parts  of  the  Word,  denoting  con- 
junction. By  the  servant,  who  received  only  one  talent,  are  signified 
all  those  who  admitted  into  their  minds  faith  separate  from  charity. 
These  are  said  to  hide  their  lord's  money  in  the  earth,  when  their 
knowledge  of  heavenly  things  is  confined  to  the  memory,  without 
application  to  the  life,  and  when  at  the  same  time  they  give  them- 
selves up  to  earthly  and  sensual  pleasures.  From  the  preceding 
explanation  it  may  be  seen,  that  the  number  of  talents  given  to  the 
different  servants  by  their  lord,  as  five,  two,  and  one,  have  reference 
not  merely  to  the  original  gift,  but  likewise  to  the  use  afterwards 
made  of  the  gift  by  the  receivers.  To  the  servant  who  is  said  to  have 
received  only  one  talent,  by  which  is  understood  faith  alone,  the  offer 
of  charity  in  conjunction  with  faith  is  ever  made  by  his  lord,  as  well 
as  to  him  who  is  said  to  have  received  two  talents :  but  in  the  one 
case  faith  or  mere  knowledge  is  received,  and  charity  rejected,  while 
in  the  other  case  both  faith  and  charity  are  received  and  conjoined 
by  actual  life.  And  hence  by  the  application  of  different  numbers  to 
the  talents  received  by  different  persons,  according  to  their  true 
spiritual  signification,  we  are  enabled  to  discover  what  is  the  kind  of 
life,  which  will  hereafter  meet  with  the  divine  approbation,  and  what 
that,  which  will  inevitably  prove  our  ruin. — See  A.  C.  2967,  529L 
Ap.  Ex.  193,  675. 

(7.)  Mark  vi.  38  to  44.  "  He  saith  unto  them.  How  many  loaves 
have  ye  ?  go  and  see.  And  when  they  knew,  they  say,  Five,  and  two 
fishes.  And  He  commanded  them  to  make  all  sit  down  by  companies 
upon  the  green  grass.   And  they  sat  down  in  ranks  by  hundreds  and 


440 


A  KEY  TO  NUMBERS. 


by  fifties.  And  when  He  had  taken  the  five  loaves  and  the  two  fishes, 
He  looked  up  to  heaven,  and  blessed,  and  brake  the  loaves,  and  gave 
them  to  his  disciples  to  set  before  them ;  and  the  two  fishes  divided 
He  among  them  all.  And  thej'  did  all  eat,  and  were  filled.  And  they 
took  up  twelve  baskets  full  of  the  fragments,  and  of  the  fishes.  And 

they  that  did  eat  of  the  loaves,  were  about  five  thousand  men."  

By  the  Lord's  feeding  the  multitude  with  five  loaves  and  two  fishes, 
is  signified  the  communication  of  good  and  truth  to  the  members  of 
his  church,  according  to  their  capacity  of  reception,  which  as  yet 
was  but  little.  Loaves  denote  goods ;  and  their  number  being  five, 
denotes  that  as  yet  they  were  but  few,  because  the  church  was  then 
only  in  its  commencement  among  men  of  an  external  character. 
Fishes  denote  natural  truths,  or  those  truths  which  the  natural  man 
is  first  receptive  of ;  and  their  number  being  two,  denotes  that  still 
there  was  a  principle  of  good  in  conjunction  with  the  truth  received 
by  the  people.  By  their  sitting  down  on  the  green  grass  in  ranks  of 
hundreds  and  fifties,  is  signified  the  disposition  or  arrangement  of  all 
things  in  the  newly-formed  church  according  to  divine  order :  green 
grass  denotes  the  first  or  lowest  state  of  spiritual  life  in  man :  and 
ranks  of  hundreds  and  fifties  denote  orderly  arrangement  according 
to  the  various  states  of  reception.  By  their  eating,  and  being  filled, 
is  uudei-stood  spiritual  nourishment  or  instruction  as  they  could  bear 
it.  By  twelve  baskets  full  of  fragments  and  of  fishes  remaining,  are 
signified  the  knowledges  of  good  and  truth  proceeding  from  the  Lord 
in  all  abundance  and  fulness,  consequently  full  instruction  and  full 
blessing.  The  number  of  men,  who  did  eat  being  five  iliottsand, 
denotes  all  of  the  church  who  are  in  truths  derived  from  good  :  men 
denote  those  w'ho  are  in  truths ;  and  w'omen  and  children,  mentioned 
by  the  Evangelist  Matthew  (xiv.  21),  denote  those  who  are  in  goods. 
This  miracle  was  wrought  by  the  Lord  in  a  similar  manner  to  that 
of  the  production  of  manna  in  the  wilderness,  namely,  by  the  extraor- 
dinary and  sudden  conversion  of  spiritual  food  into  natural  food, 
the  multitude  who  were  present  not  being  at  all  aware  of  the  circum- 
stance during  the  time  of  their  repast,  Init  astonished  beyond  measure 
when  they  came  to  reflect  upon  it  afterwards.  By  miracles  of  this 
description  the  Lord  has  made  it  fully  manifest  that  He  is  both  the 
Creator  and  Preserver  of  man. — See  A.  C.  5291.  Ap.  Ex.  430,  548, 
617. 

(8.)  Luke  xii.  6.  "Are  not  five  sparrows  sold  for  two  farthings, 
and  not  one  of  them  is  forgotten  before  God  ?"  Five  sjjarrows  here 


THE  NUMBER  FIVE. 


441 


evidently  denote  what  is  of  little  value  or  estimation  in  comparison 
with  man.  Birds  in  general  denote  tilings  intellectual,  or  things  re- 
lating to  the  understanding  in  man,  such  as  thoughts,  ideas,  reason- 
ings, principles,  intentions,  truths,  or  falsities,  according  to  the  nature 
of  the  subject  treated  of.  Birds  of  a  higher  order,  as  eagles,  repre- 
sent thoughts  formed  on  i-ational  principles,  and  consequently  of  an 
interior  quality ;  but  birds  of  an  inferior  order,  such  as  sparrows,  etc., 
represent  thoughts  of  a  trifling  and  external  character,  or  such  as 
occupy  the  lower  region  of  the  mind.  Hence  the  Lord,  when  speak- 
ing of  his  divine  providence  over  every  thing  relating  to  man,  assures 
his  disciples,  that  the  least  as  well  as  the  greatest  things  in  and  about 
Him  are  under  his  immediate  notice  and  regard.  This  is  expressed 
as  usual  by  such  objects  in  nature  as  correspond  to,  and  are  significa- 
tive of,  those  things  in  man  which  are  of  the  lowest  consideration, 
namely,  sparrows,  which  are  said  not  to  be  forgotten  by  God,  and  in 
ver.  7,  the  very  hairs  of  the  head,  which  are  said  to  be  all  numbered. 
—See  A.  C.  5096,  5149.  A.  R.  757,  837.  Ap.  Ex.  453,  548.  T.  C. 
R.  42. 

(9.)  Luke  xii.  52.  "  From  henceforth  there  shall  be  five  in  one 
house  divided,  three  against  two  and  two  against  three."  The^  sig- 
nification of  the  number  five  varies  according  to  its  relation  to  other 
numbers :  thus  when  it  is  preceded  or  followed  by  ten,  twenty,  or 
higher  numbers,  it  signifies  some,  a  few,  or  a  little ;  but  when  pre- 
ceded or  followed  by  lower  numbers,  as  two  and  three,  it  then  signi- 
fies all  or  many.  In  the  present  passage,  by  five  in  one  house  are 
meant  all  or  many  in  the  church  at  large,  or  all  or  many  things  in 
one  individual  mind.  By  their  being  divided,  three  against  two  and 
two  against  three,  is  signified  that  truths  will  be  opposed  to  evils, 
and  evils  to  truths ;  also  that  falsities  will  be  opposed  to  goods,  and 
goods  to  falsities :  for  such  is  the  double  signification  of  the  numbers 
three  and  two,  three  being  predicated  either  of  truths  or  falsities,  and 
two  either  of  goods  or  evils.  This  opposition,  which  is  expressive  of 
a  state  of  temptation  into  which  the  members  of  the  church  are  per- 
mitted to  fall  when  the  Lord  comes  to  establish  his  church  among 
men,  is  the  means  whereby  the  process  of  regeneration  is  effected ; 
for  hereby  man  is  led  to  see  and  acknowledge  the  impurities  and 
corruptions  of  his  nature,  and  seeing  them,  to  renounce,  resist  and 
overcome  them  by  the  aid  of  divine  truth  and  good  received  from 
the  Lord.  It  is  in  reference  to  this  state  of  trial  and  spiritual  temp- 
tation, that  the  Lord  says  in  ver.  51,  "Supjiose  ye  that  I  am  come  to 


A  KEY  TO  NUMBERS. 


give  peace  on  earth?  I  tell  you,  Nay;  but  rather  division."  And 
in  another  place,  "  Think  not  that  I  am  come  to  send  peace  on 
earth :  I  came  not  to  send  peace,  but  a  sivord,"  Matt.  x.  34 ;  that  is, 
not  a  false  peace,  or  heedless  and  fetal  security,  but  the  power  of  di- 
vine truth,  -whereby  all  spkitual  enemies  may  be  subdued,  and  true 
Ijeavenly  peace  established  in  the  mind,  agreeably  to  these  his  divine 
words,  "  Peace  I  leave  with  you,  my  jjeace  I  give  unto  you  ;  not  as 
the  world  giveth,  give  I  unto  you,"  John  xiv.  27 ;  thus  proving  him- 
self to  be  what  the  prophet  of  old  declared  He  would  be,  "  the  Prince 
of  peace,"  Isa.  ix.  6.— See  A.  C.  4843,  5023,  5291.  Ap.  Ex.  504, 
532,  548,  724. 

(10.)  Luke  xiv.  16  to  20.  "A  certain  man  made  a  great  supper, 
and  bade  many.  And  they  all  with  one  consent  began  to  make  ex- 
cuse. The  first  said  unto  him,  I  have  bought  a  piece  of  ground,  and 
I  must  needs  go  and  see  it :  I  pray  thee  have  me  excused.  And 
another  said,  I  have  bought  Jive  yoke  of  oxen,  and  I  go  to  prove 
them  :  I  pray  thee  have  me  excused.  And  another  said,  I  have  mar- 
ried a  wife,  and  therefore  I  cannot  come."  By  the  great  supper 

to  which  many  were  invited,  is  signified  heaven  and  the  church, 
where  spiritual  nourishment  or  instruction  is  communicated  by  the 
Lord  to  man.  It  is  called  a  supper  or  evening  repast,  in  reference 
to  the  end  of  a  former  church  and  the  commencement  of  a  new  one. 
The  persons  invited  Avere  the  Jews,  who  yet  excused  themselves  from 
attending  the  supper,  urging  reasons  which  Mere  all  grounded  in  the 
love  of  external,  Avorldly  and  corporeal  things,  separate  from  those 
of  an  internal  and  heavenly  nature.  By  the  fii-st  stating  that  he 
had  bought  a  piece  of  ground  and  must  needs  go  and  see  it,  is  signi- 
fied that  he  had  procured  to  himself  such  religious  principles  as  were 
congenial  with  his  love,  and  that  his  attention  and  thoughts  would 
henceforth  be  directed  to  them  in  preference  to  any  other:  apiece 
of  ground  or  a  field,  being  that  which  is  fitted  to  receive  seeds,  de- 
notes in  the  genuine  sense  a  state  of  spiritual  good  in  the  mind  quali- 
fying it  for  the  reception  of  heavenly  truths ;  but  in  the  opposite 
sense,  a  state  of  evil  in  the  mind  which  will  admit  only  of  falsities 
or  gross  errors :  and  the  desire  of  going  to  see  it,  implies  that  the 
powers  of  the  understanding  would  be  willingly  employed  in  con- 
firmation of  the  same.  By  the  second  excusing  himself  on  the 
ground  of  his  having  bought  five  yoke  of  oxen,  which  he  was  de- 
sirous of  proving,  is  signified  that  all  his  natural  affections,  lusts  and 
pleasures  arising  from  his  intercourse  with  the  world,  were  too  dear 


THE  NUMBER  FIVE. 


443 


and  captivating  to  be  renounced,  iind  therefore  he  was  still  disposed 
to  indulge  them  :  oxen  denote  natural  affections,  either  good  or  evil, 
but  in  the  present  case  evil  affections  or  lusts  which  withdraw  the 
mind  from  heaven ;  and  five  yoke  of  oxen  denote  all  such  affections 
and  lusts :  to  prove  them,  is  to  live  in  the  indulgence  of  them.  By 
the  answer  w'hich  the  third  made  to  the  invitation,  viz.,  that  he  had 
married  a  wife  and  therefore  could  not  come,  is  signified  that  evils 
and  falsities  arising  from  self-love  and  the  love  of  the  world,  were  so 
united  or  conjoined  in  him,  as  in  a  kind  of  infernal  marriage,  and 
had  likewise  gained  such  an  ascendancy  over  him,  that  all  his  affec- 
tions were  already  engaged,  and  consequently  that  he  had  no  desire 
to  change  his  life:  marriage  in  a  good  sense  denotes  the  conjunction 
of  goods  and  truths,  but  in  an  opposite  sense,  as  here,  the  conjunction 
of  evils  and  flvlsities.— See  A.  C.  5291.  Ap.  Ex.  252,  548,  1162.  H. 
&  H.  377. 

(11.)  Luke  xvi.  27,  28.  "The  rich  man  in  hell  said  unto  Abra- 
ham, I  pray  thee,  father,  that  thou  wouldst  send  Lazarus  to  my 
father's  house ;  for  I  have  five  brethren ;  that  he  may  testify  unto 

them,  lest  they  also  come  into  this  place  of  torment."  By  the 

rich  man  are  meant  the  Jews,  who  are  said  to  be  rich,  because  they 
were  in  possession  of  the  Word,  or  the  divine  truths  of  revelation 
which  constitute  the  riches  of  heaven :  by  Lazarus  are  meant  the 
gentiles,  who  are  said  to  be  poor  because  they  were  then  destitute  of 
the  Word :  and  by  Abraham  in  whose  bosom  Lazarus  was  seen,  is 
signified  the  Lord.  Hence  by  the  five  brethren  of  the  rich  man  are 
signified  all  of  a  similar  quality  and  description  M  ith  himself.  The 
torment  which  he  experienced  in  hell,  did  not  consist  in  any  pain  or 
punishment  inflicted  upon  him  by  natural  fire,  as  is  generally  sup- 
posed;  for  a  spirit  cannot  possibly  be  injured  or  tormented  by  such 
fire.  Neither  did  his  prayer  to  Abraham  spring  from  any  love  or 
kindness  to  his  brethren,  who  were  still  in  the  body ;  for  an  infernal 
spirit  is  not  susceptible  of  affection  or  tenderness  to  either  friend  or 
foe.  But  by  the  pain  or  torment  of  which  he  complained,  is  signi- 
fied the  restraint  he  was  under,  and  the  pungent  distress  he  expe- 
rienced, in  no  longer  having  the  opportunity  of  perverting  the  divine 
truths  of  the  Word,  and  consequently  of  doing  mischief  to  others 
thereby ;  it  being  the  chief  delight  of  every  infernal  spirit  to  infest 
the  good,  and  if  possible  to  destroy  them  without  mercy ;  which  de- 
light, on  being  prohibited  from  rushing  into  action,  is  converted  into 
wretchedness  and  unspeakable  misery.    The  ardent  desire  on  the 


444 


A  KEY  TO  NUMBERS. 


part  of  the  rich  man  to  pervert  the  Word  and  to  destroy  souls,  to- 
gether with  the  punishment  attending  it,  is  thus  expressed  in  ver.  24: 
"  Father  Abraham,  have  mercy  on  me,  and  send  Lazarus  that  he 
may  dip  the  tip  of  his  finger  in  water,  and  cool  my  tongue ;  for  I  am 
tormented  in  this  flame."  By  the  water  into  Avhich  he  wished  Laza- 
rus to  dip  the  tip  of  his  finger,  is  signified  the  divine  truth  of  the 
Word :  and  by  his  tongue  which  was  heated  and  tormented  by  flame, 
is  signified  his  ardent  desire  and  lust  of  perverting  such  truth,  with 
the  punishment  annexed  to  it.  To  cool  the  tongue,  is  to  assuage  the 
thirst  or  desire  of  perverting  truth  by  indulging  the  inclination  :  but 
as  he  was  denied  this  gratification,  he  therefore  complained  that  he 
was  tormented  by  the  flame,  that  is,  by  the  lust  within  him,  which  is 
described  as  a  burning  flame.  And  the  only  reason  why  he  ex- 
pressed a  desire  that  his  five  brethren  might  not  come  into  a  similar 
state  of  torment  with  himself,  was,  that,  if  he  could  not  by  his  own 
malicious  exertions  accomplish  the  above  purpose,  he  hoped  that  all 
others  who  were  in  spirit  like  himself,  might,  while  they  had  the  op- 
portunity, still  continue  to  act  as  he  had  done,  that  is,  pervert  the 
divine  truths  of  the  Word  with  a  view  to  the  destruction  and  final 
ruin  of  the  innocent.— See  A.  R.  282,  725.  Ap.  Ex.  455,  548. 
(12.)    Apoc.  ix.  5.    "And  to  them  it  was  given  that  they  should 

not  kill  them,  but  that  they  should  be  tormented  five  months."  

By  the  locusts  which  came  forth  out  of  the  smoke,  that  ascended 
from  the  bottomless  pit,  mentioned  in  the  preceding  verses,  are  sig- 
nified the  ultimate  or  sensual  principles  in  man,  which  receive  the 
influx  of  infernal  falsities.  By  their  being  commanded  not  to  hurt 
the  grass  of  the  earth,  nor  any  green  thing,  nor  any  tree,  but  only 
those  men  who  have  not  the  seal  of  God  in  their  foreheads,  is  signi- 
fied the  divine  providence  of  the  Lord  in  preserving  the  literal  or 
external  sense  of  tlie  Word  from  being  openly  denied,  and  thereby 
destroyed,  at  the  end  of  the  church,  though  the  true  sense  of  it  is 
perverted  by  those  who  are  not  in  truths  derived  from  good  :  the 
grass  of  the  earth  is  scientific  truth  grounded  in  the  literal  sense  of 
the  Word :  the  green  thing  is  the  good  of  fiiith,  or  the  life  thereof : 
trees  are  the  knowledges  or  jjerceptions  of  truth  and  good :  and  the 
men,  who  have  not  the  seal  of  God  in  their  foreheads,  are  those  who 
are  not  in  truths  derived  from  good.  By  their  not  being  permitted 
to  kill  such  men,  but  only  to  torment  them  five  months,  is  signified 
that  the  faculty  or  capacity  of  understanding  what  is  true  and  of 
choosing  what  is  good,  is  not  absolutely  taken  away  from  them,  but 


THE  NUMBER  SIX. 


445 


only  a  state  of  stupefaction  or  insensibility  to  truth  is  induced  upon 
them  for  a  short  time,  that  is,  so  long  as  they  sutler  themselves  to 
be  seduced  by  fallacious  reasonings :  to  kill  men,  is  to  deprive  them 
of  the  faculty  or  capacity  of  understanding,  perceiving  and  choosing 
what  is  true  and  good  ;  for  man  is  man  by  virtue  of  such  faculty, 
which  always  remains  with  him,  though  the  actual  understanding 
of  truth  and  perception  of  good  may  be  suspended,  and  for  a  time 
extinguished  :  to  torment  them  five  months,  is  to  induce  a  degree  of 
stupor  and  insensibility  as  to  the  understanding  of  truth  for  a  short 
time,  or  so  long  as  they  are  in  the  state  above  described  ;  for  a  month, 
like  all  other  times,  is  expressive  of  state,  and  the  number  five  denotes 
something,  a  little,  a  short  time,  and  consequently  so  long  as  the 
state  alluded  to  continues. — See  A.  R.  424  to  427.  Ap.  Ex.  543  to 
548. 

Six. 

The  number  six  belongs  to  the  spiritual  class  of  expressions,  being 
predicated  of  truths  or  falsities,  and  denotes  all  truth  or  falsity  in 
the  complex.— A.  C.  10624.    A.  R.  322.    Ap.  Ex.  194,  430,  532. 

It  also  signifies  all  things  of  truth  from  good. — A.  C.  9555. 

All  things  of  faith  and  charity,  or  of  truth  and  good,  like  the 
number  twelve.— k.  C.  3960,  7973.    A.  R.  245. 

All  states  of  labor,  combat  and  temptation  before  rest  and  peace 
arising  from  the  conjunction  of  good  and  truth. — A.  C.  737,  1903, 
4178,  8494,  8975,  10360. 

Man's  proprium. — A.  R.  519. 

First  states  of  instruction  and  regeneration,  Avhen  man  is  in  combat, 
and  is  led  by  truth  to  good.— A.  C.  9272,  10667,  10729. 

All  states  of  labor,  combat  and  temptation  preceding  full  regenera- 
tion.—A.  C.  6  to  13,  737,  900,  illustrated. 

The  dispersion  of  what  is  false  in  temptations,  also  the  holy  princi- 
ple of  faith  which  is  implied  in  temptations. — A.  C.  737. 

Preparation  for  celestial  marriage. — A.  C.  10637. 

Reception  of  truth  before  conjunction  with  good. — A.  C.  8506. 

The  end  of  a  preceding  state. — A.  C.  8421. 

What  is  complete  from  the  beginning  to  the  end. — A.  R.  489. 

The  end  of  the  former  church,  and  commencement  of  the  new. — 
A.  C.  9741. 

When  the  number  six  has  relation  to  twelve,  or  to  three,  being  con- 
sidered as  the  half  of  one,  and  double  the  other,  it  then  signifies  the 
holy  principle  of  faith  ;  because  twelve  signifies  all  things  belonging 
38 


446 


A  KEY  TO  NUMBERS. 


to  faith,  and  three  signifies  what  is  holy.— A.  C.  737,  3239,  3960, 
8148. 

When  considered  as  compounded  of  three  multiplied  by  two,  it 
then  signifies  all  things  relating  to  truth  and  good  ;  for  the  number 
three  signifies  fulness,  or  the  all  of  truth,  and  the  number  tivo  sig- 
nifies the  marriage  or  conjunction  of  truth  with  good. — A.  R.  245, 
610. 

The  sixth  part,  sixth  day,  and  sixth  hour,  have  the  same  significa- 
tion as  the  number  six  itself,  viz.,  what  is  full,  complete  and  perfect 
from  beginning  to  end.— A.  R.  610.    A.  C.  8421. 

EXAMPLES. 

(1.)  Gen.  i.  31.  "And  God  saw  everj'  thing  that  He  had  made, 
and  behold,  it  was  very  good.    And  the  evening  and  the  morning 

were  the  sixth  day."  By  the  six  days  of  creation  are  meant  all 

states  of  labor,  combat  and  temptation  during  the  process  of  man's 
regeneration,  until,  by  repeated  advances  from  lower  to  higher 
degrees  of  the  spiritual  life  called  evening  and  morning,  he  enters 
into  a  state  of  heavenly  rest  and  peace,  signified  by  the  seventh  day. 
And  as  this  cannot  be  eflfected  by  any  power  belonging  to  man,  but 
only  by  a  divine  agency  operating  through  the  medium  of  truth 
received  into  the  understanding  and  affections,  it  is  therefore  said 
that  God  created,  that  is  regenerated  man,  and  then  ceased  from  all 
his  labor.  Thus  the  sixth  day  denotes  the  completion  or  end  of  the 
states  above  described,  whereby  man  first  becomes  an  image,  and 
afterwards  a  likeness  of  the  Lord.  The  former  states  or  stages  are 
declared  to  be  good,  but  this  last  very  good,  by  reason  of  the  end 
which  is  now  attained,  namely,  the  conjunction  of  good  and  truth, 
or  the  heavenly  marriage. — See  A.  C.  6  to  13,  60  to  63. 

(2.)    Ex.  xvi.  26.    "  Six  days  ye  shall  gather  it  (manna)  ;  but  on 

the  seventh  day,Avhich  is  the  sabbath,  in  it  there  shall  be  none."  

By  manna  is  signified  the  good  which  is  acquired  by  means  of  truth, 
or  by  living  according  to  the  dictates  of  truth.  By  the  Israelites 
gathering  manna  six  days,  but  not  on  the  seventh,  is  signified  that 
such  good  may,  according  to  divine  order,  be  acquired  in  states  of 
labor,  combat  and  temptation,  or  before  the  actual  conjunction  of 
truth  with  good  takes  place,  but  not  afterwards :  six  days  denote 
states  of  labor,  combat  and  temptation,  during  which  truth  leads  or 
introduces  to  good :  the  seventh  day  denotes  the  conjunction  of  good 
and  truth,  consequently  a  state  of  rest  and  tranquillity  when  man  is 


THE  NUMBER  SIX. 


447 


led  by  the  Lord  without  labor  and  combat,  because  he  is  led  from 
affection  and  delight,  and  because  his  labor  or  earnest  endeavor  to 
procure  good  is  superseded  by  the  actual  possession  of  it.  The  state 
of  man  before  regeneration  and  his  state  after  it,  are  widely  different 
the  one  from  the  other ;  in  the  former  he  acts  from  truth,  and  there- 
by acquires  good ;  in  the  latter  he  acts  from  good,  and  thence  per- 
ceives truth.  When  arrived  at  this  latter  state,  it  would  be  disor- 
derly in  him  to  return  to  the  former :  on  which  account  the  Lord 
says  in  the  Gospel,  "  In  that  day,  he  who  shall  be  on  the  house-top, 
(in  the  principle  of  good,)  and  his  vessels  (or  truths)  in  the  house,  let 
him  not  come  down  to  take  them  away  :  and  he  that  is  in  the  field, 
(in  the  good  acquired  by  truth,)  let  him  likewise  not  return  back. 
Remember  Lot's  Avife,"  Luke  xvii.  31,  32.— See  A.  C.  8462  to  8510. 

(3.)  Ex.  XX.  9  to  n.  "Six  days  shalt  thou  labor,  and  do  all  thy 
work.  But  the  seventh  day  is  the  sabbath  of  Jehovah  thy  God  :  in 
it  thou  shalt  not  do  any  work,  thou,  nor  thy  son,  nor  thy  daughter, 
thy  man-servant,  nor  thy  maid-servant,  nor  thy  cattle,  nor  thy  stran- 
ger that  is  within  thy  gates.  For  in  six  days  Jehovah  made  heaven 
and  earth,  the  sea,  and  all  that  in  them  is,  and  rested  the  seventh 
day :  wherefore  Jehovah  blessed  the  sabbath-day,  and  hallowed  it." 
 By  the  six  days  of  labor  are  signified  the  various  states  of  com- 
bat, M'hich  precede  and  prepare  for  the  celestial  marriage,  or  the  con- 
junction of  good  and  truth  in  man.  The  seventh  day  denotes  that 
holy  marriage  or  conjunction,  with  all  the  felicities  arising  from  it, 
and  in  the  supreme  sense  the  union  of  the  Lord's  Divinity  and  his 
Divine  Humanity.  By  the  son,  daughter,  man-servant,  maid-servant, 
cattle  and  stranger  ceasing  from  labor,  is  signified  that  all  things  be- 
longing to  the  internal  and  external  man  ought  to  partake  of  that 
rest  and  peace  which  is  represented  and  typified  by  the  seventh  day. 
And  by  the  heaven,  the  earth,  the  sea  and  all  that  is  in  them,  which 
Jehovah  made,  are  signified  in  general  those  internal  and  external 
principles  of  spiritual  and  celestial  life,  which  man  receives  by  regen- 
eration from  the  Lord.— See  A.  C.  8888  to  8895. 

(4.)  Ex.  xxi.  2.  "  If  thou  buy  a  Hebrew  servant,  six  years  he 
shall  serve ;  and  in  the  seventh  he  shall  go  out  free  for  nothing." 

 By  a  Hebrew  servant  are  signified  all  those  members  of  the 

church  who  are  in  the  truths  of  doctrine,  but  not  in  the  good  of  life 
corresponding  with  such  truths,  and  abstractly  the  truths  themselves : 
hence  to  buy  a  Hebrew  servant,  is  to  procure  those  truths.  They 
are  called  servants,  because  the  truth  Avhich  they  profess  is  itself  a 


448 


A  KEY  TO  NUMBERS. 


servant  in  respect  to  good,  being  subservient  thereto :  and  they  are 
called  Hebrews,  because  a  Hebrew  signifies  one  who  belongs  to  the 
church,  and  who  therefore  can  perform  service  or  use  in  the  church. 
By  his  serving  six  years  is  signified  that  such  persons  undergo  a  state 
of  labor  and  some  degree  of  combat,  during  Avhich  the  truth  of  faith 
is  confirmed  in  them  by  the  Lord :  six  years  denote  labor  and  com- 
bat, the  result  of  which  is  confirmation  in  the  truth.  By  his  going 
out  free  for  nothing  in  the  seventh  year,  is  signified  a  state  of  con- 
firmed truth  without  any  labor  of  his  own.  The  seventh  year  in 
general  bears  the  same  signification  as  the  seventh  day  or  sabbath, 
namely,  the  conjunction  of  good  and  truth,  or  the  celestial  marriage, 
thus  a  state  of  peace  and  freedom,  which  succeeds  a  state  of  servi- 
tude :  but  in  the  present  case,  as  the  subject  treats  of  those  external 
men  in  the  church  who  are  in  truth  and  not  in  the  corresponding 
good  of  life,  the  seventh  day  merely  denotes  the  confirmation  of  truth 
with  them,  which  is  effected  by  the  Lord  gratuitously,  that  is,  with- 
out any  labor  of  their  own. — See  A.  C.  8974  to  8976. 

(5.)  Lev.  XXV.  3,  4.  "  Six  years  thou  shalt  sow  thy  field,  and 
six  yeai-s  thou  shalt  prune  thy  vineyard,  and  gather  in  the  fruit 
thereof.  But  in  the  seventh  year  shall  be  a  sabbath  of  rest  unto  the 
land,  a  sabbath  for  Jehovah :  thou  shalt  neither  sow  thy  field,  nor 

prune  thy  vineyard."  The  two  states  of  the  regenerate  life  are 

here  alluded  to ;  the  first  being  a  state  of  instruction  in  the  truths 
and  goods  of  faith,  and  appropriation  of  the  same,  signified  by  sow- 
ing the  field,  and  pruning  the  vineyard  for  six  years,  and  gathering 
in  the  fruit  thereof ;  the  second  being  a  state  of  rest,  tranquillity  and 
peace  signified  by  the  seventh  year,  when  all  labor  should  cease. — 
See  A.  C.  9272  to  9274. 

(6.)  Num.  XXXV.  14,  15.  "  Ye  shall  give  three  cities  on  this  side 
Jordan,  and  three  cities  shall  ye  give  in  the  land  of  Canaan,  which 
shall  be  cities  of  refuge.  These  six  cities  shall  be  a  refuge,  both  for 
the  children  of  Israel,  and  for  the  stranger,  and  for  the  sojourner 
among  them ;  that  every  one  who  killeth  any  person  unawares,  may 

flee  thither."  By  those  persons  who  killed  another  without  design, 

or,  as  it  is  usually  expressed,  by  accident,  were  represented  all  those 
in  the  church,  who  by  their  false  reasonings  and  persuasions  on  the 
subject  of  faith  do  a  serious  injury  to  another,  and  even  extinguish 
his  spiritual  life,  yet  without  any  such  intention  or  purpose,  as  is  the 
case  with  some  zealous  but  well-meaning  and  conscientious  professors. 
Such  man-slayers  were  exempt  from  punishment,  on  betaking  them- 


THE  NUMBER  SIX. 


449 


selves  to  one  of  the  cities  of  refuge  which  were  expressly  appointed 
for  their  benefit ;  by  which  circumstance  was  signified  that,  whatever 
errors  of  judgment  may  mislead  a  man,  yet  if  he  act  uprightly,  sin- 
cerely and  conscientiously,  bearing  no  malice  or  enmity  against  his 
neighbor,  a  merciful  providence  is  made  in  his  behalf,  by  protecting 
him  from  the  punishment  that  would  otherwise  have  fallen  upon 
him.  Six  cities  of  refuge  were  appointed,  three  on  the  one  side,  and 
thi"ee  on  the  other  side  of  Jordan,  because  the  number  six,  like  the 
number  three,  denotes  what  is  holy,  and  at  the  same  time  what  is  full 
and  complete.    See  A.  C.  9011.    A.  R.  610. 

(7.)  Isa.  vi.  2.  "  Above  it  stood  the  seraphim ;  each  one  had  six 
wings ;  with  twain  he  covered  his  face,  and  with  twain  he  covered 

his  feet,  and  with  twain  he  did  fly."  By  the  seraphim  is  signified 

•the  Word,  properly  doctrine  from  the  Word,  also  the  divine  provi- 
dence of  the  Lord  in  guarding  and  defending  the  superior  or  interior 
heavens  from  being  apjiroached  in  any  other  spirit  than  that  of  love 
and  charity.  By  wings,  in  like  manner  as  by  arms  or  hands,  is  sig- 
nified the  power  of  divine  truth ;  also  circumspection,  presence  and 
defence :  and  by  there  being  six  in  number  to  each  seraph  is  signi- 
fied the  fulness  and  perfection  of  such  power,  which  is  the  same  thing 
as  the  divine  omnipotence  and  omnipresence.  By  the  twain  with 
which  he  covered  his  face,  is  signified  the  protection  of  the  interior 
things  of  the  Word,  of  heaven,  and  the  church,  from  violation  and 
profanation :  by  the  twain  with  which  he  covered  his  feet,  is  signified 
the  protection  also  of  the  exterior  things  belonging  to  the  same :  and 
by  the  twain  with  which  he  did  fly,  is  signified  the  power  of  instruc- 
tion, communication  and  perception  of  the  divine  things  contained  in 
the  Word.  The  cherubim  seen  by  the  prophet  Ezekiel  have  a  simi- 
lar signification ;  and  of  them  it  is  said  that  "  their  wings  touched 
each  other,  and  covered  their  bodies  on  this  side  and  on  that  side ; 
that  the  noise  of  their  wings  was  like  the  noise  of  great  waters,  as 
the  voice  of  the  Almighty  when  he  speaketh  ;  and  that  the  likeness 
of  the  hands  of  a  man  was  under  their  wings,"  Ezek.  i.  23,  24  ;  iii.  13 ; 
X.  5,  8,  21— See  A.  R.  245.    Ap.  Ex.  282  to  285.    A.  C.  8764. 

(8.)  Ezek.  ix.  2.  "And  behold,  six  men  came  from  the  way  of 
the  higher  gate,  w'hich  lieth  toward  the  north,  and  every  man  with  a 

slaughter-weapon  in  his  hand."  By  a  man  with  a  slaughter-weapon 

coming  from  the  gate  towards  the  north,  is  signified  the  false  princi- 
ple derived  from  evil  entering  into  the  church,  and  vastating  or 
destroying  it.  The  same  is  also  understood  by  six  men;  but  this 
38*  2D 


450 


A  KEY  TO  NUMBERS. 


number  is  added,  to  show  that  the  destruction  is  total  and  complete. 
—See  A.  R.  440.    A.  C.  737,  2242. 

(9.)    Ezek.  xxxix.  2.    "And  I  will  turn  thee  back,  and  leave 

but  the  sixth  part  of  thee."  By  Gog,  the  chief  prince  of  Meshech 

and  Tubal,  of  whom  these  words  are  spoken,  is  signified  external 
worship  separate  from  what  is  internal ;  or  the  perverted  church, 
which  places  all  worship  in  the  observance  of  its  external  rites  and 
ceremonies,  without  any  legard  to  a  life  of  charity.  By  sextating,  or 
leaving  but  a  sixth  part  of  Gog,  is  signified  the  total  destruction  of 
every  truth  derived  from  good  in  such  a  church :  the  sixth  part 
denotes  the  same  as  the  number  six  itself,  being  predicated  of  truths, 
and  in  the  opposite  sense,  of  falsities. — See  A.  R.  610,  859.  A.  C.  737, 
1151. 

(10.)  Ezek.  xlv.  13.  "  This  is  the  oblation  that  ye  shall  offer,  the 
sixth  part  of  an  ephah  of  an  homer  of  wheat ;  and  ye  shall  give  the 
sixth  part  of  an  ephah  of  an  homer  of  barley."-^ — The  ephah,  the 
homer  and  the  omer,  being  dry  measures,  have  in  the  Word  the  same 
signification  as  the  things  contained  in  them,  and  are  predicated  of 
good ;  while  the  bin,  the  cor  and  the  bath,  being  measures  for  liquids, 
are  in  general  predicated  of  truth.  The  oblation  to  be  offered  was 
ordered  to  be  the  sixth  part  of  an  ephah  of  wheat  and  barley,  to 
denote  that  the  worship  of  the  Lord  must  be  wholly  and  entirely 
directed  to  Him  from  those  pure  affections  of  the  heart  which  are 
represented  in  the  Word  by  wheat  and  barley. — See  A.  R.  610.  A. 
C.  8468,  8540,  10262. 

(11.)    Mark  xv.  33.    "And  when  the  sixth  hour  was  come,  there 

was  darkness  over  the  whole  land  until  the  ninth  hour."  By  the 

darkness  which  overspread  the  whole  earth  at  the  time  of  the  Lord's 
crucifixion,  for  three  hours,  viz.,  from  the  sixth  unto  the  ninth  hour, 
was  signified  and  represented  the  total  defect  of  love  and  faith 
throughout  the  church,  or  the  actual  presence  of  evils  and  falsities 
of  the  grossest  description.  The  sun  denotes  love,  and  the  light 
thereof  faith  or  truth,  which  being  totally  extinguished  by  the  rejec- 
tion and  crucifixion  of  the  Lord  who  is  himself  the  "  sun  of  righteous- 
ness," and  the  "  true  light  which  enlighteneth  every  man  that  cometh 
into  the  world,"  gross  darkness  or  mere  falsities  necessarily  succeeded. 
This  darkness  is  described  by  the  Evangelists  as  continuing  for  three 
hours,  that  is,  from  the  sixth  to  the  ninth  hour,  in  order  to  show  that 
the  prevalence  of  false  principles  derived  from  evil  was  total  and 


THE  NUMBER  SEVEN. 


451 


universal ;  for  such  is  the  spiritual  purport  of  the  numbers  three,  six, 
and  ?ime.— See  A.  C.  1839.    Ap.  Ex.  526. 

(12.)  John  ii.  6.  "And  there  were  set  there  six  water-pots  of 
stone,  after  the  manner  of  the  purifying  of  the  Jews,  containing  two 

or  three  firkins  apiece."  By  the  marriage  in  Cana  of  Galilee,  to 

which  both  Jesus  and  his  disciples  were  called,  is  signified  the  estab- 
lishment of  a  new  church  among  the  gentiles.  By  the  Avater  which 
was  converted  into  wine,  is  signified  the  truth  of  the  external  or 
literal  sense  of  the  Word,  such  as  it  was  with  the  Jews,  opened  and 
explained  according  to  the  internal  and  spiritual  sense,  such  as  it 
was  to  be  among  Christians.  By  the  six  water-pots  of  stone,  which 
were  placed  there,  after  the  manner  of  the  purifying  of  the  Jews, 
are  signified  all  those  things  in  the  Word,  and  in  the  Jewish  worship, 
which  were  representative  and  significative  of  divine  spiritual  things 
in  the  Lord  and  from  the  Lord.  The  water-pots  are  said  to  be  of 
stone,  because  a  stone  signifies  truth  in  the  natural  principle :  and 
their  number  was  six,  because  six  denotes  all,  and  is  predicated  of 
truths.  The  external  purification  or  washing  of  the  Jews  also  repre- 
sented and  signified  the  internal  purification  of  the  heart,  whereby 
regeneration  is  advanced,  and  the  church  established. — See  Ap.  Ex. 
376.    A.  R.  610. 

Seven. 

The  number  seven  and  all  septenary  numbers  in  general  refer  to 
what  is  holy,  but  in  an  opposite  sense  to  what  is  profane. — A.  R.  10. 
A.  C.  5265. 

It  signifies  what  is  holy  and  inviolable,  like  the  number  three. — A. 
C.  395,  433,  482,  813.    Ap.  Ex.  430. 

What  is  most  holy,  as  being  of  the  Lord  alone ;  in  the  supreme 
sense  the  essential  divine  principle,  and  in  a  representative  sense  the 
celestial  principle  of  love.  It  always  adds  a  degree  of  holiness  to 
the  subject  treated  of,  which  holiness  is  from  the  celestial  principle, 
or  charity.— A.  C.  716,  717,  5265. 

Fulness  in  regard  to  what  is  holy. — A.  C.  10127. 

A  state  of  peace  and  rest. — A.  C.  85,  87,  395. 

The  union  or  conjunction  of  good  and  truth,  after  six  days  of 
labor.— A.  C.  10360. 

An  entire  period  from  beginning  to  end,  thus  a  full  state. — A.  C. 
5265,  6508,  9228,  10127. 

All  things,  and  all  persons,  and  hence  what  is  full  and  perfect.— 
A.  R.  10,  65.   Ap.  Ex.  257. 


452 


A  KEY  TO  NUMBERS. 


The  last  state  of  regeneration,  v. hen  man  is  in  good,  and  at  the 
same  time  in  peace,  and  in  heaven  with  the  Lord. — A.  C.  10367, 
10668. 

The  coming  of  the  Lord,  the  end  of  a  former  state,  and  the  begin- 
ning of  a  new  state  with  those  who  are  about  to  be  regenerated. — A. 
C.  728,  9296. 

The  celestial  marriage,  or  state  of  heavenly  peace. — A.  C.  8976. 

The  celestial  man,  the  celestial  church,  the  celestial  kingdom,  and 
the  Lord  himself— A.  C.  433,  1988. 

The  kingdom  of  the  Lord  in  heaven  and  on  earth. — A.  C.  85. 

Seven  days,  or  a  week,  Avhether  of  days,  months,  or  years,  denote 
an  entire  period,  great  or  small,  from  beginning  to  end,  including 
every  state  of  reformation,  regeneration  and  temptation,  both  in 
general  and  in  particular. — A.  C.  2044,  3845. 

In  the  opposite  sense  seven  denotes  what  is  profane. — A.  C.  433, 
5268. 

The  seventh  day,  or  sabbath  of  rest,  signifies  the  union  of  the 
Divinity  called  the  Father,  with  the  Divine  Humanity  called  the 
Son,  thus  the  Divine  Humanity  itself,  in  which  that  union  has  taken 
place.— A.  C.  851,  10360. 

Also  the  conjunction  of  the  Lord  with  heaven,  with  the  church,  with 
an  angel  of  heaven,  and  with  a  man  of  the  church. — A.  C.  10360. 
Also  the  conjunction  of  good  and  truth. — A.  C.  8504,  8507-9,  or  the 
state  when  man  is  in  good. — A.  C.  9274.  See  also  as  to  opposite  states 
of  mind,  A.  R.  672, 676.   The  seventh  month,  what  is  holy. — A.  C.  852. 

The  seventh  or  sabbatic  year,  also  the  year  of  jubilee,  after  a  period 
of  seven  times  seven  years,  represented  the  marriage  of  good  and  truth 
in  the  inmost  heaven,  and  a  state  of  celestial  peace  and  tranquillity. 
—A.  C.  8802,  9974. 

Seven-fold  denotes  what  is  holy  and  inviolable. — A.  C.  395,  433. 

EXAMPLES. 

(1.)  Gen.  ii.  2.  "And  on  the  seventh  day  God  ended  his  work 
which  He  had  made :  and  He  rested  on  the  seventh  day  from  all  his 

work  which  He  had  made."  By  the  six  days  of  labor  in  which 

God  is  said  to  work,  are  signified  all  preceding  states  of  regeneration, 
when  man  is  chiefly  led  by  truth  to  good :  and  hence  by  the  seventh 
day  is  denoted  the  end  of  those  states  of  truth,  and  the  commence- 
ment of  a  new  state,  which  is  a  state  of  good,  when  there  is  no  longer 
any  labor  or  combat,  but  rest  and  peace.    And  as  the  process  of  re- 


THE  NUMBER  SEVEN. 


453 


generation  from  first  to  last  is  conducted  by  the  Lord  alone,  therefore 
it  is  said  that  God  rested  on  the  seventh  day  from  all  his  work. — See 
A.  C.  84  to  88. 

(2.)  Gen.  xli.  1  to  7.  "And  it  came  to  pass  at  the  end  of  two  full 
years,  that  Pharaoh  dreamed,  and  behold,  he  stood  by  the  river. 
And  behold,  there  came  up  out  of  the  river  seven  well-favored  kine, 
and  fat-fleshed ;  and  they  fed  in  a  meadow.  And  behold,  seven  other 
kine  came  up  after  them  out  of  the  river,  ill-favored  and  lean-fleshed  ; 
and  they  stood  by  the  other  kine,  upon  the  brink  of  the  river.  And 
the  ill-favored  and  lean-fleshed  kine  did  eat  up  the  seven  well-favored 
and  fat  kine.  So  Pharaoh  awoke.  And  he  slept,  and  dreamed  the 
second  time :  and  behold,  seven  cars  of  corn  came  up  upon  one  stalk, 
fat  and  good.  And  behold,  seven  thin  ears,  and  blasted  with  the  east- 
wind,  sprung  up  after  them.  And  the  seven  thin  ears  devoured  the 
seven  fat  and  full  ears :  and  Pharaoh  awoke,  and  behold,  it  was  a 

dream."  The  two  dreams  here  related,  the  one  concerning  the 

seven  kine,  and  the  other  concerning  the  seven  ears  of  corn,  refer  to 
the  regeneration  of  the  interior  and  the  exterior  of  the  natural  prin- 
ciple. By  the  seven  well-favored  and  fiit-fleshed  kine,  which  fed  in  a 
meadow,  are  signified  the  truths  of  the  interior  natural  principle, 
which  have  respect  to  faith  and  charity,  and  multiply  in  man  through 
the  medium  of  scientifics.  The  kine  or  cows  denote  those  truths : 
they  are  said  to  be  well-favored,  or  beautiful  in  aspect,  because  spirit- 
ual beauty  is  derived  from  the  aflfection  of  the  truth  of  faith :  they 
are  also  said  to  be  fat-fleshed,  because  fat  is  predicated  of  the  good 
of  love  and  charity,  and  flesh  of  the  will-principle  vivified  by  the 
Lord :  and  they  are  further  described  as  feeding  in  a  meadow,  or 
rather  in  the  sedge  or  long  and  large  grass  at  the  side  of  the  river, 
to  denote  instruction  in  scientifics.  By  the  seven  other  kine,  ill-fa- 
vored and  lean-fleshed,  which  ate  up  the  seven  well-favored  and  fat- 
fleshed  kine,  are  signified  the  falsities  of  the  natural  principle,  which 
are  opposed  to  faith  and  charity,  and  apparently  exterminate  the 
truths  at  the  commencement  of  regeneration,  though  in  reality  these 
latter  are  not  exterminated,  but  stored  up  in  the  interior,  to  be  there 
filled  with  good,  and  afterwards  brought  forth  in  the  external.  The 
reason  why  there  were  seven  well-favored  and  seven  ill-favored  kine, 
is,  that  in  the  former  case  the  number  seven  signifies  what  is  holy,  and 
adds  sanctity  to  the  subject  treated  of ;  but  in  the  latter  case  it  signi- 
fies what  is  unholy  and  profane,  being  taken  in  the  opposite  sense,  as 
is  usual  in  many  parts  of  the  Word.    So  again,  in  the  second  dream, 


454 


A  KEY  TO  NUMBERS. 


by  the  seven  ears  of  coru  on  one  stalk,  fet  and  good,  are  signified  the 
scieutlfics  of  the  exterior  natural  principle,  which  are  of  use,  as  being 
subservient  to  faith  and  charity.  They  are  said  to  be  fat,  because  of 
their  fitness  to  receive  the  good  of  faith ;  and  good,  because  of  their 
fitness  to  receive  the  things  of  charity.  And  by  the  seven  thin  ears, 
blasted  with  the  east-wind,  which  devoured  the  seven  fat  and  good 
ears,  are  signified  the  scientifics  which  are  of  no  use,  because  they  are 
filled  with  lusts,  and  apparently  exterminate  the  good  scientifics,  in 
the  same  manner  as  falsities  apparently  exterminate  truths.  The  ears 
are  said  to  be  thin,  because  they  are  of  no  spiritual  use  or  advantage ; 
and  blasted  with  the  east-wind,  because  the  fire  of  lusts  in  the  end 
consumes  them.  Both  the  fat  ears  and  the  thin  ears  were  in  number 
seven,  as  were  the  fat  and  lean  kine,  to  denote  in  the  one  case  what  is 
holy,  and  in  the  other  case  what  is  unholy  and  profane. — See  A.  C. 
5193  to  5219,  5265  to  5270. 

(3.)    Ex.  xxxiv.  18.    "  The  feast  of  unleavened  bread  shalt  thou 

keep:   seven  days  shalt  thou  eat  unleavened  bread."  By  the 

feast  of  unleavened  bread  is  signified  woi-ship  and  thanksgiving  to 
the  Lord  for  deliverance  from  evil,  and  from  the  falsities  of  evil. 
The  feast  itself  denoted  the  commemoration  of  that  event,  and  es- 
pecially the  glorification  of  the  Lord's  Humanity :  and  unleavened 
bread  denotes  good  purified  from  evils  and  falsities.  By  eating  thereof 
seven  days  is  signified  the  reception  and  appropriation  of  divine  good 
and  truth,  in  a  state  of  sanctity  from  beginning  to  end. — See  A.  C. 
9287  to  9289,  10655,  10656. 

(4.)    Ps.  cxix.  164.    "Seven  times  a  day  do  I  praise  thee,  because 

of  thy  righteous  judgments."  Seven  times  a  day  denotes  always, 

or  perpetually,  also  with  the  whole  heart. — See  Ap.  Ex.  257.  A.  C. 
395,  9228. 

(5.)  Isa.  XXX.  26.  "  The  light  of  the  moon  shall  be  as  the  light 
of  the  sun,  and  the  light  of  the  sun'  shall  be  seven-fold,  as  the  light 
of  seven  days,  in  the  day  that  Jehovah  bindeth  up  the  breach  of  his 

people,  and  healeth  the  stroke  of  their  wound."  By  the  light  of 

the  moon  is  signified  a  sUite  of  intelligence  and  wisdom  arising  from 
faith  in  the  Lord,  in  the  spiritual  kingdom  ;  and  by  the  light  of  the 
sun  is  signified  a  state  of  wisdom  and  intelligence  arising  from  love 
to  the  Lord  in  the  celestial  kingdom  :  for  by  the  moon  is  denoted 
faith,  and  by  the  sun  love.  By  the  light  of  the  former  becoming  as 
the  light  of  the  latter,  and  by  the  latter  being  seven-fold  as  the  light 
of  seven  days,  is  signified  that  the  splendor  of  divine  truth  among 


THE  NUMBER  SEVEN. 


455 


the  angels  of  the  inferior  heavens  will,  after  the  coming  of  the  Lord, 
be  similar  to  that  which  before  existed  in  the  superior  heavens,  and 
the  splendor  of  divine  truth  in  these  will  be  abundantly  increased, 
and  in  the  highest  possible  degree  of  purity  and  jierfection.  Seven 
and  seven-fold  denote  what  is  holy,  pure,  full  and  perfect.  The  breach 
of  the  people  denotes  falsities  of  doctrine  in  the  church,  and  the 
stroke  of  their  wound  denotes  evil  of  life.  To  bind  up  and  to  heal 
these,  is  to  produce  reformation  both  of  doctrine  and  of  life  by  means 
of  divine  truth.  The  day  in  which  this  was  to  be  effected,  denotes 
the  coming  of  the  Lord  into  the  world  for  the  redemption  and  salva- 
tion of  mankind.— See  Ap.  Ex.  257,  401,  962.    A.  C.  719,  9228. 

(6.)  Dan.  ix.  25.  "  Know  therefore  and  understand,  that  from 
the  going  forth  of  the  commandment  to  restore  and  to  build  Jerusa- 
lem, unto  the  Messiah  the  Prince,  shall  be  seven  weeks."  From 

the  going  forth  of  the  commandment,  denotes  from  the  period  when 
the  Word  of  the  Old  Testament  was  completed :  unto  the  Messiah 
the  Prince,  is  until  the  coming  of  the  Lord :  and  seven  iveeks  denote 
a  full  and  entire  period  from  beginning  to  end,  the  completion  of 
which  is  called  the  fulness  of  times. — See  Ap.  Ex.  684.  A.  C.  6508, 
9228. 

(7.)  Matt.  xii.  43  to  45.  "When  the  unclean  spirit  is  gone  out 
of  a  man,  he  walketh  through  dry  places,  seeking  rest,  and  findeth 
none.  Then  he  saith,  I  will  return  into  my  house  from  whence  I 
came  out ;  and  when  he  is  come,  he  findeth  it  empty,  swept  and  gar- 
nished. Then  goeth  he,  and  taketh  with  himself  seven  other  spirits 
more  wicked  than  himself,  and  they  enter  in  and  dwell  there :  and 

the  last  state  of  that  man  is  worse  than  the  first."  The  conversion 

of  man  is  here  described  by  the  unclean  spirit  going  out  of  him. 
Di-y  places,  or  places  without  water,  denote  where  there  are  no  truths. 
His  relapse  into  evils  of  life,  and  in  consequence  thereof  a  state  of 
profanation,  are  signified  by  the  return  of  the  unclean  spirit,  together 
with  seven  others  more  wicked  than  himself.  The  house  empty,  swept 
and  garnished,  is  the  mind  deprived  of  truths  and  goods,  and  there- 
fore full  of  falsities  and  evils,  which  are  spiritual  uncleanness.  Hence 
it  is  plain  that  the  number  seven,  when  applied  in  an  opposite  sense, 
that  is,  in  relation  to  evils  and  falsities,  signifies  a  full  state  of  spirit- 
ual depravity,  or  the  destruction  of  all  good  and  truth. — See  Ap.  Ex. 
257,  1160.    A.  C.  3142,  4744,  9228. 

(8.)  Matt.  XV.  34  to  37.  "  Jesus  saith  unto  them.  How  many 
loaves  have  ye  ?    And  they  said,  Seven,  and  a  few  little  fishes.  And 


456 


A  KEY  TO  NUMBERS. 


He  commanded  the  multitude  to  sit  down  on  the  ground.  And  He 
took  the  seven  loaves  and  the  fishes,  and  gave  thanks,  and  brake 
them,  and  gave  to  his  disciples,  and  the  disciples  to  the  multitude. 
And  they  did  all  eat  and  Avere  filled  :  and  they  took  up  of  the  broken 

meat  that  was  left,  seven  baskets  full."  By  the  Lord's  feeding  the 

multitude  with  seven  loaves  and  a  few  little  fishes,  is  signified  instruc- 
tion relative  to  things  good  and  true,  and  at  the  same  time  reception 
on  the  part  of  the  people.  The  loaves  denote  good,  and  were  seven 
in  number  to  denote  fulness,  as  well  as  a  state  of  sanctity :  the  fishes 
denote  truth,  and  are  said  to  be  few  and  small,  because  the  people 
as  yet  were  ignorant  of  those  divine  truths,  w'hich  distinguish  between 
the  Christian  and  the  Jewish  dispensation.  The  surplus  of  broken 
meat  consisting  of  seven  baskets  full,  confirms  the  signification  of  the 
number  seven,  as  implying  fulness  and  abundance. — See  Ap.  Ex. 
257. 

(9.)  Matt,  xviii.  21,  22.  "Then  came  Peter  to  Him,  and  said, 
Lord,  how  oft  shall  my  brother  sin  against  me,  and  I  forgive  him  ? 
till  seven  times  ?    Jesus  saith  unto  him,  I  say  not  unto  thee,  Until 

seven  times;  but  until  seventy  times  seven."  The  number  seven  first 

mentioned  signifies  much,  or  many  times ;  but  when  increased  to 
seventy  times  seven,  it  denotes  perpetually,  or  without  end.  And  such 
is  the  nature  of  Christian  charity,  that  it  requires  man  to  be  con- 
stantly in  the  spirit  of  love,  always  disposed  to  forgive  injuries,  and 
to  do  good  to  others.— See  A.  C.  433.    Ap.  Ex.  527,  820. 

(10.)  Apoc.  i.  4.  "  John  to  the  seven  churches,  which  are  in 
Asia :  Grace  be  unto  you,  and  peace,  from  Him  who  is,  and  who  was, 
and  who  is  to  come ;  and  from  the  seven  spirits  which  are  before 

his  throne."  By  the  seven  churches  in  Asia  are  not  meant  seven 

churches,  but  all  who  are  of  the  church  throughout  the  Christian 
world,  where  the  Word  is  received,  and  the  Lord  thereby  known. 
And  again  by  the  seven  spirits  before  his  throne  are  meant  all  who 
are  in  divine  truth,  and  abstractly  divine  truth  itself;  the  number 
seven  here,  as  in  other  places,  denoting  all  things  and  all  persons,  and 
consequently  Avhat  is  full  and  perfect,  at  the  same  time  that  it  in- 
volves a  state  of  sanctity. — See  A.  R.  10,  14. 

(11.)  Apoc.  i.  20.  "The  mystery  of  the  seven  stars,  which  thou 
sawest  in  my  right  hand,  and  the  seven  candlesticks.  The  seven  stars 
are  the  angels  of  the  seven  churches ;  and  the  seven  candlesticks, 

which  thou  sawest,  are  the  seven  churches."  By  the  seven  stars  is 

signified  the  New  Church  in  the  lieavens,  which  is  also  called  the 


THE  NUMBER  SEVEN. 


457 


New  Heaven :  for  as  the  Word  is  in  the  heavens  as  well  as  on  the 
earth,  and  the  church  is  such  by  virtue  of  the  Word  and  the  knowl- 
edges of  good  and  truth  thence  derived,  hence  the  universal  church 
in  the  heavens  is  described  by  seven  stars,  each  society  therein  shin- 
ing as  a  star,  by  reason  of  the  light  which  it  receives  from  the  Lord 
through  the  medium  of  his  Word.  The  heavenly  societies,  as  well 
as  the  individuals  thereof,  are  also  called  angels.  By  the  seven  can- 
dlesticks is  signified  the  New  Church  on  earth,  which  is  the  New  Je- 
rusalem descending  from  the  Lord  out  of  the  New  Heaven.  The 
candlesticks,  stars  and  churches  are  said  to  be  seven,  not  in  reference 
to  their  number,  but  to  the  things  signified  by  that  number,  which 
are  all  the  states  of  good,  truth  and  holiness  communicated  by  the 
Lord  to  the  church,  which  in  itself  is  one,  both  in  the  spiritual  and 
in  the  natural  world. — See  A.  R.  64  to  66. 

(12.)  Apoc.  v.  i.  "  And  I  saw  in  the  right  hand  of  Him  that  sat 
on  the  throne,  a  book  written  within  and  on  the  backside,  sealed  with 

seven  seals."  By  the  book  written  within  and  on  the  backside,  is 

signified  the  Word  as  to  its  particular  and  general  contents,  or  as  to 
its  internal  and  external  sense.  By  its  being  sealed  with  seven  seals 
is  signified  that  its  contents  were  altogether  hidden  from  the  under- 
standing or  percejition  of  men,  until  revealed  by  the  Lord,  who  as  to 
his  Divinity  is  described  by  Him  that  sat  on  the  throne,  and  as  to 
his  Humanity  by  the  Lion  of  the  tribe  of  Judah,  and  by  the  Lamb. 
—See  A.  R.  256,  257. 

(13.)  Apoc.  xii.  3.  "And  there  appeared  another  wonder  in 
heaven,  and  behold,  a  great  red  dragon  having  seven  heads  and  ten 

horns,  and  seven  crowns  upon  his  heads."  By  the  great  red  dragon 

are  signified  all  those  in  the  Protestant  or  Reformed  churches,  who 
make  three  persons  of  God,  and  two  of  the  Lord,  and  who  separate 
charity  from  faith,  supposing  that  this  latter,  and  not  the  former,  has 
a  saving  power.  The  professors  of  this  faith  generally  address  the 
Father  as  one  God,  for  the  sake  of  the  Son  as  another  God,  praying 
that  He  would  send  the  Holy  Spirit,  as  a  third  God,  to  sanctify  and 
regenerate  them ;  thus  forming  in  their  imaginations  three  distinct 
Gods,  though  with  their  lips  they  make  confession  of  only  one  God. 
The  same  professors,  in  their  doctrine  concerning  the  Lord,  separate 
his  Humanity  from  his  Divinity,  and  thereby  make  two  persons  of 
Him,  one  of  which  they  consider  as  having  existed  from  eternity,  and 
therefore  in  several  respects  equal  to  the  divine  person  of  the  Father, 
while  the  other  is  regarded  by  them  as  little,  if  at  all,  different  from 
39 


458 


A  KEY  TO  NUMBERS. 


the  person  of  another  man.  It  is  further  insisted  upon  by  the  pro- 
fessors of  this  doctrine,  that  faith  in  the  merits  of  the  Saviour,  with- 
out any  regard  to  charity  or  a  good  life,  is  all  that  is  necessary  to 
secure  man's  salvation.*  Thus  in  every  part  of  their  doctrine  they 
are  opposed  to  the  New  Church,  which  teaches  that  there  is  only  one 
God  in  one  divine  person,  in  whom  is  a  trinity  of  essentials,  like  soul, 
body  and  operation  in  man ;  and  that  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus 
Christ  is  that  God ;  and  further,  that  if  man  would  be  saved,  charity 
and  foith  must  be  united  in  him  as  one,  and  together  bring  forth  the 
fruits  of  a  good  and  useful  life,  yet  under  the  continual  acknowledg- 
ment that  all  the  good  he  does  and  all  the  truth  he  thinks,  are 
derived  solely  from  the  Lord.  But,  as  before  observed,  the  dragon 
denotes  all  those  who  hold  to  a  trinity  of  divine  persons,  and  justifica- 
tion by  faith  alone  both  in  doctrine  and  in  life.  By  his  having  seven 
heads  is  signified  a  state  of  sj^iritual  insanity  arising  from  a  false  in- 
terpretation and  profane  aj)plication  of  the  truths  of  the  Word.  In 
a  genuine  sense  the  head  denotes  wisdom  and  intelligence,  because  it 
is  the  seat  thereof :  but  in  an  opjiosite  sense  it  denotes  folly  and  in- 
sanity. The  number  seven  in  a  good  sense,  is  predicated  of  things 
holy ;  but  in  an  opposite  sense,  of  things  profane ;  and  also  signifies 
what  is  full,  total  and  complete.  By  the  ten  horns  of  the  dragon  is 
signified  much  power :  the  horns  of  an  animal,  like  the  arms  or  hands 
of  a  man,  denote  power ;  and  the  number  ten  signifies  much  ;  imply- 
ing that  the  false  doctrine  above  described  was  universally  prevalent 
in  the  Reformed  or  Protestant  churches — which  was  actually  the 
case  at  the  consummation  of  the  Age,  or  end  of  the  first  Christian 
church  (1757).  By  the  seven  crowns  or  diadems  upon  his  heads,  is 
also  signified  the  falsification  and  profanation  of  all  the  truths  of  the 
Word :  for  the  precious  stones  in  a  crown  or  diadem,  denote  the 
truths  of  the  Word,  particularly  in  its  literal  sense;  but  in  the  pres- 
ent case,  the  same  truths  perverted  and  destroyed. — See  A.  R.  537  to 
540. 

(14.)  Apoc.  xvii.  3.  "I  saw  a  woman  sitting  upon  a  scarlet- 
colored  beast,  full  of  names  of  blasphemy,  having  seven  heads  and  ten 


*  This  was  the  generally  accepted  doctrine 
RtthetimeSwedenborglived  and  wrote;  but 
It  is  not  the  prevailing  belief  among  Protest- 
ant Christians  of  to-day.  The  teachings  of 
the  New  Church  and  the  influx  from  out  the 
new  heaven  of  angels,  have  greatly  modified 
the  beliefs  of  Chriiitiaus  on  this  as  on  many 


other  subjects.  And  every  year  the  es.sential 
importance  of  charity  or  righteousness  of  life 
is  more  and  more  insisted  on  in  nearly  all 
Protestant  churches.  This  is  one  of  the  signs 
of  the  New  Age  on  which  the  world  has  en- 
tered.—Am.  Editob. 


THE  NUMBER  SEVEN. 


459 


horns."  By  a  woman  is  meant  the  church,  but  in  the  present  case 

the  Roman  Catholic  religious  persuasion,  founded  upon  a  false,  per- 
verted and  profane  interpretation  of  the  Word.  By  the  beast  is  sig- 
nified the  Word  which,  in  reference  to  its  power  of  communicating 
life  to  man,  is  elsewhere  described  by  four  animals  or  living  creatures, 
as  in  Ezek.  i.  5  to  25 ;  x.  1  to  22 ;  and  by  four  beasts  in  the  midst 
of  the  throne  of  heaven,  and  round  about  the  throne,  full  of  eyes 
before  and  behind,  Apoc.  vi.  6.  But  when  the  Word  is  falsified 
and  profaned,  as  it  is  by  the  Roman  Catholic  hierarchy,  it  is  then 
represented  by  a  scarlet-colored  beast,  full  of  names  of  blasphemy. 
The  scarlet  color  denotes  truth  fi-om  a  celestial  origin,  but  in  the 
opposite  sense  the  same  truth  falsified  and  perverted :  and  to  be  full 
of  names  of  blasphemy,  is  to  be  altogether  adulterated  and  profaned. 
By  the  seven  heads  is  signified  a  state  of  sjiiritual  insanity,  arising 
from  a  perverted  and  profane  interpretation  of  the  Word ;  and  by 
the  ten  horns  is  denoted  much  power,  and  the  prevalence  of  the  abuses 
and  delusions  practised  by  the  church  of  Rome.  The  number  seven 
is  predicated  of  things  holy  or  profane,  according  to  the  nature  of 
the  subject  treated  of;  and  also  signifies  what  is  full,  total  and  com- 
plete. It  is  therefore  equally  applied  to  the  dragon  in  chap,  xii.,  and 
to  the  scarlet-colored  beast  in  this  chajjter,  to  denote  the  total  per- 
version of  divine  truth,  and  the  profanation  of  things  holy,  both  by 
Protestants  and  by  Roman  Catholics. — See  A.  R.  723,  724,  737.* 


*  In  the  preface  to  the  Penny  "  Peep  "  Cata- 
logue of  the  Art  Treasures  Exhibition  (of 
which  nearly  one  hundred  thousjxnd  copies 
have  been  sold)  are  the  following  remarka- 
ble passages : — "  Looking  at  the  early  pictures, 
then,  in  a  spirit  of  calm  and  loving  inquiry, 
we  may  learn  much  from  them  Cer- 
tain colors  had  certain  meanings.  White 
was  the  emblem  of  purity ;  blue,  of  Divine 
Truth  ;  red,  of  Divine  Love.  Hence  we  find 
these  colors  worn  by  the  Saviour  and  the 
Virgin  Mary." 

Here,  then,  is  a  principle  enunciated  to  at 
least  100,000  people  who  perhaps  never  heard 
such  words  before.  Again,  the  following 
has  been  printed  and  sold  in  the  various 
stationers'  shops. 

"The  Nu.mber  'Seven.'— The  following 
interesting  and  singular  compilation  of  the 
application  of  the  number  'Seven'  through- 
out the  Word,  will  excite  in  the  mind  a 
desire  to  peruse  the  Sacred  Scriptures,  and 
to  study  their  interior  or  deeper  meaning : — 

"In  six  days  creation  was  perfected,  the 
7tli  was  consecrated  to  rest.  On  the  7th  of 


the  7th  month  a  holy  observance  was  or- 
dained to  the  children  of  Israel,  who  fasted 
7  days  and  remained  7  days  in  tents;  the  7th 
year  was  directed  to  be  a  sabbath  of  rest  for 
all  things ;  and  at  the  end  of  7  times  7  years 
commenced  the  grand  jubilee;  every  7th 
year  the  land  lay  fallow ;  every  7th  year 
there  was  a  general  release  from  all  debts, 
and  all  bondsmen  were  set  free.  From  this 
law  may  have  originated  the  custom  of  our 
binding  young  men  to  7  years'  apprentice- 
ship, and  of  punishing  incorrigible  offenders 
by  transportation  for  7,  twice  7,  or  three  times 
7  years.  Every  7th  year  the  law  was  directed 
to  be  read  to  the  people.  Jacob  served  7 
years  for  the  possession  of  Rachel,  and  also 
another  7  years.  Noah  had  7  days'  warning 
of  the  flood,  and  was  commanded  to  take 
the  fowls  of  the  air  into  the  ark  by  sevens 
and  the  clean  beasts  by  sevens;  the  ark 
touched  the  ground  on  the  7th  month  ;  and 
in  7  days  a  dove  was  sent,  and  again  in  7 
days  after.  The  7  years  of  plenty  and  the  7 
years  of  famine  were  foretold  in  Pharaoh's 
dream,  by  the  7  fat  and  7  lean  beasts,  and  the 


460 


A  KEY  TO  NUMBERS. 


Eight. 

The  number  eight  belongs  to  the  celestial  class  of  expressions,  being 
predicated  of  goods  or  evils,  and  denotes  all  good  or  evil  in  the  com- 
plex.—A.  C.  10624.    Ap.  Ex.  430.    A.  R.  739. 

In  general,  it  bears  the  same  signification  as  the  numbers  hco  and 
four,  from  Avhich  it  arises  by  multiplication. — Ap.  Ex.  430.  A.  C. 
9659. 

It  denotes  conjunction  to  the  full,  also  fulness  itself,  and  what  is 


7  ears  of  full  and  the  7  ears  of  blasted  corn. 
The  young  animals  were  to  remain  with  the 
dams  7  days,  and  at  the  close  of  the  7th  to 
be  taken  away.  By  the  old  law,  man  was 
commanded  to  forgive  his  offending  brother 
7  times;  but  the  meekness  of  the  last  re- 
vealed religion  extended  his  humility  and 
forbearance  to  70  times  7.  '  If  Cain  shall  be 
avenged  7  fold,  truly  Lamech  70  times  7.' 
In  the  destruction  of  Jericho,  7  priests  bore 
7  trumpets  7  days.  On  the  7th  they  sur- 
rounded the  walls  7  times,  and  after  the  7th 
time  the  walls  fell.  Balaam  prepared  7  bul- 
locks and  7  rams  for  a  sacritice.  7  of  Saul's 
sons  were  hanged  to  stay  a  famine.  Laban 
pursued  Jacob  7  days'  journey.  Job's  friends 
sat  with  him  7  days  and  7  nights,  and  olTered 
7  bullocks  and  7  rams  as  an  atonement  for 
their  wickedness.  David,  in  bringing  up  the 
ark,  offered  7  bullocks  and  7  rams.  Elijah 
sent  his  servant  7  times  to  look  for  the  cloud. 
Hezekiah.  in  cleansing  the  temple,  offered 
7  bullocks  and  7  rams  and  7  he-goats  for  a 
sin-offering.  The  children  of  Israel,  when 
Hezekiah  took  away  the  strange  altars,  kept 
the  feast  of  unleavened  bread  7  days,  and 
again  other  7  days.  King  Ahasuerus  had  7 
chamberlains,  a  7  days'  feast,  sent  for  the 
queen  on  the  7th  day ;  queen  Esther  had  7 
maids  to  attend  her;  in  the  7th  year  of  his 
reign  listlier  is  taken  to  him.  The  wise  king 
Solomon  was  7  years  building  the  temple,  at 
the  dedication  of  which  he  feasted  7  days. 
In  the  tabernacle  there  were 7  lamps;  7  days 
were  appointed  for  an  atonement  upon  the 
altar,  and  the  priest's  son  was  ordained  to 
wear  his  father's  ganuenls  7  days.  The 
children  of  Israel  ate  unleavened  bread  7 
days.  The  Feast  of  Tabernacles  was  7  days. 
Abraham  gave  7  ewe  lambs  to  Abimelech  as 
a  memorial  for  a  well.  Joseph  mourned  7 
days  for  Jacob.  Jesse  caused  7  of  his  sons  to 
pass  before  Samuel,  but  David  was  anointed 
king.  The  Rabbins  say  God  employed  the 
power  of  answering  this  number  to  perfect 
the  greatness  of  Samuel,  his  name  answering 
the  value  of  the  letters  in  the  Hebrew  word 


which  signify  7;  whence  Hannah,  his 
mother,  in  her  thanks,  says  that  '  the  bar- 
ren had  brought  forth  7.'  In  Scripture  are 
enumerated  7  resurrections, — the  widow's 
son  by  Elijah,  the  Shunamite's  son  by  Elisha, 
the  soldier  who  touched  the  bones  of  the 
prophet,  the  daughter  of  the  ruler  of  the 
Synagogue,  the  widow's  son  of  Nain,  Laza- 
rus, and  our  blessed  Lord.  Out  of  Mary 
Magdalene  were  cast  7  devils.  The  Apostles 
chose  7  deacons.  Enoch,  who  was  translated, 
was  the  7th  after  Adam,  and  Jesus  Christ  the 
77th  in  a  direct  line.  Our  Saviour  spoke  7 
times  from  the  cross,  on  which  he  remained 
7  hours;  he  appeared  7  times;  after  7  times 
7  days  sent  the  Holy  Ghost.  In  the  Lord's 
Prayer  are  7  petitions,  contained  in  7  times 
7  words,  omitting  those  of  mere  grammatical 
connection.  Within  this  number  are  con- 
nected all  the  mysteries  of  the  Apocalypse 
revealed  to  the  7  churches  of  Asia;  tiiere 
appeared  7  golden  candlesticks,  and  7  stars 
in  the  hand  of  him  that  was  in  the  midst; 
7  lamps  being  the  7  spirits  of  God;  the  book 
with  7  seals;  the  lamb  with  7  horns  and  7 
eyes;  7  angels  with  7  .<;eals;  7  kings;  7 
thunders;  7  thousand  men  slain  ;  the  dragon 
with  7  heads  and  7  crowns ;  the  beast  with 
7  heads;  7  angels  bring  7  plagues,  and  7 
phials  of  wrath.  The  vision  of  Daniel  was 
70  weeks.  Nebuchadnezzar  ate  the  grass  of 
the  field  7  years.  The  elders  of  Israel  were 
70.  Christ  sent  out  70  disci|)les." 

It  is  evident  from  the  above  quotations, 
which  are  all  from  the  Scriptures,  that  the 
number  Seven  has  a  meaning  beyond  the 
merely  numerical  idea  which  is  of  the  ut- 
most importance  to  the  right  understanding 
of  God's  Word.  The  doctrine  of  corre- 
spondences shows  us,  both  in  a  good  and  in 
a  bad  sense,  what  this  meaning  is.  For  it 
is  obvious  that  seven,  when  predicated  of  the 
Dragon  and  his  sn  cn  heads  and  sa-cn  crowns, 
has  a  different,  yea,  an  oppositesignitication 
to  that  when  predicated  of  the  Ijinib  with 
seven  horns  and  seven  eyes. — London  Inld, 
Repository  for  Aug.  1858. 


THE  NUMBER  EIGHT. 


461 


entire,  in  every  mode  or  respect,  and  at  the  same  time  the  commence- 
ment of  a  new  state. — A.  C.  9659. 

The  beginning  of  a  following  or  new  state,  Avhen  man  lives  from 
good  or  charity,  and  no  longer  from  truth  or  faith  as  before. — A.  C. 
9227. 

It  therefore  has  reference  to  purification,  which  ought  to  be  always 
going  on  as  from  a  new  beginning ;  hence  the  rite  of  circumcision  on 
the  eighth  day. — A.  C.  2044. 

Something  distinct  from  Avhat  preceded. — A.  0.  2866. 

The  beginning  of  a  second  state  in  regeneration,  when  the  life  is 
formed  from,  and  the  man  is  led  by,  good. — A.  C.  9227,  9296. 

Every  beginning,  or  every  new  state,  with  its  continuation. — A.  C. 
2044,  2633. 

Something  different  from  what  has  preceded. — A.  C.  2866. 

The  eighth  day  is  also  called  a  sabbath.  Lev.  xxiii.  39,  because  it 
denotes  the  beginning  of  a  new  state,  in  which  the  conjunction  of 
good  and  truth  takes  place. — A.  C.  9296. 

EXAMPLES. 

(1.)  Gen.  xvii.  12.  "And  he  that  is  eight  days  old  shall  be  cir- 
cumcised among  you,  every  man-child  in  your  generations."  As  a 

week,  consisting  of  seven  days,  signifies  an  entire  period  of  state  as 
well  as  of  time,  being  predicated  of  reformation,  regeneration,  temp- 
tation, etc.,  and  this  in  reference  alike  to  an  individual  man,  and  to 
the  church  in  general ;  so  the  eighth  day,  being  the  first  day  of  a  fol- 
lowing week,  signifies  every  beginning  or  commencement  of  a  new 
state.  On  this  account,  in  the  Israelitish  representative  church,  males 
of  eight  days  old  were  ordered  to  be  circumcised,  in  token  of  man's 
future  purification  from  the  unclean  lusts  originating  in  self-love  and 
the  love  of  the  world.  The  reason  also  why  the  command  extended 
to  males  only,  was,  because  a  male,  as  distinguished  from  a  female, 
signifies  the  truth  of  faith  ;  and  no  one  can  be  purified  from  the  un- 
clean loves  above-mentioned,  unless  he  be  in  possession  of  truth,  at 
least  in  some  degree.  It  is  by  virtue  of  truth  that  man  knows  what 
is  pure  and  what  impure,  what  is  holy  and  what  profane ;  and  with- 
out such  knowledge  as  a  medium  whereby  celestial  love  from  the  Lord 
may  commence  its  operations  on  the  external  man,  his  purification 
and  regeneration  cannot  be  effected. — See  A.  C.  2044  to  2046. 

(2.)  Ex.  xxvi.  25 ;  xxxvi.  30.  "  And  they  shall  be  eight  boards, 
and  their  sockets  of  silver,  sixteen  sockets :  two  sockets  under  one 
39* 


462 


A  KEY  TO  NUMBERS. 


board,  and  two  sockets  under  another."  By  the  tabernacle  was 

represented  heaven  in  general ;  by  the  ark,  containing  the  testimony, 
the  inmost  or  third  heaven ;  by  the  habitation,  containing  the  table 
for  the  show-bread,  and  the  candlestick,  the  middle  or  second  heaven ; 
and  by  the  court  about  the  tabernacle,  the  lowest  or  first  heaven. 
Among  the  various  things  appointed  to  be  in  that  part  of  the  taber- 
nacle called  the  habitation,  were  eight  boards  or  planks  on  the  western 
side,  each  having  two  sockets  or  bases  of  silver,  making  sixteen  in  the 
whole,  by  which  is  signified  every  mode  of  support  from  good,  and  by 
truth  grounded  in  good.  The  boards  or  planks  signify  good  yielding 
support ;  for  wood  in  general  denotes  good :  their  number  eight  bears 
the  same  signification  in  this  place  as  the  numbers  two  and  four,  fi-om 
which  it  arises  by  multiplication,  and  denotes  what  is  full  and  perfect 
in  every  respect,  as  also  the  conjunction  of  good  with  truth :  their 
sockets  or  bases  signify  support :  the  silver  of  which  they  consisted, 
denotes  truth  derived  from  good :  the  number  sixteen  denotes  the  same 
as  eight,  viz.,  what  is  full  and  complete :  and  the  number  two  denotes 
conjunction. — See  A.  C.  9659  to  9661. 

(3.)  Lev.  xiv.  10.  "  And  on  the  eighth  day  he  shall  take  two  he- 
lambs  without  blemish,  and  one  ewe-lamb  of  the  first  year  without 
blemish,  and  three  tenth-deals  of  fine  flour  for  a  meat-offering,  mingled 
with  oil,  and  one  log  of  oil."  The  eighth  day  here  denotes  the  be- 
ginning of  a  new  state  with  him  who  had  been  a  leper,  and  who  had 
passed  through  a  process  of  purification  for  seven  preceding  days. 
The  lambs  without  blemish  which  were  then  to  be  oflfered,  together 
with  the  fine  flour  mingled  with  oil,  signify  innocence  and  good,  in 
conjunction  Avith  gennine  truth.  The  previous  state  is  that  in  which 
man,  while  regenerating,  is  led  by  truth  to  good ;  the  latter  state, 
which  is  also  called  a  full  state,  is  that  in  which,  being  regenerated, 
he  regards  truth  from  good.  Similar  things  are  understood,  in  Lev. 
XV.  29,  by  the  seven  days'  purification  of  a  woman,  and  by  her  bring- 
ing an  offering  of  two  turtles,  or  two  young  pigeons,  on  the  eighth 
day.— See  A.  C.  2906,  7839. 

(4.)  Lev.  xxiii.  39.  "  Also  in  the  fifteenth  day  of  the  seventh 
month,  when  ye  have  gathered  in  the  fruit  of  the  land,  ye  shall  keep 
a  feast  unto  Jehovah  seven  days:  on  the  first  day  shall  be  a  sabbath, 

and  on  the  eighth  day  shall  be  a  sabbath."  Three  annual  feasts 

were  instituted  among  the  Israelites,  to  denote  the  deliverance  from 
hell  and  introduction  into  heaven,  of  all  those  of  the  human  race 
who  are  willing  to  receive  new  life  from  the  Lord,  and  thus  take  the 


THE  NUMBER  EIGHT. 


463 


benefit  of  his  advent  into  the  world.  The  first  feast  called  the  feast 
of  unleavened  bread,  and  also  the  feast  of  the  passover  signifies  puri- 
fication from  falsities,  and  deliverance  from  the  power  of  spiritual 
enemies :  the  second,  called  the  feast  of  harvest,  and  also  the  feast  of 
weeks,  signifies  the  implantation  of  truth  in  good ;  the  third,  called 
the  feast  of  in-gathering,  and  also  the  feast  of  tabernacles,  signifies 
the  implantation  of  good,  which  is  full  deliverance  from  hell,  and  in- 
troduction into  heaven.  By  the  fifteenth  day  of  the  seventh  month 
is  signified  the  end  of  a  former  state,  and  the  beginning  of  a  new  one; 
the  fifteenth  day  having  the  same  respect  to  fourteen  prece>ding  days, 
as  eight  days  have  to  seven.  By  the  first  day  being  a  sabbath,  and 
the  eighth  day  a  sabbath,  is  signified  the  conjunction  of  truth  with 
good,  and  reciprocally  the  conjunction  of  good  with  truth ;  which 
conjunction,  when  it  first  takes  place,  is  also  the  beginning  of  a  new 
state.  Hence  it  appears  that  the  first,  the  eighth,  and  the  fifteenth 
days,  in  the  passage  above  quoted,  have  similar  significations. — See 
A."C.  9286,  9296.    A.  R.  585. 

(5.)  Lev.  XXV.  22.  "And  ye  shall  sow  the  eighth  year,  and  eat 
yet  of  old  fruit  until  the  ninth  year :  until  her  fruits  come  in  ye  shall 

eat  of  the  old  store."  By  sowing  in  the  eighth  year  is  signified 

insttuction,  and  the  reception  of  truth  in  a  new  state :  and  by  eating 
of  old  fruit  until  the  ninth  year,  is  signified  the  appropriation  of 
external  good  and  truth  until  more  interior  truth  be  received,  and 
conjoined  with  a  corresponding  good.  To  sow  signifies  both  to  teach 
and  to  learn  the  truths  and  goods  of  faith :  the  eighth  year  denotes 
the  commencement  of  a  new  state :  old  fruit  denotes  external  goods 
and  truths,  these  being  first  acquired,  and  afterwards  those  which  are 
internal :  the  ninth  year  denotes  full  reception,  and  also  conjunction. 
—See  A.  C.  9272,  9274. 

(6.)  Num.  vi.  10.  "And  on  the  eighth  day  he  shall  bring  two 
turtles  or  two  young  pigeons  to  the  priest,  to  the  door  of  the  taber- 
nacle of  the  congregation."  Here  again  the  eighth  day  signifies 

the  commencement  of  a  new  state :  and  by  the  two  turtles,  and  two 
young  pigeons,  are  signified  innocence  and  charity,  also  the  truths 
and  goods  of  faith  in  conjunction. — See  A.  C.  870,  10210. 

(7.)  Ezek.  xl.  9.  "  Then  measured  he  the  porch  of  the  gate  eight 
cubits,  and  the  posts  thereof  two  cubits,  and  the  porch  of  the  gate 

was  inward."  By  the  various  parts  in  and  about  the  new  temple 

described  by  Ezekiel,  and  their  dimensions  and  numbers,  are  signified 
the  various  kinds  and  qualities  of  good  and  truth,  internal  and 


464 


A  KEY  TO  NUMBERS. 


external.  The  porch  leading  inward,  denotes  introduction  by  truth 
to  good :  its  dimensions,  eight  cubits,  denotes  that  such  introduction 
is  ample,  full  and  complete  for  those  who  have  commenced  the  work 
of  regeneration ;  and  the  posts,  being  two  cubits,  denote  the  goods 
and  truths  of  the  natural  principle  in  a  state  of  conjunction,  whereby 
also  man  is  introduced  into  the  interior  things  of  the  church  and 
heaven.— See  A.  C.  7847,  9659. 

(8.)  Ezek.  xl.  31.  "And  the  arches  thereof  were  toward  the  outer 
court,  and  'palm-trees  were  upon  the  posts  thereof ;  and  the  going  up 

to  it  had  eight  steps."  By  the  arches  or  upper  parts  of  the  porches, 

are  signified  external  goods ;  by  the  palm-trees,  interior  truths ;  and 
by  the  eight  steps  of  the  ascent,  full  introduction  to  spiritual  good. — 
See  A.  C.  7847,  9296,  9659. 

(9.)  Ezek.  xl.  41.  "  Four  tables  were  on  this  side,  and  four 
tables  on  that  side,  by  the  side  of  the  gate ;  eight  tables,  whereupon 

they  slew  their  sacrifices."  By  tables  are  signified  the  same  as  by 

the  things  placed  upon  them:  hence  by  the  eight  tables  on  which 
they  sacrificed  their  sacrifices,  four  on  this  side  and  four  on  that,  is 
signified  worship  in  general  from  every  aflection  of  good  and  truth ; 
the  number  eight  denoting  fulness,  conjunction  and  newness  of  life. — 
See  A.  C.  9296,  9659. 

(10.)  Micah  V.  5.  "And  this  shall  be  the  peace:  when  the 
Assyrian  shall  come  into  our  laud,  aiid  when  he  shall  tread  in  our 
palaces,  then  shall  we  raise  against  him  seven  shepherds,  and  eight 

principal  men."  The  Assyrian  here  denotes  reasonings  concerning 

the  goods  and  truths  of  the  church  from  self-derived  intelligence : 
and  full  deliverance  from  them  is  signified  by  seven  shepherds  and 
eight  principal  men  being  raised  against  him.  Seven  shepherds, 
abstractly  from  persons,  denote  the  celestial  things  of  the  internal 
man  ;  and  eight  principal  men  are  the  primary  truths  of  good.  The 
number  eight,  especially  when  preceded  hy  seven,  signifies  what  is  full, 
perfect  and  complete.  Hence  it  is,  that  the  effect  produced  either  in 
the  church  or  in  an  individual  of  the  church,  on  the  removal  of  false 
reasonings  and  disputations,  is  said  to  be  peace. — See  A.  C.  1186, 
1572,  9659. 

(11.)  Luke  ix.  28,  29.  "And  it  came  to  pass  about  an  eight  days 
after  these  sayings,  He  took  Peter,  and  John,  and  James,  and  went 
up  into  a  mountain  to  pray.  And  as  He  prayed,  the  ftishion  of  his 
countenance  was  altered,  and  his  raiment  was  white  and  glistering." 
 The  transfiguration  of  the  Lord  upon  a  mountain  was  an  exhi- 


THE  NUMBER  EIGHT. 


465 


bition  of  the  glory  both  of  his  diviue  Person  and  of  his  Word.  And 
the  reason  why  of  all  his  disciples  He  took  only  Peter,  James  and 
John,  was,  that  they  represented  faith,  charity,  and  the  works  of 
charity ;  and  that  no  others  but  such  as  are  principled  therein,  can 
possibly  discern  either  the  divinity  of  the  Lord's  Humanity,  or  the 
divinity,  sanctity  and  interior  glory  of  his  Word.  This  manifestation 
of  his  glory  is  said  by  the  Evangelist  Luke  to  have  been  about  eight 
days  after  a  discourse  with  his  disciples,  related  in  the  preceding 
verses,  and  by  Matthew  and  Mark  after  six  days.  By  both  numbers 
are  signified  nearly  the  same  things  in  effect ;  for  six  days  denote  the 
first  stage  of  regeneration,  when  man  is  led  by  truth  to  good  through 
many  trials,  temptations  and  spiritual  labors ;  after  which  he  enters 
upon  a  new  state,  which  is  that  of  his  actual  regeneration,  being  then 
in  the  possession  and  enjoyment  of  heavenly  good.  The  same  is  also 
signified  by  the  words,  about  an  eight  days  after;  the  number  eight 
denoting  a  new  state  of  the  sjiiritual  life,  in  which  the  conjunction  of 
good  and  truth  takes  place,  and  is  manifested  in  the  external  by 
works  of  charity,  piety,  and  general  usefulness. — See  Ap.  Ex.  64, 
821,  1070. 

(12.)    Apoc.  xvii.  11.    "And  the  beast  that  was,  and  is  not,  even 

he  is  the  eighth,  and  is  of  the  seven,  and  goeth  into  perdition."  

By  the  beast  is  signified  the  Word,  as  already  explained  in  the  14th 
example  under  the  number  seven  ;  of  which  it  is  said,  that  it  was,  and  is 
not,  meaning  that  it  Avas  once  received  in  the  Romish  church,  and  read 
by  the  people,  but  afterwards  taken  away  from  them,  and  not  read. 
By  its  being  called  the  eighth,  that  is,  the  eighth  mountain  and  the 
eighth  king,  is  signified  that  it  is  essential  divine  good,  and  at  the 
same  time  essential  divine  truth :  for  by  the  seven  mountains  are 
signified  the  divine  goods  of  the  Word,  and  by  the  seven  kings  its 
divine  truths ;  and  that  these  might  be  all  comprehended  in  one 
general  view,  it  is  therefore  said  that  the  beast  which  was,  and  is  not, 
is  itself  the  eighth,  and  of  the  seven.  The  number  eight  signifies 
good ;  and  the  number  seven  is  predicated  of  what  is  holy.  By  the 
beast  going  into  perdition  is  signified,  that  the  Word  is  rejected  and 
made  of  none  eflfect,  by  being  taken  from  the  laity  who  are  thereby 
prevented  from  seeing  the  profanations,  adulterations  and  gross  abuses 
practised  by  the  Romish  clergy,  lest  they  should  altogether  recede 
from  the  papal  yoke  and  dominion. — See  Ap.  Ex.  1054,  1067.  A.  R. 
733,  737. 


466 


A  KEF  TO  NUMBERS. 


Nine. 

The  number  nine  belongs  to  the  spiritual  class  of  expressions,  and, 
like  the  numbers  three  and  six,  is  predicated  of  truths  or  falsities. — 
Ap.  Ex.  194,  430,  532.    A.  R.  322.    A.  C.  10624. 

It  signifies  -what  is  full  and  complete. — A.  C.  2788.    Ap.  Ex.  194. 

Also  conjunction.— A.  C.  2075,  2269. 

When  the  number  nine  bears  the  same  relation  to  ten  as  ninety- 
nine  to  a  hundred,  by  which  latter  number  is  signified  conjunction  by 
remains,  it  then  denotes  a  state  just  preceding  conjunction. — A.  C. 
1988,  2106. 

For  the  opposite  signification — want  of  conjunction  on  account  of 
the  defect  of  faith  and  charity — see  A.  C.  2075. 

The  ninth  hour,  day,  week,  month,  year,  or  age,  signifies  a  full  and 
complete  state,  thus  the  end  of  a  former  state,  and  the  beginning  of 
a  new  one.— A.  C.  2788.    Ap.  Ex.  194. 

EXAMPLES. 

(1.)  Gen.  xvii.  1.  "And  when  Abram  was  ninety  years  old  and 
nine,  Jehovah  appeared  to  Abram,  and  said  unto  him,  I  am  the  God 

Shaddai ;  walk  before  me,  and  be  thou  perfect."  By  Abram  was 

represented  the  Lord  Avhile  in  the  world,  and  by  the  different  years 
of  his  age  are  denoted  the  different  states  and  degrees  of  conjunction 
between  his  human  and  his  divine  essence.  The  number  one  hundred 
signifies  the  same  in  the  Word  as  the  number  ten,  being  compounded 
of  ten  multiplied  by  ten;  and  by  ten  are  signified  remains,  which  in 
the  case  of  the  Lord  are  divine  goods,  whereby  conjunction  was 
effected.  Hence  by  ninety  and  nine  years,  not  quite  reaching  to  a 
hundred,  also  by  nine  years,  being  short  of  ten,  is  signified  the  state 
just  preceding  or  entering  upon  full  conjunction.  The  same  is  sig- 
nified by  ninety  and  nine  years  in  ver.  24.  To  the  above  may  be 
added  the  reason  why  Jehovah  here  calls  himself  the  God  Sliaddai, 
though  this  was  originally  the  name  of  the  false  god  worshipped  by 
Abram  when  he  lived  in  a  land  of  idolatry :  it  was  because  Abram 
was  still  inclined  to  worship  the  god  of  his  fathers,  having  been  edu- 
cated and  to  a  certain  degree  confirmed  in  such  worship ;  and  because 
the  Lord  does  not  suddenly  break,  but  gradually  bends,  those  princi- 
ples of  religion  which  a  man  has  imbibed  from  infancy,  and  con- 
scientiously believes  to  be  true.  See  Josh.  xxiv.  2,  14,  15.  Jehovah 
therefore  announces  himself  to  Abram  by  a  name  which  he  had 


THE  NUMBER  NINE. 


467 


hitherto  esteemed  most  sacred :  for  as  yet  he  was  not  acquainted  with 
the  name  Jehovah,  as  appears  from  Ex.  vi.  3 ;  "  I  ai)peared  unto 
Abraham,  unto  Isaac,  and  unto  Jacob,  in  the  god  Shaddai;  but  by 
my  name  Jehovah  was  I  not  known  to  them."  The  name  Jehovah, 
though  revealed  to  Abram,  was  yet  lost  by  his  posterity  in  Egypt ; 
for  when  Moses  saw  the  angel  of  Jehovah  in  the  bush,  he  inquired 
his  name,  and  being  told,  he  communicated  it  to  the  Israelites,  who 
ever  after  retained  it,  but  esteemed  it  too  holy  to  be  pronounced  by 
them.  See  Ex.  iii.  13  to  15.  The  word  Shaddai,  translated  by 
some  Almighty,  or  All-sufficient,  and  by  others  a  Thunderer,  properly 
signifies  a  Vastator,  and  hence  also  a  Tempter,  and  after  temptation 
a  Benefactor.  It  is  adopted  as  one  of  the  names  of  Jehovah  in  vari- 
ous parts  of  the  Word,  as  in  Gen.  xxviii.  3;  xliii.  14;  xlix.  25.  Ezek. 
i.  24 ;  X.  5.  Joel  i.  15 ;  and  is  often  found  in  the  book  of  Job. — See 
A.  C.  1988  to  1992,  2106. 

(2.)  Lev.  xxiii.  32.  "  It  shall  be  unto  you  a  sabbath  of  rest, 
and  ye  shall  afflict  your  souls  in  the  ninth  day  of  the  month  at  even : 

from  even  unto  even  shall  ye  celebrate  your  sabbath."  By  the 

affliction  here  spoken  of  is  signified  the  humiliation  of  the  external 
man  in  the  presence  of  the  internal,  which  is  effected  by  self-compul- 
sion in  a  state  of  temptation,  until  thfe  worship  of  the  Lord  becomes 
an  act  of  freedom  and  delight.  By  doing  this  on  the  ninth  day  of 
the  seventh  month,  previous  to  the  tenth  day,  which  was  to  be  a  day 
of  atonement,  and  a  sabbath  of  rest,  is  signified  that  it  would  be  pro- 
ductive of  conjunction  between  the  internal  and  the  external  man. 
The  ninth  day,  as  well  as  the  number  nine  itself,  here  signifies  such 
conjunction.— See  A.  C.  1947,  2075. 

(3.)  Lev.  XXV.  22.  "  And  ye  shall  soav  the  eighth  year,  and  eat 
yet  of  old  fruit,  until  the  ninth  year ;  until  her  fruits  come  in,  ye 

shall  eat  of  the  old  store."  By  sowing  is  signified  teaching  and 

learning  the  truth  of  faith,  and  by  the  fruit  or  produce  of  the  land 
is  signified  the  good  which  is  acquired  by  means  of  truth.  The  seed 
is  the  truth  of  the  Word,  and  the  land  or  field  is  the  church,  or  an 
individual  mind,  which  receives  the  truth.  By  the  ninth  year  is  sig- 
nified the  conjunction  of  truth  with  good.  A  further  explanation  of 
this  verse  is  given  in  the  fifth  example  under  the  number  eight. — 
See  A.  C.  9272,  9274. 

(4.)  2  Kings  xxv.  1  to  3.  "And  it  came  to  pass  in  the  ninth  year 
of  his  reign,  in  the  tenth  month,  in  the  tenth  day  of  the  month,  that 
Nebuchadnezzar  king  of  Babylon  came,  he  and  all  his  host,  against 


468 


A  KEY  TO  NUMBERS. 


Jerusalem,  and  pitched  against  it,  and  they  built  forts  against  it 
round  about.  And  the  city  was  besieged  unto  the  eleventh  year  of 
king  Zedekiah.  And  on  the  ninth  day  of  the  month  the  famine  pre- 
vailed in  the  city,  and  there  was  no  bread  for  the  people  of  the  land." 

 As  many  expressions  in  the  Word  have  an  opposite  signification, 

according  to  the  nature  of  the  subject  treated  of,  so  in  this  place  the 
numbers  nine,  ten,  etc.,  are  to  be  understood  as  implying  that  there 
was  a  defect  of  those  sjjiritual  principles  at  other  times  signified  by 
them.  Thus  the  number  nine,  which  in  its  genuine  sense  denotes  a 
state  of  conjunction,  or  a  state  immediately  preceding  conjunction,  in 
the  present  passage  signifies  that  there  was  no  conjunction,  in  conse- 
quence of  there  being  neither  faith  nor  charity  with  those  who  then 
constituted  the  church.  This  is  understood  by  the  famine  which 
prevailed  in  the  city,  and  by  the  want  of  bread  for  the  people  of  the 
land.— See  A.  C.  2075. 

(5.)  Matt.  XX.  3  to  5.  "And  he  went  out  about  the  third  hour, 
and  saw  others  standing  idle  in  the  market-place ;  and  he  said  unto 
them.  Go  ye  also  into  the  vineyard,  and  whatsoever  is  right,  I  will 
give  you.    And  they  went  their  way.    Again,  he  went  out  about  the 

sixth  and  ninth  hour,  and  did  likewise."  By  the  third,  sixth,  ninth, 

and  eleventh  hours  mentioned  in  this  parable,  are  signified  the  vari- 
ous states  of  life  of  those  who  die  in  old  age,  in  manhood,  in  youth, 
and  in  childhood,  and  who  have  all  procured  to  themselves  a  degree 
of  spiritual  life.  To  labor  in  the  vineyard,  is  to  procure  the  knowl- 
edges of  truth  and  good  from  the  Word,  and  to  apply  them  to  uses 
of  life.  The  third,  sixth,  and  ninth  hours  alike  signify  a  full  state, 
or  what  is  complete  even  to  the  end,  being  such  as  takes  place  with 
old  men,  young  men,  and  those  entering  upon  mature  age :  but  the 
eleventh  hour  denotes  a  state  not  yet  full,  but  capable  of  reception  and 
of  being  perfected  herealler,  being  such  as  belongs  to  well-disposed 
boys  and  young  people.  The  design  of  the  parable  is  to  show,  that 
all  men  have  a  capacity  for  the  reception  of  spiritual  life  from  the 
Lord,  and  that  each  one  will  be  rewarded  hereafter  according  to  the 
degree  of  his  reception,  and  the  use  which  he  is  qualified  to  perform 
in  the  Lord's  kingdom. — See  Ap.  Ex.  194.    A.  C.  2788. 

(6.)  Matt,  xxvii.  45.  "  Now  from  the  sixth  hour  there  was  dark- 
ness over  all  the  land  unto  the  ninth  hour."  By  the  darkness, 

which  was  over  all  the  land  from  the  sixth  to  the  ninth  hour,  that  is, 
for  the  space  of  three  hours,  at  the  time  of  the  Lord's  crucifixion,  was 
represented  and  signified  the  universal  prevalence  of  falsities  derived 


THE  NUMBER  TEN. 


469 


from  evil  in  the  Jewish  church.  The  sun  signifies  love  to  the  Lord, 
and  the  light  thereof  faith  in  Him,  the  total  absence  of  which  is 
described  by  darkness.  The  ninth  hour,  the  sixth  hour,  and  three 
hours,  signify  what  is  full,  total  and  universal. — See  A.  C.  1839, 2788. 
Ap.  Ex.  526. 

Ten. 

The  number  ten  in  general  signifies  remains,  which  are  all  states 
of  the  affection  of  good  and  truth,  with  which  man  is  gifted  by  the 
Lord,  from  the  first  stage  of  infancy  to  the  end  of  his  life ;  these 
being  treasured  up  from  time  to  time  in  his  interiors  for  future  use. — 
A.  C.  576,  1906,  2141,  2284,  5291,  5894,  6156. 

It  also  signifies  all  things,  and  all  persons. — A.  C.  4638,  9416, 
10221.    D.  Life,  61.    A.  R.  101,  515.    Ap.  Ex.  124,  675. 

All  who  are  in  the  church,  as  well  those  who  are  in  good  and  truth, 
as  those  who  are  in  evil  and  falsity. — A.  C.  4638. 

What  is  full  and  complete.— A.  C.  1988,  3107,  3176. 

Much,  or  many,  also  some.— A.  C.  4077,  5291.  A.  R.  101,  515. 
Ap.  Ex.  124,  675. 

As  much  as  is  sufficient  for  use. — A.  C.  9757,  8468.  Also  with 
respect  to  other  numbers. — Ap.  Ex.  124. 

The  same  as  100,  and  1000,  viz.,  much,  all,  what  is  full,  and  in  the 
supreme  sense,  in  reference  to  the  Lord,  what  is  infinite. — A.  C.  9716. 
Ap.  Ex.  648. 

A  tenth  part,  tithes,  or  tenths,  signify  the  same  as  ten,  but  in  a  less 
degree,  a  sufficiency,  viz.,  remains,  or  all  states  of  love  and  charity, 
also  of  innocence  and  peace.— A.  C.  576,  1738,  5291,  8468,  8540. 

One  tenth,  or  one  tenth-deal,  signifies  celestial  good,  or  good  of  the 
highest  degree,  represented  by  a  lamb,  with  which  it  was  to  be  of- 
fered. Num.  XV.  4,  5 ;  xxviii.  13,  21,  29 ;  xxix.  4,  10,  15.— A.  C. 
2180,  2276. 

An  age  in  the  Word  is  ten  years. — A.  C.  483. 

Two  tenths,  or  two  tenth-deals,  signify  spiritual  good,  or  good  of  the 
middle  degree,  represented  by  a  ram.  Num.  xv.  6;  xxviii.  12,  20, 
28 ;  xxix.  3,  9,  14.— A.  C.  2180,  2276,  2280. 

Three  tenths,  or  three  tenth-deals,  signify  natural  good,  or  good  of 
the  lowest  degree,  represented  by  a  bullock.  Num.  xv.  9 ;  xxviii. 
12,  20,  28 ;  xxix.  3,  9,  14.— A.  C.  2180,  2276. 

In  cases  where  the  number  ten  signifies  much,  the  tenth  part  denotes 
little  or  a  few.— A.  C.  8468. 

When  ten  is  used  in  connection  with  five. — Ap.  Ex.  600. 
40 


470 


A  KEY  TO  NUMBERS. 


EXAMPLES. 

(1.)  Gen.  xiv.  20.  "  Blessed  be  the  most  high  God,  who  hath 
delivered  thine  enemies  into  thy  hand.    And  he  gave  him  tithes  of 

all."  The  various  states  of  the  Lord  while  in  the  world,  especially 

in  his  infancy  or  childhood,  are  described  in  this  chapter.  His  inter- 
nal man  which  was  Jehovah,  is  underetood  by  the  ]\Iost  High  God, 
Possessor  of  heaven  and  earth ;  his  interior  man,  as  to  spiritual 
things,  by  Abram  the  Hebrew ;  and  his  external  man  by  Lot.  When 
the  interior  man  was  purified  by  the  internal  man,  or  Jehovah,  then 
both  together  were  to  be  regarded  as  Jehovah,  because  the  internal 
and  the  interior  were  united  as  one,  each  nevertheless  retaining  its 
proper  distinction :  and  when,  lastly,  the  external  man  was  also  puri- 
fied, or  in  perfect  union  with  the  internal  and  the  interior  man,  then 
all  together  constituted  a  Divine  Man,  that  is,  Jehovah  in  the  Human- 
ity. This  was  his  full  glorification,  on  the  completion  of  which  He 
rose  from  the  dead,  and  ascended  into  heaven.  But  during  this  pro- 
cess many  things  were  transacted,  and  many  states  passed  through, 
■which  are  all  described  in  the  history  of  Abraham,  Isaac  and  Jacob. 
By  Melchizedek,  king  of  Salem,  are  represented  the  celestial  things 
of  the  Lord's  interior  man,  whereby  this  latter  was  purified ;  on  which 
account  he  was  called  the  priest  of  the  Most  High  God,  ver.  18.  By 
his  blessing  Abram,  and  also  the  Most  High  God,  is  signified  that  the 
Lord's  interior  man  was  in  the  enjoyment  of  all  celestial  and  spiritual 
things  from  his  internal  man  which  was  Jehovah,  consequently  in  a 
state  of  conjunction  or  union  therewith.  By  Abram's  giving  Mel- 
chizedek tithes  of  all,  is  signified  that  the  Lord  acquired  to  himself, 
that  is,  to  his  Humanity,  all  the  celestial  things  of  love  called  remains, 
by  his  continual  combats  with,  and  victories  over,  the  powers  of  hell, 
represented  by  the  king  of  Sodom  and  the  other  kings  his  associates 
whom  Abram  had  overthrown. — See  A.  C.  1702,  1707,  1725  to  1738. 

(2.)  Gen.  xviii.  32.  "  And  he  said.  Oh  let  not  the  Lord  be  angry, 
and  I  will  speak  yet  but  this  once :  Peradventure  ten  shall  be  found 

there.    And  he  said,  I  will  not  destroy  it  for  ten's  sake."  By 

Abraham's  pleading  in  behalf  of  the  inhabitants  of  Sodom,  that  they 
might  be  preserved  from  destruction  on  condition  that  a  certain 
number  of  righteous  men  should  be  found  among  them,  is  signified 
the  Lord's  mercy  towards  the  human  race,  and  his  intercession  for 
them  while  in  his  state  of  humiliation  in  the  world,  when  He  prayed 
to  the  Father  as  to  another  Being  distinct  from  himself.    And  by 


THE  NUMBER  TEN. 


471 


Jehovah's  saying  to  Abraham,  I  will  not  destroy  the  city  for  ten^s 
sake,  is  signified,  that  every  man  in  whom  the  remains  of  good  and 
truth  shall  be  found,  without  being  choked  or  destroyed,  will  be  saved. 
Ten  denotes  remains,  or  those  states  of  good  and  truth  which  man 
has  received  from  the  Lord,  and  whereby  his  salvation  is  effected. 
—See  A.  C.  2282  to  2285. 

(3.)  Gen.  xxxi.  7.  "And  your  father  hath  deceived  me,  and 
changed  my  wages  ten  times:  but  God  suffered  him  not  to  hurt  me." 

 By  changing  the  wages  ten  times,  or  in  ten  manners,  is  signified 

a  great  change  of  state,  during  the  process  of  the  Lord's  glorification, 
which  is  here  described  in  the  internal  sense,  particularly  as  to  the 
good  represented  by  Laban :  the  number  ten  denotes  much.  That 
this  change  of  state,  however,  did  no  real  injury  to  Jacob;  in  other 
words,  that  it  did  not  prevent  the  continual  influx  of  the  Divinity 
into  the  Humanity  represented  by  Jacob,  but  was  rather  made  to 
contribute  to  the  perfect  union  of  both,  is  signified  by  tlie  last  clause 
of  the  verse,  "  But  God  suffered  him  not  to  hurt  me." — See  A.  C. 
4077,  4078,  4179. 

(4.)  Ex.  xxvi.  1.  "  Moreover,  thou  shalt  make  the  tabernacle 
(habitation)  with  ten  curtains  of  fine  twined  linen,  and  blue,  and 
purple,  and  scarlet :  with  cherubim  of  cunning  work  shalt  thou  make 

them."  By  the  tabernacle  properly  so  called,  with  the  things  in 

it  and  about  it,  were  represented  the  three  heavens,  the  inmost,  the 
middle,  and  the  lowest ;  also  the  three  degrees  of  life  in  man :  by  the 
ark  particularly,  which  contained  the  testimony,  was  represented  the 
inmost  or  third  heaven ;  by  the  habitation  where  the  table  for  the 
show-bread  and  the  candlestick  were,  the  middle  or  second  heaven ; 
and  by  the  court,  the  lowest  or  first  heaven.  The  ten  curtains  of  the 
habitation  signified  all  the  interior  truths  of  faith,  which  constitute 
the  second  or  middle  heaven,  or  what  amounts  to  the  same,  all  the 
interior  truths  appertaining  to  the  new  intellectual  principle  of  the 
regenerate  man.  Their  number,  ten,  signifies  all :  their  substance 
being  of  fine  twined  linen,  and  blue,  and  purple,  and  scarlet,  signifies 
their  celestial  origin  and  quality,  together  with  the  good  thence  de- 
rived :  and  the  cherubim  of  cunning  woi'k  denote  the  divine  provi- 
dence and  care  of  the  Lord,  in  the  protection  of  heaven  from  the 
assaults  of  infernal  spirits. — See  A.  C.  9593  to  9597. 

(5.)  Lev.  xxvi.  26.  "  And  when  I  have  broken  the  staff  of  your 
bread,  ten  women  shall  bake  your  bread  in  one  oven,  and  they  shall 
deliver  you  your  bread  again  by  weight :  and  ye  shall  eat,  and  not 


472 


A  KEY  TO  NUMBERS. 


be  satisfied."  By  breaking  the  staff  of  bread  is  signified  to  deprive 

man  of  spiritual  food  or  spiritual  nutrition :  bread  denotes  everything 
that  nourishes  the  spirit  or  soul,  especially  the  good  of  love.  By  ten 
women  baking  bread  in  one  oven,  is  signified  that  in  all  things  relative 
to  the  church  in  man  there  would  be  scarce  anything  of  good  and 
truth ;  in  other  words,  that  there  Avould  be  a  general  defect  in  the 
reception  of  good  and  truth  :  women  denote  the  affection  of  truth, 
which  is  constituent  of  the  church  in  man ;  the  number  ten  denotes 
all ;  bread  denotes  good  and  truth  which  nourish  the  soul ;  and  the 
oven  where  that  spiritual  food  is  prepared,  denotes  the  human  mind. 
By  delivering  bread  by  weight  is  signified  the  scarcity  and  want  of 
such  things  as  are  conducive  to  spiritual  nourishment :  wherefore  it 
follows,  "  Ye  shall  eat,  and  not  be  satisfied." — See  Ap.  Ex.  555,  675. 
A.  R.  101. 

(6.)  Deut.  iv.  13.  "And  He  declared  unto  you  his  covenant, 
which  He  commanded  you  to  perform,  even  tea  commandments,  and 

He  wrote  them  upon  two  tables  of  stone."  The  ten  commandments, 

or,  as  it  is  expressed  in  the  original,  the  ten  words,  which  were  given 
by  Jehovah  to  Moses,  as  the  first-fruits  of  the  Word,  signify  all  di- 
vine trutlis,  because  they  contain  the  whole  law  in  a  compendious 
form.— See  A.  R.  101.    Ap.  Ex.  675. 

(7.)  Dan.  i.  20.  "  And  in  all  matters  of  wisdom  and  understand- 
ing that  the  king  inquired  of  them,  (Daniel,  Hananiah,  Mishael,  and 
Azariah,)  he  found  them  ten  times  better  than  all  the  magicians  and 
astrologers  that  were  in  all  his  realm."  By  magicians  and  proba- 
bly astrologers  or  diviners,  in  ancient  times,  were  meant  persons  who 
cultivated  the  science  of  spiritual  things,  and  their  analogies  or  har- 
monies with  natural  things.  But  after  those  very  remote  times  al- 
luded to,  the  same  terms  were  applied  to  those  who  perverted  such 
knowledge,  and  made  it  subservient  to  worldly  and  interested  ends. 
Daniel  and  his  companions,  who  were  of  the  tribe  of  Judah  then  in 
a  state  of  captivity,  represented  what  remained  of  the  church,  with 
whom  the  knowledge  of  spiritual  things  was  still  preserved;  and 
therefore  they  were  said  to  be  ten  times  more  excellent  in  all  matters 
of  wisdom  and  understanding,  whereof  the  king  inquired  of  them, 
than  all  the  magicians  and  astrologers  that  were  in  all  his  realm. 
Here  the  number  ten  evidently  signifies  much,  being  the  same  sense 
which  it  bears  in  many  other  parts  of  the  Word. — See  A.  R.  101, 
615.    Ap.  Ex.  124,  675.    A.  C.  5223. 

(8.)    Dan.  vii.  7.    "  After  this  I  saw  in  the  night- visions,  and  be- 


THE  NUMBER  TEN. 


473 


hold,  a  fourth  beast,  dreadful  and  terrible,  and  strong  exceedingly : 
and  it  had  great  iron  teeth :  it  devoured  and  brake  in  pieces,  and 
stamped  the  residue  with  the  feet  of  it,  and  it  was  diverse  from  all 

the  beasts  that  were  before  it,  and  it  had  ten  horus."  By  the  four 

beasts  which  Daniel  saw  come  up  out  of  the  sea,  are  described  the 
successive  states  of  the  church  from  its  commencement  to  its  end, 
when  eveiy  good  and  truth  of  the  Word  were  destroyed.  The  first 
state  of  the  church  is  described  by  the  first  beast,  which  was  a  lion 
with  eagle's  wings :  the  second  state  is  described  by  a  bear,  Avhich 
signifies  that  the  Word  was  indeed  read,  but  not  understood :  the 
third  state  is  described  by  a  leopard,  which  denotes  the  falsification 
of  the  truths  of  the  Word  :  and  the  fourth  or  last  state  is  described 
by  the  fourth  beast  dreadful  and  terrible  and  exceedingly  strong, 
which  signifies  the  total  destruction  of  all  truth  and  good  in  the 
church.  Its  ten  horns  signify  falsities  of  every  kind,  and  their  uni- 
versal prevalence :  horns  denote  falsities,  and  the  number  ten  much 
and  all.— See  A.  R.  101,  574.    Ap.  Ex.  316,  556,  675.    A.  C.  2832. 

(9.)  Zech.  viii.  23.  "  Thus  saith  Jehovah  of  hosts,  In  those  days 
it  shall  come  to  pass,  that  ten  men  shall  take  hold  out  of  all  lan- 
guages of  the  nations,  even  shall  take  hold  of  the  skirt  of  him  that 
is  a  Jew,  saying.  We  will  go  with  you  ;  for  we  have  heard  that  God 
is  with  you."  By  this  prophecy  is  not  meant,  as  generally  sup- 
posed, the  restoration  of  the  Jews,  and  their  introduction  into  the 
land  of  Canaan,  with  a  number  of  others  from  every  nation  Avho  may 
wish  to  accompany  them,  but  the  convocation  and  accession  of  the 
gentiles  to  the  true  Christian  church.  By  the  Jews  here  mentioned 
are  signified  all  who  acknowledge  the  Lord  and  love  Him.  By  ten 
men  out  of  every  language  of  the  nations  taking  hold  of  his  skirt,  is 
signified  that  all  of  every  religious  denomination,  Avho  have  a  desire 
of  knowing  and  understanding  truth  from  the  Lord,  will  endeavor  to 
obtain  information  and  instruction  from  those  who  are  able  to  give 
it,  especially  from  the  Word  itself  Ten  men  denote  all:  all  lan- 
guages of  the  nations  denote  every  religious  denomination :  to  take 
hold  of  the  skirt  of  him  that  is  a  Jew,  is  to  embrace  the  truth  pro- 
ceeding from  the  Lord,  particularly  the  literal  or  external  sense  of 
his  AVord :  and  the  desire  which  is  expressed  of  going  with  the  Jew 
because  God  is  with  him,  implies  an  aflfection  or  love  of  the  truth  for 
its  own  sake,  with  an  intention  of  living  in  obedience  to  it. — See  A. 
R.  101.    Ap.  Ex.  433,  455,  675.    A.  C.  3881. 

(10.)  Luke  XV.  8.  "  What  woman  having  ten  pieces  of  silver, 
40* 


474 


A  KEY  TO  NUMBERS. 


if  she  lose  one  piece,  doth  not  light  a  candle,  and  sweep  the  house, 

and  seek  diligently  till  she  find  it  ? "  By  the  woman  here  alluded 

to,  is  signified  the  church  as  to  the  affection  of  truth,  or  what  is  the 
same  thing,  the  affection  of  truth  itself  in  the  church,  or  in  the  mem- 
ber of  the  church.  By  her  having  ten  pieces  of  money,  and  after- 
wards losing  one  piece,  is  signified  the  possession  of  an  abundance  of 
truths  from  the  Word  at  one  time,  or  in  one  state,  and  the  loss  or 
apparent  extinction  of  some  of  them  at  another  time,  or  in  another 
state.  A  piece  of  money  denotes  truth,  or  the  knowledge  of  .truth ; 
and  the  number  ien  denotes  an  abundance,  much,  or  all :  to  lose  one, 
is  to  neglect  some  truth  or  precept  of  the  Word,  which  might  have 
been  profitable  had  it  been  duly  attended  to.  By  her  lighting  a 
candle,  sweeping  the  house,  and  seeking  diligently  till  she  find  it,  are 
signified  self-examination  from  aflfection,  purification  from  evils,  and 
close  attention  to  the  particular  as  well  as  general  state  of  the  whole 
mind,  with  a  view  to  discover  and  bring  into  actual  use  and  life  the 
truth,  which  had  been  suffered  to  remaiu  inactive,  or  which  had  been 
apparently  extinguished.  To  light  a  candle,  is  to  produce  the  light 
of  truth  from  the  love  thereof,  for  the  purpose  of  self-examination : 
to  sweep  the  house,  is  to  examine  fully  the  state  of  the  mind,  also  to 
prepare  it  for  the  reception  of  good,  by  the  removal  of  evils :  to  seek 
diligently  till  the  piece  of  money  be  found,  is  to  continue  the  exami- 
nation until  the  truth  be  restored. — See  Ap.  Ex.  675. 

(11.)  Luke  xix.  13.  "  And  he  called  his  ten  servants,  and  deliv- 
ered them  ten  pounds,  and  said  unto  them.  Occupy  till  I  come."  

By  the  nobleman  going  into  a  far  country  is  signified  the  Lord  tak- 
ing his  departure  from  the  world,  and  then  appearing  to  men  to  be 
absent.  By  receiving  for  himself  a  kingdom,  is  signified  that  with 
respect  to  his  Humanity  He  became  the  God  of  heaven  and  the 
church,  which  constitute  his  spiritual  kingdom.  By  his  returning  is 
signified  the  communication  of  divine  good  and  truth,  from  his  Hu- 
manity when  glorified,  to  those  on  earth  who  are  Avilling  to  acknowl- 
edge and  worsliip  Him  as  their  God.  By  his  ten  servants  are  signi- 
fied in  general  all  who  are  in  the  world,  and  especially  all  who  belong 
to  the  church :  and  by  the  ten  pounds  which  He  gave  them  to  nego- 
tiate with,  are  signified  all  the  knowledges  of  truth  and  good  from 
the  Word,  together  with  the  faculty  of  perceiving  or  understanding 
them,  whereby  intelligence  and  heavenly  wisdom  may  be  obtained, 
—See  Ap.  Ex.  223,  675.    A.  R.  101. 

(12.)    Apoc.  xi.  13,    "  And  the  same  hour  there  was  a  great  earth- 


THE  NUMBER  ELEVEN. 


475 


quake,  and  the  tenth  part  of  the  city  fell,  and  in  the  earthquake  were 
slain  of  men  seven  thousand :  and  the  remnant  were  affrighted  and 
gave  glory  to  the  God  of  heaven."  By  a  great  earthquake  is  sig- 
nified a  remarkable  change  of  state  with  those  in  the  spiritual  world 
who  had  been  of  the  church,  but  were  in  falsities  of  doctrine  and  in 
evils  of  life.  By  the  tenth  part  of  the  city  falling,  is  signified  that  all 
such  were  entirely  separated  from  heaven  and  cast  into  hell :  the  tenth 
part  denotes  the  same  as  ten,  viz.,  all :  and  a  city  denotes  doctrine,  in 
the  present  case  false  doctrine,  together  with  those  who  embrace  and 
confirm  it.  By  seven  thousand  being  slain  is  signified  the  destruction 
of  all  who  profess  the  false  doctrine  of  justification  by  faith  alone,  and 
who  on  that  account  do  not  bring  forth  the  fruits  of  charity  in  their 
life.  By  the  remnant  being  affrighted,  and  giving  glory  to  the  God 
of  heaven,  is  signified  that  they  who  in  some  degree  adjoined  to  faith 
the  good  works  of  charity,  when  they  saw  the  destruction  of  the 
former,  being  in  great  concern  for  their  spiritual  life,  were  separated 
from  them,  and  acknowledged  the  Lord  as  the  only  God  of  heaven 
and  earth.— See  A.  R.  515  to  517.    Ap.  Ex.  673  to  678. 

Eleven. 

The  number  eleven,  when  it  has  relation  to  ten,  signifies  all  things 
even  to  redundance  or  superfluity :  for  as  teyi  denotes  all,  so  eleven,  as 
being  more  than  ten,  denotes  what  is  redundant  or  superabundant. — 
A.  C.  9616. 

When  it  has  relation  to  twelve  which  signifies  all  things  in  fulness, 
it  then  denotes  a  state  not  yet  full,  as  to  the  reception  of  truths  and 
goods,  but  capable  of  becoming  so,  as  in  the  case  of  well-disposed 
boys  and  children. — Ap.  Ex.  194. 

The  eleventh  hour,  day,  week,  month  or  year,  signifies  the  same  as 
eleven  hours,  days,  etc.,  viz.,  all  even  to  redundancy,  when  the  subject 
treated  of  points  out  an  excess  above  ten ;  and  nearly  all,  or  an  ap- 
proach to  fulness,  when  the  subject  treated  of  is  a  state  somewhat  below 
the  full  complement  denoted  by  twelve. — Ap.  Ex.  194.    A.  C.  2075. 

A  state  not  yet  full,  yet  a  state  of  reception,  such  as  appertains  to 
well  disposed  children  and  young  persons. — Ap.  Ex.  194. 

EXAMPLES. 

(1.)  Gen.  xxxvii.  9.  "And  Joseph  dreamed  yet  another  dream, 
and  told  it  his  brethren,  and  said :  Behold,  I  have  dreamed  a  dream 
more,  and  behold,  the  sun,  and  the  moon,  and  the  eleven  stars,  made 


476 


A  KEY  TO  NUMBERS. 


obeisance  to  me."  By  Joseph  who  dreamed  this  prophetic  dream, 

is  here  represented  in  the  supreme  sense  the  Lord  himself,  and  in  a 
respective  sense  the  divine  truth  proceeding  from  Him,  especially 
that  divine  truth  which  teaches  the  Divinity  of  his  Humanity.  By 
his  brethren  are  here  represented  those  of  the  church  who  are  in  faith 
separate  from  charity,  and  who  refuse  to  acknowledge  the  Divine 
Humanity  of  the  Lord.  By  the  sun  and  moon  in  this  passage,  are 
signified  natural  good  and  natural  truth,  because  predicated  of  Jacob 
and  Leah,  by  whom  such  good  and  such  truth  are  represented  in  the 
Word.  On  other  occasions  the  sun  denotes  celestial  good,  and  the 
moon  spiritual  good  or  truth,  and  in  the  supreme  sense  both  signify 
the  Lord, — the  sun  as  to  divine  good,  and  the  moon  as  to  divine  truth. 
By  stars  are  signified  the  knowledges  of  good  and  truth :  and  as  the 
knowledge  or  doctrine  of  the  Divinity  of  the  Lord's  Humanity  is  the 
chief  knowledge  or  doctrine  in  the  church,  and  this  was  represented 
by  Joseph,  it  follows,  that  the  eleven  stars,  which,  with  the  sun  and 
moon,  were  seen  to  make  obeisance  to  Joseph,  denote  all  the  other 
knowledges  of  good  and  truth,  which  are  subordinate  to  the  primary 
and  most  essential  knowledge  concerning  the  Divine  Humanity  of 
the  Lord.— See  A.  C.  4687,  4693  to  4698. 

(2.)  Ex.  xxvi.  7.  "  And  thou  shalt  make  curtains  of  goats'  hair 
to  be  a  covering  upon  the  tabernacle :  eleven  curtains  shalt  thou 

make."  By  the  curtains  of  goats'  hair  intended  for  a  covering 

upon  that  part  of  the  tabernacle  called  the  habitation,  are  signified 
the  exterior  truths  of  faith  derived  from  external  celestial  good,  Avhich 
is  the  good  of  mutual  love :  for  by  the  curtains  of  fine  twined  linen, 
and  blue,  and  purple,  and  scarlet,  are  signified  the  interior  truths  of 
faith,  as  already  explained  in  the  fourth  example  under  number  ten. 
The  curtains  of  goats'  hair  were  eleven  in  number,  to  denote  all  even  to 
redundance  and  superfluity :  for  as  ten  signifies  all,  so  eleven  signifies 
all  that  is  sufficient,  and  moreover  a  superfluity ;  which  is  further 
denoted  by  doubling  the  last  curtain,  and  causing  it  to  hang  over  the 
back  and  sides  of  the  habitation,  as  stated  in  ver.  9,  12,  13,  of  this 
chapter.— See  A.  C.  9615,  9616. 

(3.)  Ex.  xxxvi.  14.  "  And  he  made  curtains  of  goats'  hair  for 
the  tent  over  the  tabernacle  (habitation) :  eleven  curtains  he  made 

them."  By  the  eleven  curtains  of  goats'  hair  are  here  also  signified 

the  same  things  as  in  the  preceding  example,  viz.,  all  the  exterior 
truths  of  faith  from  a  celestial  origin,  even  to  redundance  or  super- 
fluity.—See  A.  C.  9615,  9616,  10750. 


THE  NUMBER  ELEVEN. 


477 


(4.)    2  Kings  xxv.  2.    "  And  the  city  was  besieged  unto  the  eleventh 

year  of  king  Zedekiah."  By  the  city  being  besieged  unto  the 

eleventh  year  when  the  famine  prevailed,  and  there  was  no  bread,  is 
signified  that  there  was  no  longer  conjunction  by  the  things  relating 
to  faith  and  charity.  The  number  eleven,  when  preceded  by  the  num- 
bers nine  and  ten,  each  in  reference  to  the  siege  of  the  city,  as  in  ver. 
1,  denotes  a  complete  state  of  desolation  as  to  the  things  of  the  church. 
Famme  in  the  city,  and  want  of  bread  for  the  people  of  the  land,  as 
expressed  in  ver.  3,  signify  that  there  was  nothing  of  faith  and  nothing 
of  charity  remaining. — See  A.  C.  2075. 

(5.)  Matt.  XX.  6.  "  And  about  the  eleventh  hour  he  went  out,  and 
found  others  standing  idle ;  and  he  saith  unto  them,  Why  stand  ye 

here  all  the  day  idle  ?  "  By  the  eleventh  hour,  when  some  laborers 

were  hired  to  work  in  the  vineyard,  is  signified  a  state  of  life  not  yet 
full  with  respect  to  the  reception  of  truths  and  goods,  but  yet  capable 
of  full  reception  by  further  instruction  :  for  the  twelfth  hour  to  which 
all  labored,  signifies  truths  and  goods  in  their  fulness.  The  state  of 
well-disposed  boys  and  children  who  die  before  they  come  to  years  of 
maturity,  and  who  are  instructed  and  perfected  after  death,  is  here 
described  by  the  laborers  engaged  at  the  eleventh  hour :  while  the 
states  of  old  men,  young  men,  and  those  entering  upon  maturity,  are 
described  by  the  hiring  of  other  laborers  at  the  third,  sixth,  and  ninth 
hour3 ;  all  of  whom  are  said  to  receive  a  like  reward,  by  which  is 
signified,  that  all  are  accepted  by  the  Lord  according  to  their  several 
degrees  of  regeneration. — See  example  five,  under  number  nine. 
Ap.  Ex.  194. 

(6.)    Matt,  xxviii.  16.    "Then  the  eleven  disciples  went  away  into 

Galilee,  into  a  mountain,  where  Jesus  had  appointed  them."  By 

the  twelve  disciples,  whom  the  Lord  chose  for  his  more  immediate 
followers,  in  like  manner  as  by  the  twelve  tribes  of  the  children  of 
Israel,  were  represented  all  the  truths  and  goods  of  the  church.  The 
same  were  also  represented  by  the  eleven,  after  the  defection  of  Judas 
who  betrayed  the  Lord,  yet  with  a  difference  in  respect  to  fulness 
and  perfection.  And  again  the  same  were  represented,  in  a  different 
respect,  by  the  ten  disciples  who  were  assembled  together  on  the  day 
of  the  Lord's  resurrection,  and  on  whom  the  Lord  breathed  the  Holy 
Spirit,  at  the  same  time  giving  them  power  to  remit  or  to  retain  sins ; 
for  on  that  occasion  both  Judas  and  Thomas  were  absent :  see  John 
XX.  19  to  24.  The  number  of  disciples  being  reduced  from  twelve  to 
eleven,  by  the  apostacy  of  Judas,  they  still  represented  all  the  truths 


478 


A  KEY  TO  NUMBERS. 


and  goods  of  the  succeeding  Christian  church,  but  not  in  so  full  a 
degree  :  and  probably  this  very  circumstance  may  have  been  permit- 
ted to  take  place,  and  to  be  recorded  in  the  Word,  not  only  as  repre- 
sentative of  the  infidelity  of  the  Jewish  church,  but  also  as  prophetic 
of  the  obscure  and  imperfect  reception  of  divine  truth,  which  would 
distinguish  the  professors  of  Christianity  in  every  age  of  the  church, 
until  the  commencement  of  the  New  Jerusalem.  For  as  it  was  fore- 
seen that  the  Christian  church  would  come  to  its  consummation  or 
end  in  consequence  of  not  fully  acknowledging  the  Lord,  so  the  num- 
ber eleven  being  expressive  of  all  the  truths  and  goods  belonging  to 
the  church,  is  used  by  the  Evangelists  to  denote  at  the  same  time  their 
obscure  and  imperfect  reception :  whereas  in  the  Apocalypse,  a  book 
peculiarly  descriptive  of  the  end  of  the  former  church,  and  the  com- 
mencement of  a  new  one  under  the  name  of  the  New  Jerusalem,  the 
number  twelve  uniformly  marks  the  full  reception  of  divine  truth  by 
those  who  shall  become  members  of  this  last  and  truly  Christian 
church.  Hence  in  the  7th  chapter  we  read  of  the  number  of  those 
who  were  sealed  being  twelve  thousand  of  each  tribe  of  the  children 
of  Israel,  making  a  total  of  tivelve  times  twelve  thousand,  or  a  hundred 
and  forty-four  thousand,  besides  "  a  great  multitude  which  no  man 
could  number,  of  all  nations,  and  kindreds,  and  people,  and  tongues :" 
and  in  the  21st  chapter  we  further  read  of  the  city.  New  Jerusalem, 
"  having  a  wall  great  and  high,  with  twelve  gates,  and  at  the  gates 
twelve  angels,  and  names  written  thereon,  which  are  the  names  of  the 
twelve  tribes  of  the  children  of  Israel :"  and  again  of  "  the  ticelve 
foundations  of  the  wall,  in  which  were  the  names  of  the  twelve  apos- 
tles of  the  Lamb :"  also  of  the  dimensions  of  the  city,  which  were 
"  tivelve  thousand  furlongs  in  length,  breadth,  and  height,  the  wall 
being  a  hundred  and  forty-four  {twelve  times  twelve)  cubits,  according 
to  the  measure  of  a  man,  that  is,  of  an  angel." 

Ttcelve. 

The  number  twelve  belongs  to  the  spiritual  class  of  expressions, 
being  predicated  of  truths  or  of  falsities,  and  denotes  all  truths  or  all 
falsities  in  the  complex.— A.  C.  10217,  10264.    Ap.  Ex.  253. 

It  is  a  most  holy  number,  because  it  signifies  all  the  holy  things  of 
faith.— A.  C.  648.' 

A  universal  number,  comprehending  all  things  of  the  church, 
and  of  the  Lord's  kingdom  in  general  and  in  particular. — A.  C.  3268, 
3863. 


THE  NUMBER  TWELVE. 


It  signifies  all  things  of  faith  derived  from  charity. — A.  C.  1667> 
1988,  2089,  3268,  4603.    A.  R.  348. 

All  things  of  love  and  thence  of  faith  in  one  complex. — A.  C.  575, 
577,  1667,  3239,  7973. 

All  truths  and  goods  in  one  complex,  which  proceed  from  the  Lord 
and  constitute  heaven. — A.  C.  6335,  6640,  9603. 

All  things  of  the  doctrine  of  truth  and  good,  or  of  faith  and  love- 
—A.  C.  3858. 

The  most  common  or  cardinal  things  of  the  church,  by  which  man 
is  initiated  into  spiritual  and  celestial  things,  and  thus  regenerated. — 
A.  C.  3913.    A.  R.  916. 

The  common  things  of  the  church,  consequently  of  faith  and  love, 
or  of  truth  and  good ;  and  in  an  opposite  sense,  the  common  things 
of  no  faith  and  no  love,  or  all  things  of  what  is  false  and  evil. — A. 
C.  3926. 

All  things  of  the  church,  likewise  all  persons,  who  are  in  good  and 
truth  from  the  Lord,  and  who  acknowledge  Him  as  the  God  of  heaven 
and  earth.— A.  R.  348.  Ap.  Ex.  340.  L.  J.  39.  A.  C.  3129,  3354, 
3858,  6397. 

In  the  opposite  sense  it  denotes  principles  opposite  to  those  of  faith 
and  love,  viz.,  the  general  principles  of  falsity  and  evil. — A.  C.  3926, 

Being  compounded  of  three  multiplied  by  four,  it  derives  its  sig- 
nification from  both  of  those  numbers :  hence,  as  three  signifies  all 
in  respect  to  truth,  and  four  all  in  respect  to  good,  the  number  twelve 
denotes  all  truths  derived  from  good,  or  all  truths  and  goods  in  the 
church.— T.  C.  R.  217.  A.  R.  348,  915.  Ap.  Ex.  340.  A.  C.  3913, 
9873. 

The  twelfth  hour,  etc.,  signifies  the  same  as  twelve  hours,  etc.,  viz.,  a 
fiill,  complete  and  perfect  state. — Ap.  Ex.  194.    A.  C.  6000. 

The  half,  and  all  the  multiples  of  twelve,  have  a  like  signification 
as  the  simple  number. — A.  C.  7973. 

EXAMPLES. 

(1.)    Gen.  xiv.  4.    "  Twelve  years  they  served  Chedorlaomer,  and 

in  the  thirteenth  year  they  rebelled."  The  subject  treated  of  in 

this  chapter  is  the  state  of  the  Lord's  Humanity  while  in  his  infancy, 
and  his  entrance  into  temptations  as  soon  as  He  arrived  at  maturity, 
which  with  Him  was  at  or  about  tivelve  years  of  age,  being  much 
earlier  than  with  other  men.  The  four  kings  denote  apparent  goods 
and  truths ;  and  the  five  kings,  against  whom  they  fought,  denote 


480 


A  KEY  TO  NUMBERS. 


evils  and  falsities  derived  hereditarily  from  the  mother,  but  which 
did  not  manifestly  show  themselves  until  the  time  arrived  when  the 
Lord  might,  according  to  divine  order,  sustain  temptations,  and  thus 
fight  against  and  overcome  those  hereditary  propensities.  Hence  it 
is  said  that  the  five  kings  served  Chedorlaomer  twelve  years,  and  that 
in  the  thirteenth  year  they  rebelled ;  by  which  is  signified  that  hered- 
itary evils  and  falsities  were  kept  in  a  state  of  subjection  so  as  not  to 
appear  during  the  Lord's  infancy  and  childhood,  by  such  goods  and 
truths  as  appertained  to  his  external  man,  and  which  in  themselves 
were  apparent  goods  and  truths,  and  not  genuine  or  divine.  By  their 
rebelling  in  the  thirteenth  year,  is  signified  that  his  first  temptation 
in  childhood  commenced  ;  his  victory  over  which  by  apparent  goods 
and  truths,  and  at  length  his  purification  from  even  these  latter,  is 
described  in  the  succeeding  parts  of  the  same  chapter. — See  A.  C. 
1660  to  1668. 

(2.)  Gen.  xvii.  20.  "  As  for  Ishmael,  I  have  heard  thee :  behold, 
I  have  blessed  him,  and  will  make  him  fruitful,  and  will  multiply 
him  exceedingly :  tivelve  princes  shall  he  beget,  and  I  will  make  him 

a  great  nation."  By  Ishmael  were  represented  such  in  the  church 

as  become  rational  or  spiritual  men,  by  the  reception  of  truth  from 
the  Lord ;  of  whom  it  is  said  that  they  shall  be  blessed,  made  fruit- 
ful, and  be  multiplied  exceedingly.  By  the  tivelve  princes  which  he 
shall  beget,  are  signified  the  primary  precepts  of  charity  and  faith : 
the  number  twelve  signifies  all  things  of  faith ;  and  the  term  princes 
is  predicated  of  charity,  and  the  primary  things  thereof,  which  are 
the  precepts  of  divine  truth.— See  A.  C.  2087  to  2090. 

(3.)  Gen.  xlix.  28.  "All  these  are  the  tivelve  tribes  of  Israel :  and 
this  is  it  that  their  father  spake  unto  them,  and  blessed  them  ;  every  one 

according  to  his  blessing  he  blessed  them."  By  the  twelve  tribes  of 

Israel  are  signified  all  the  truths  and  goods  of  the  church  in  the  aggre- 
gate. The  blessing  pronounced  upon  each  denotes  the  happiness  which 
every  one  will  experience,  who  enters  into  eitherof  the  spiritual  states 
represented  by  the  tivelve  tribes. — See  A.  C.  6445  to  6448. 

(4.)  Ex.  xxviii.  21.  "And  the  stones  shall  be  with  the  names  of 
the  children  of  Israel,  twelve,  according  to  their  names ;  like  the  en- 
gravings of  a  signet,  every  one  with  his  name  shall  they  be  according 

to  the  twelve  tribes."  By  the  precious  stones  are  signified  the 

goods  and  truths  of  the  church ;  and  by  their  number  being  twelve, 
according  to  the  names  of  the  twelve  tribes  of  Israel,  are  signified  all 
such  goods  and  truths  in  the  complex,  each  stone  and  each  name 


THE  NUMBER  TWELVE. 


481 


denoting  some  specific,  good  and  truth,  and  the  whole  being  arranged 
in  their  order  according  to  the  form  of  heaven. — See  A.  C.  9875  to 
9878. 

(5.)  1  Kings  X.  20.  "  And  twelve  lions  stood  there  on  the  one  side 
and  on  the  other  upon  the  six  steps :  there  was  not  the  like  made  in 

any  kingdom."  By  Solomon's  throne  was  represented  the  divine 

truth  derived  from  the  divine  good ;  and  by  the  twelve  lions  upon  the 
six  steps,  on  the  one  side  and  on  the  other,  were  represented  all  the 
truths  of  heaven  and  the  church  in  their  power,  whereby  man  is 
enabled  to  fight  and  overcome  in  spiritual  temptation :  lions  denote 
truths  in  power,  and  the  number  twelve  all. — See  Ap.  Ex.  253,  430. 
A.  C.  5313,  6367. 

(6.)  1  Kings  xix.  19.  "  So  he  departed  thence,  and  found  Elisha, 
the  son  of  Shaphat,  who  was  ploughing  with  tivelve  yoke  of  oxen 
before  him,  and  he  with  the  twelfth :  and  Elijah  passed  by  him,  and 

cast  his  mantle  upon  him."  By  Elijah,  and  afterwards  by  Elisha, 

was  represented  the  Lord  as  to  the  Word,  in  which  are  all  truths 
derived  from  good.  When  the  time,  therefore,  came  for  transferring 
that  representation  from  the  one  to  the  other,  which  was  announced 
by  Elijah's  casting  his  mantle  upon  Elisha,  the  latter  was  found 
ploughing  with  twelve  yoke  of  oxen  before  him,  and  he  with  the  twelfth, 
by  which  is  signified  the  formation  of  the  church  by  the  divine  truths 
of  the  Word.  The  act  of  ploughing,  spiritually  understood,  denotes 
the  preparation  of  the  mind  by  good  for  the  reception  of  truths ;  the 
oxen  also  employed  in  ploughing,  denote  goods  in  the  natural  or 
external  man  ;  and  the  number  twelve,  as  in  other  cases,  signifies  all. 
—See  Ap.  Ex.  430.   A.  C.  5895, 

(7.)    Ezek.  xliii.  16.    "  And  the  altar  shall  be  twelve  cubits  long, 

twelve  broad,  square  in  the  four  squares  thereof."  The  altar  was  a 

representative  of  worship ;  and  it  is  described  as  twelve  cubits  long 
and  twelve  broad,  to  denote  that  the  worship  of  the  Lord  should  be 
according  to  all  the  principles  of  good,  and  all  the  principles  of  truth ; 
the  length  of  the  altar  being  predicated  of  good,  and  its  breadth  of 
truth,  in  the  same  manner  as  the  length  and  breadth  of  the  New  Jeru- 
salem are.  Thus  the  dimensions  of  the  altar  which  is  said  to  be  square 
in  the  four  squares  thereof,  denote  what  is  just,  having  an  equal  respect 
to  the  four  quarters  of  the  world,  or  to  every  degree  of  good  and  truth 
in  the  church.— See  A.  R.  905  to  907. 

(8.)  Matt.  xiv.  20,  21.  "And  they  did  all  eat  and  were  filled: 
and  they  took  up  of  the  fragments  that  remained,  twelve  baskets  full. 
41  2F 


482 


A  KEY  TO  NUMBERS. 


And  they  that  had  eaten  were  about  five  thousand  men,  besides  women 

and  children."  Every  particular  contained  m  the  description  of 

the  miracle  recorded  in  this  chapter,  has  a  spiritual  signification.  The 
five  thousand  men,  besides  women  and  children,  who  were  fed  by  the 
Lord,  signify  all  in  the  church  who  are  in  truths  derived  from  good ; 
the  men  those  who  are  in  truths,  the  women  those  who  are  in  good 
affections,  and  the  children  those  who  are  in  innocence.  The  bread 
and  the  fishes  signify  the  goods  and  truths  of  the  natural  man :  the 
multitude  eating  of  these,  denotes  the  spiritual  nourishment  received 
by  the  members  of  the  church  from  the  Lord  :  and  the  twelve  baskets 
of  fragments  that  remained,  signify  the  consequent  knowledges  of 
truth  and  good  in  all  abundance.  See  a  further  explanation  of  this 
miracle  in  the  seventh  example  under  number  five. — See  Ap.  Ex. 
430,  548. 

(9.)  Matt.  xix.  28.  "  And  Jesus  said  unto  them,  Verily  I  say 
unto  you,  that  ye  who  have  followed  me  in  the  regeneration,  when 
the  Son  of  Man  shall  sit  in  the  throne  of  his  glory,  ye  also  shall  sit 

upon  twelve  thrones,  judging  the  ttvelve  tribes  of  Israel."  By  the 

twelve  disciples  of  the  Lord  sitting  upon  tivelve  thrones,  judging  the 
twelve  tribes  of  Israel,  is  not  meant  that  the  disciples  will  hereafter 
sit  in  judgment  on  mankind  ;  for  they,  as  well  as  every  other  created 
being,  are  utterly  incompetent  to  such  a  work ;  but  that  the  Lord 
alone,  as  the  Son  of  Man,  or  the  Word,  will  judge  the  human  race 
from  and  according  to  the  truths  and  goods  of  the  church,  or  accord- 
ing to  the  truths  derived  from  good,  which  were  represented  by  the 
twelve  apostles,  as  well  as  by  the  twelve  tribes  of  Israel  ;  the  number 
twelve  here,  as  in  other  places,  denoting  all  such  truths  and  goods 
proceeding  from  the  Lord.— See  A.  R.  VoS.  Ap.  Ex.  333,  430,  431. 
A.  C.  5313,  6397. 

(10.)  Matt.  xxvi.  53.  "  Thinkest  thou  that  I  cannot  now  pray  to 
my  Father,  and  He  shall  presently  give  me  more  than  twelve  legions 

of  angels?"  By  twelve  legions  of  angels  is  signified  the  universal 

heaven,  or  all  the  angels  thereof :  hence  by  more  than  these,  is  evi- 
dently signified  the  divine  omnipotence. — See  Ap.  Ex.  430. 

(11.)    Luke  ii.  42.    "  And  when  he  was  twelve  years  old,  they  went 

up  to  Jerusalem,  after  the  custom  of  the  feast."  As  the  number 

twelve  signifies  all  things,  and  is  predicated  of  truths  derived  from 
good  which  constitute  the  church,  therefore  the  Lord,  when  He  was 
twelve  years  of  age,  left  his  nominal  father  Joseph  and  his  mother 
Mary,  and  after  three  days  was  found  in  the  temple,  sitting  in  the 


THE  NUMBER  TWELVE. 


483 


midst  of  the  doctors,  both  hearing  them  and  asking  them  questions ; 
by  which  circumstance  is  signified  the  initiation  and  introduction  of 
his  Humanity  into  all  things  relating  to  heaven  and  the  church : 
wherefore  He  said  to  Joseph  and  Mary,  after  they  had  found  Him, 
"  Wist  ye  not  that  I  must  be  about  my  Father's  business  ? "  ver.  49. 
—See  Ap.  Ex.  430. 

(12.)  Luke  viii.  43, 44.  "  And  a  woman  having  an  issue  of  blood 
twelve  years,  who  had  spent  all  her  living  upon  physicians,  neither 
could  be  healed  of  any,  came  behind  Him  and  touched  the  border  of 

his  garment :  and  immediately  her  issue  of  blood  stanched."  By 

the  woman  here  mentioned  is  signified  the  church  as  to  the  affection 
of  truth,  or  what  is  the  same  thing,  the  affection  of  truth  itself  By 
her  having  an  issue  of  blood  twelve  years,  is  signified  that  the  church, 
though  in  the  desire  and  love  of  truth,  M'as  not  as  yet  in  the  posses- 
sion of  it,  but  on  the  contrary  surrounded  with  false  principles,  and 
at  the  same  time  in  a  state  of  spiritual  uncleanness.  The  number  of 
years,  tivelve,  during  which  she  was  so  afflicted,  denotes  what  is  full 
or  total.  Her  application  to  other  physicians,  which  proved  to  be 
vain  and  without  success,  signifies  that  purification  and  regeneration 
cannot  be  effected  by  any  other  power  than  that  of  the  Lord  and  his 
Word.  By  her  coming  behind  Jesus  and  touching  the  border  of  his 
garment,  and  her  issue  of  blood  being  immediately  stanched,  is  sig- 
nified that  on  her  approaching  the  Lord  through  the  medium  of  his 
Word,  even  in  the  literal  sense,  a  healing  virtue  Avas  communicated 
to  her,  and  the  power  of  divine  truth  was  manifested  in  the  removal 
of  falsities  and  evils,  or  in  the  purification  of  her  spirit  from  the 
defilements  of  sin.  This  first  act  of  the  divine  power  of  the  Lord 
seems  to  refer  more  immediately  to  the  suppression  of  evil  in  the 
external,  while  the  understanding  is  as  yet  but  faintly  enlightened, 
and  capable  of  discerning  the  great  truths  of  the  Word  only  in  an 
obscure  degree  ;  which  state  of  the  spiritual  life  is  represented  by  the 
woman's  coming  behind  Jesus,  and  touching  the  border  of  his  gar- 
ment :  for  to  approach  the  Lord  from  behind,  and  not  to  have  a  direct 
view  of  his  countenance,  is  the  same  thing  as  to  discern  his  Humanity 
not  yet  fully  glorified,  without  an  internal  acknowledgment  of  his 
supreme  and  exclusive  Divinity  ;  and  to  touch  the  border  or  extremity 
of  his  garment,  is  the  same  thing  as  to  embrace  the  Word  in  its  lit- 
eral or  external  sense,  without  being  as  yet  fully  enlightened  to  per- 
ceive its  genuine  internal  sense.  That  the  further  process  of  purifi- 
cation and  regeneration  might,  however,  be  distinctly  represented  in 


484 


A  KEY  TO  NUMBERS. 


the  case  of  this  woman,  it  is  stated  in  the  47th  and  48th  verses,  that 
a  second  act  of  divine  power  of  the  Lord  took  place  upon  her,  when 
she  came  into  his  direct  presence,  and  fell  down  before  Him,  declaring 
unto  Him  before  all  the  people  her  faith  in  his  divine  omnipotence, 
and  consequently  in  his  supreme  Divinity :  for  to  come  into  his  direct 
presence,  to  view  his  divine  countenance,  and  then  to  fall  down  in 
self-abasement  before  Him,  implies  a  more  full  and  more  interior 
acknowledgment  of  his  divine  person  and  character,  and  at  the  same 
time  a  more  profound  and  enlightened  perception  of  the  internal  sense 
of  his  Word,  than  she  had  before  exhibited ;  her  conduct  on  this  occa- 
sion in  some  respects  resembling  that  of  the  apostle  John,  in  Apoc.  i. 
10  to  17,  when  he  first  heard  the  voice  of  the  Son  of  Man  behind  him; 
and  afterwards,  being  turned  to  see  the  voice  that  spake  unto  him,  he 
beheld  the  person  of  his  Lord  in  all  his  divine  majesty  and  glory. 
In  this  latter  case  the  Lord  said  to  John,  "  Fear  not ;  I  am  the  First 
and  the  Last :"  and  ia  the  former  case  He  addressed  the  woman  in 
this  consolatory  language,  "Daughter,  be  of  good  comfort;  thy  faith 
hath  made  thee  Mhole ;  go  in  peace."  It  further  appears  that  the 
whole  case  of  this  woman  is  representative  of  the  conversion  of  the 
gentiles  to  the  Christian  religion,  and  their  gradual  but  willing  re- 
ception of  the  divine  truth  of  the  Word,  fii-st  in  its  literal  sense,  and 
afterwards  in  its  genuine  internal  sense ;  in  other  words,  of  their 
acknowledgment  of  the  Lord,  first  as  the  Son  of  God,  (for  the  most 
part  attended  with  an  idea  of  another  divine  person  superior  to  Him, 
and  a  third  equal  or  inferior  to  Him,)  and  lastly,  in  agreement  with 
the  Prophets  and  the  Lord's  own  words  in  the  Gospel,  as  the  supreme 
God,  or  everlasting  Father  himself  in  a  Divine  Human  Form. — See 
Ap.  Ex.  79,  195.    A.  C.  10130. 

(13.)  John  xi.  9.  "  Jesus  answered,  Are  there  not  twelve  hours 
in  the  day  ?    If  any  man  walk  in  the  day  he  stunibleth  not,  because 

he  seeth  the  light  of  this  world."  As  the  number  twelve  signifies 

goods  and  truths  in  their  fulness,  so  twelve  hours  of  the  day  denote 
all  states  of  spiritual  light  or  intelligence  derived  from  them :  hence 
to  walk  in  the  day  without  stumbling,  is  to  live  conscientiously  ac- 
cording to  the  dictates  of  divine  truth. — See  Ap.  Ex.  194,  430.  A. 
C.  6000. 

(14.)  Apoc.  xii.  1.  "And  there  appeared  a  great  wonder  in 
heaven,  a  woman  clothed  with  the  sun,  and  the  moon  under  her  feet, 

and  upon  her  head  a  crown  of  twelve  stars."  By  a  great  wonder 

(or  rather  sign)  seen  in  heaven,  is  signified  a  revelation  or  manifest 


777^  NUMBER  TWELVE. 


485 


testification  concerning  the  New  Church,  the  difficult  reception  of  its 
doctrine,  and  the  persecution  or  assaults  which  it  will  have  to  sus- 
tain. By  the  woman  clothed  with  the  sun,  and  having  the  moon 
under  her  feet,  is  signified  the  New  Church  of  the  Lord,  first  in  the 
heavens,  and  therefore  called  the  New  Heaven,  afterwards  on  the 
earth,  and  therefore  called  the  New  Jerusalem.  She  is  said  to  be 
clothed  or  surrounded  Avith  the  sun,  because  the  church  represented 
by  her,  especially  among  the  angels  of  heaven,  is  in  love  to  the  Lord 
and  in  charity  towards  the  neighbor,  which  state  of  spiritual  affection 
produces  around  them  a  heavenly  sphere  of  light  and  love  resem- 
bling a  sun.  The  moon  also  is  said  to  be  under  her  feet,  to  denote  a 
future  state  of  intelligence  and  faith  with  those  who  shall  become 
members  of  the  New  Church  on  earth :  for  as  the  sun  which  is  the 
chief  luminary  in  heaven,  signifies  love,  so  the  moon  which  is  subor- 
dinate to  it  and  derives  all  its  light  from  it,  signifies  intelligence  and 
faith,  particularly  in  the  natural  or  external  man.  By  a  crown  of 
twelve  stars  upon  her  head  is  signified  the  wisdom  and  intelligence  of 
the  New  Church,  acquired  by  the  knowledges  of  divine  good  and 
divine  truth  from  the  Word :  a  crown  upon  the  head  denotes  wisdom 
and  intelligence ;  stars  denote  the  knowledge  of  good  and  truth  from 
the  Word  ;  and  the  number  twelve  denotes  all. — See  A.  R.  532.  Ap. 
Ex.  705  to  709, 

(15.)  Apoc.  xxi.  12  to  14.  "  And  it  had  a  wall  great  and  high, 
and  had  twelve  gates,  and  at  the  gates  twelve  angels,  and  names  writ- 
ten thereon,  wliich  are  the  names  of  the  twelve  tribes  of  the  children 
of  Israel.  On  the  east,  three  gates ;  on  the  north,  three  gates ;  on 
the  south,  three  gates ;  and  on  the  west,  three  gates.  And  the  wall 
of  the  city  had  twelve  foundations,  and  in  them  the  names  of  the 
twelve  apostles  of  the  lamb."  By  a  wall  great  and  high  is  signi- 
fied the  Word  in  its  literal  sense,  from  which  the  doctrine  of  the 
New  Church  is  derived,  and  by  which  it  is  confirmed  and  defended ; 
the  term  great  being  predicated  of  good,  and  the  term  liigh  of  truth. 
By  the  twelve  gates  are  signified  all  the  knowledges  of  truth  and  good 
by  which  man  is  introduced  into  the  church ;  the  three  gates  on  the 
east  being  for  those  who  are  in  a  greater  or  superior  degree  of  love 
and  the  affection  of  good ;  the  three  gates  on  the  west,  for  those  who 
are  in  a  less  or  inferior  degree  of  the  same ;  the  three  gates  on  the 
south,  for  those  who  are  in  a  greater  or  superior  degree  of  wisdom 
and  the  affection  of  truth  ;  and  the  three  gates  on  the  north,  for  those 
who  are  in  a  less  or  inferior  degree  of  the  same.  By  the  wall  hav- 
41* 


486 


A  KEY  TO  NUMBERS. 


ing  twelve  foundations,  is  signified  that  the  Word  in  its  literal  sense 
contains  all  things  appertaining  to  the  doctrine  of  the  New  Church ; 
the  foundations  thereof  denoting  its  doctrinals,  and  the  number  twelve 
all.  By  the  names  of  the  twelve  apostles  of  the  Lamb  which  were 
written  in  the  twelve  foundations,  are  signified  all  things  appertaining 
to  the  doctrine  of  the  New  Jerusalem  from  the  Word  concerning  the 
Lord,  and  concerning  a  life  according  to  his  commandments ;  the  Lamb 
denoting  the  Lord  as  to  his  Divine  Humanit}^  and  his  tioelve  apostles 
all  things  relating  to  his  church— See  A.  R.  898  to 903.  Ap. Ex.  430. 

(16.)  Apoc.  xxii.  2.  "  In  the  midst  of  the  street  of  it,  and  of 
either  side  of  the  river,  was  there  the  tree  of  life,  which  bare  twelve 
manner  of  fruits  and  yielded  her  fruit  every  month :  and  the  leaves 

of  the  tree  were  for  the  healing  of  the  nations."  By  the  street  of 

the  city  is  signified  the  truth  of  doctrine  in  the  New  Church  :  and 
by  the  midst  thereof  is  signified  the  inmost  principle  of  the  truth  of 
doctrine,  and  whatever  is  thence  derived.  By  the  river  and  its  sides 
is  signified  divine  truth  in  great  abundance,  producing  intelligence 
and  wisdom  in  every  degree.  By  the  tree  of  life,  which  bare  t%L'elve 
kinds  of  fruits,  is  signified  the  Lord  as  to  his  divine  love,  from  whom 
are  derived  all  the  goods  of  love  and  charity,  called  good  works, 
which  man  performs  apparently  as  of  himself:  fruits  denote  the 
good  things  of  love  and  charity  manifested  in  acts  of  useful  service 
to  mankind ;  and  twelve  denotes  all.  By  the  tree  yielding  its  fruit 
every  month  is  signified,  that  the  Lord  produces  the  goods  of  love  in 
man  according  to  every  state  of  truth  in  him :  a  month,  as  being 
determined  by  the  moon  which  signifies  faith  in  the  understanding, 
denotes  the  various  states  of  truth  derived  from  good,  and  entering 
into  conjunction  with  it.  By  the  leaves  of  the  tree  which  were  for 
the  healing  of  the  nations,  are  signified  rational  truths  calculated  to 
amend  the  life  of  those  who  are  in  evils  and  thence  in  falsities :  na- 
tions in  a  good  sense  denote  those  who  are  in  goods  and  thence  in 
truths,  but  in  an  opposite  sense,  as  in  this  place,  those  who  are  in 
evils  and  thence  in  falsities. — See  A.  R.  933  to  936.    Ap.  Ex.  430. 


In  addition  to  these  examples  of  the  spiritual  signification  of  the 
number  twelve,  many  others  are  to  be  found  in  the  Word  of  similar 
import ;  as,  That  Moses  built  an  altar  under  the  hill,  and  twelve  \n\- 
lars  according  to  the  twelve  tribes  of  Israel,  Ex.  xxiv.  4.  That  twelve 
cakes  of  fine  flour,  called  the  show-bread,  were  set  in  two  rows  upon 


A  GENERAL  RULE. 


487 


a  table  before  Jehovah,  Lev.  xxiv.  5,  6.  That  the  princes  of  Israel 
were  hvelve,  Num.  i.  44.  That  those  twelve  princes  brought  to  the 
dedication  of  the  altar  hvelve  chargers  of  silver,  twelve  silver  bowls, 
twelve  spoons  of  gold,  twelve  bullocks,  twelve  rams,  twelve  lambs,  and 
twelve  kids.  Num.  vii.  84,  87.  That  twelve  thousand  of  the  children 
of  Israel,  a  thousand  from  each  tribe,  were  sent  out  to  war  against 
the  Midianites,  Num.  xxxi.  4  to  7.  That  tioelve  men  were  sent  out 
to  search  the  land  of  Canaan,  Deut.  i.  22  to  24.  That  twelve  men 
took  tivclve  stones  out  of  the  midst  of  Jordan,  and  laid  them  down  at 
the  jjlace  where  they  lodged,  as  a  memorial  that  the  Avaters  of  Jordan 
were  cut  off :  and  that  twelve  stones  were  also  placed  in  the  midst  of 
Jordan,  in  the  place  where  the  feet  of  the  priests  stood,  who  bare  the 
ark  of  the  covenant,  Josh.  iv.  1  to  9,  20.  That  the  molten  sea,  which 
Solomon  made,  stood  upon  twelve  oxen,  1  Kings  vii.  25.  That  Elijah 
took  twelve  stones,  and  built  an  altar  in  the  name  of  Jehovah, 
1  Kings  xviii.  31,  32.  That  twelve  thousand  of  each  of  the  tribes  of 
Israel  were  sealed,  Apoc.  vii.  5  to  8.  And  that  the  foundations  of 
the  wall  of  the  city  New  Jerusalem  were  garnished  with  twelve  kinds 
of  precious  stones,  Apoc.  xxi.  19,  20. 

A  Rule  for  discovering  the  Signification  of  every  other  Number. 

From  the  explanation  of  the  preceding  numbers  may  be  discovered 
the  signification  of  all  others  not  distinctly  specified ;  as  for  example, 
the  signification  of  83,  the  age  of  Aaron,  when  he  and  Moses  spake 
unto  Pharaoh,  and  demanded  the  release  of  the  children  of  Israel, 
Ex.  vii.  7.  This  number  being  compounded  of  80  and  3,  we  first  look 
for  the  signification  of  80,  and  find  that  it  denotes  the  same  as  40, 
viz.,  temptations  ;  also  the  same  as  8  and  10,  viz.,  a  new  state,  arising 
from  the  insinuation  or  gradual  introduction  of  remains  into  the 
human  mind.  We  next  proceed  to  the  number  3,  and  find  that  it 
denotes  fulness,  more  particularly  in  respect  to  truth,  and  conse- 
quently to  the  doctrine  of  divine  truth  in  the  church.  Then  com- 
bining these  various  significations,  it  is  discovered  that  83,  the  age  of 
Aaron,  involves  the  state  or  quality  of  the  doctrine  of  the  church  at 
that  time  represented  by  him ;  which  state  or  quality  was,  that  it 
taught  the  necessity  of  resisting  or  shunning  evils  as  sins,  and  thus 
of  undergoing  temptations,  in  order  that  man  may  be  introduced 
into  a  new  state  of  spiritual  life,  and  that  the  affections  of  good  and 
truth  which  he  has  received  from  the  Lord,  may  be  brought  into  full 
operation  and  effect. — See  A.  C.  7284,  7285. 


488 


A  KEY  TO  NUMBERS. 


Again,  we  read  in  Dan.  xii.  11,  that  "  from  the  time  the  daily  sacri- 
fice shall  be  taken  away,  and  the  abomination  that  niaketh  desolate 
set  up,  there  shall  be  1290  days."  Now,  in  order  to  ascertain  the  sig- 
nification of  1290  days  in  this  passage,  we  have  only,^rs<,  to  observe 
the  general  natui'e  of  the  subject  treated  of,  which  is  evidently  the 
perverted  state  of  the  church :  secondly,  to  mark  the  sjjiritual  signifi- 
cation attached  to  each  of  the  component  numbers,  but  taken  in  an 
opposite  sense,  which  may  be  known  by  referring  to  their  proper 
places  in  this  work ;  and,  thirdly,  to  combine  the  distinct  significations 
into  one  general  sense.  Thus  the  number  1290  consists  of  1000,  200, 
and  90,  added  together ;  and  each  of  these  again  is  the  product  of 
factors  less  than  twelve.  We  find,  then,  that  1000  denotes  what  is 
full  and  complete ;  200,  conjunction,  being  predicated  particularly 
of  evils ;  and  90,  a  full  state  of  falsities ;  which  significations  united 
produce  the  idea  intended  to  be  conveyed  concerning  the  perverted 
and  desolate  state  of  the  church  in  the  latter  times,  when  the  daily 
sacrifice  would  be  taken  away,  and  the  abomination  that  maketh 
desolate  Avould  be  set  up ;  in  other  words,  when  the  true  worship  of 
the  Lord  would  perish,  and  evils  and  falsities  would  abound. 

So  again,  if  we  would  discover  the  true  signification  of  the  number 
1335,  in  the  verse  immediately  follow  ing  that  above  cited,  we  must 
proceed  in  a  similar  way  to  reduce  it  to  its  component  numbers,  and 
unite  their  distinct  significations  into  one  sense ;  still  observing  the 
general  tenor  and  spirit  of  the  passage,  as  the  rule  to  govern  us  in 
deciding  whether  the  particular  numbers  are  to  be  taken  in  a  good 
sense,  or  in  an  opposite  sense.  Now  1335  consists  of  1000,  300,  30, 
and  5,  added  together ;  and  the  number  1000,  as  before,  signifies 
what  is  full  and  complete;  300,  the  holy  principle  of  remains;  30, 
some  degree  of  combat  against  evils,  also  fulness  of  remains,  a  prin- 
ciple of  holiness  from  the  Lord,  and  the  beginning  of  a  new  state ; 
and  5,  as  much  as  is  sufficient  for  spiritual  use.  Collating  these  dis- 
tinct significations  together,  the  result  is,  that  the  number  1335  points 
out  that  blessed  state  and  period,  when,  after  the  destruction  and 
desolation  of  the  former  church,  a  New  Church  shall  be  established 
by  the  Lord,  in  which  righteousness,  holiness  and  purity  of  life  shall 
distinguish  its  members,  according  to  their  several  degrees  of  regen- 
eration. It  is  therefore  written  in  the  verse  alluded  to,  "  Blessed  is 
he  that  waiteth,  and  cometh  to  the  thousand  three  hundred  and  five 
and  thirty  days."    Dan.  xii.  12. 

In  like  manner  the  signification  of  the  following  numbers,  with 


A  GENERAL  RULE. 


489 


every  other  contained  in  the  Word,  may  in  some  degree  be  ascertained 
by  reducing  them  to  the  simple,  primitive,  or  radical  numbers,  from 
which  they  arise  either  by  multiplication  or  addition,  or  by  both  to- 
gether, viz. : 

745— Jer.  lii.  30. 
832— Jer.  lii.  29. 

1365— Num.  iii.  50. 

1400—1  Kings  x.  26. 

1775— Ex.  xxxviii.  25,  28. 

2300— Dan.  viii.  14. 

2400— Ex.  xxxviii.  29. 

4500— Ezek.  xlviii.  16,  30,  33,  34. 

4600— Jer.  lii.  30. 

8580— Num.  iv.  48. 
16,750— Num.  xxxi.  52. 
22,000— Num.  iii.  39. 
22,273— Num.  iii.  43. 

25,000— Ezek.  xlviii.  8,  9,  10,  13, 15,  20,  21. 

50,070—1  Sam.  vi.  19. 

70,000—2  Sam.  xxiv.  15. 
120,000— Judges  viii.  10. 
180,000—1  Kings  xii.  21. 
337,500— Num.  xxxi.  43. 
601,730— Num.  xxvi.  51. 
603,550— Ex.  xxxviii.  26.    Num.  i.  46. 
1,000,000— Dan.  vii.  10. 
100,000,000— Dan.  vii.  10. 


A  KEY  TO  THE  SPIRITUAL  SIGNIFICATION 

OF 

WEIGHTS  AND  MEASURES  * 


CHAPTEE  V. 

AS  mention  is  frequently  made  in  the  AVord,  not  only  of  numbers, 
but  also  of  weights  and  measures;  and  these  latter  as  well  as  the 
former,  have  in  all  cases  an  internal  or  spiritual  signification,  without 
a  knowledge  of  which  it  is  impossible  to  form  a  just  or  adequate  con- 
ception of  the  sanctity  of  the  various  subjects  treated  of  where  they 
occur;  it  is  desirable  that,  to  the  preceding  Key  to  the  Spiritual 
Signification  of  Numbers,  should  be  added  a  smaller  one  to  that  of 
Weights  and  ISIeasures,  which  being  of  a  similar  quality  and  con- 
struction, will,  it  is  hoped,  equally  serve  to  introduce  the  student  into 
the  temple  of  wisdom,  and  on  some  occasions  procure  admission  for 
him  even  when  the  larger  Key  has  failed  to  insure  it. 

Tables  of  Scripture  Weights  and  Measures. 

I.  Weights  of  the  Balance. 
A  shekel  in  weight,  137  grains,  value  in  money  Is.  3d. 

A  shekel  of  the  sanctuary  (supposed  by  some,  but  perhaps  without  sufficient 
reason,  to  be  double  the  weight  and  value  of  a  conmion  shekel)  274  grains, 
value  2s.  6(/. 

A  gerah  or  obolus,  the  twentieth  part  of  a  shekel,  value  1 W. 
A  maneh,  50  sacred  shekels,  2  lb.  3  oz.  G  pwt.  10.286  gr.,  value  in  silver  £3  2s. 
Gd. ;  in  gold  £75. 

A  talent,  3000  sacred  shekels,  113  lb.  10  oz.  1  pwt.  10.286  gr.,  value  in  silver  £187 

10s.;  in  gold  £22-50. 
A  mule's  burden,  two  hundred  weight. 

II.  Measures  of  Capacity  of  Things  that  are  Dry. 
A  cab,  2.8333  pinte. 

A  chomer,  the  tenth  part  of  an  ephah,  5.1  pints. 
A  seah,  one  peck,  one  pint. 


*  By  Robert  Uindmarsh.   First  published  in  Manchester,  England,  in  1820. 

490 


TABLES  OF  WEIGHTS  AND  MEASURES. 


491 


An  epliah  or  bath,  the  tenth  part  of  a  liomer,  three  pecks,  three  pints. 
A  letliec  or  lialf-homer,  five  ephahs,  near  three  bushels. 
A  homer,  ten  ephahs,  near  six  bushels. 
A  clianix,  a  quart. 

III.  Measures  of  Liquids. 

A  capli,  .625  pint. 

A  log,  .833  pint. 

A  cab,  3.333  pints. 

A  hin,  one  gallon,  two  pints. 

A  bath,  the  tenth  part  of  a  cor  or  homer,  seven  gallons  and  a  half 

A  firkin,  four  gallons  and  a  half. 

A  coron  chomer,  seventy-five  gallons,  five  pints. 

IV.  Measures  of  Application. 

A  hair's-breadth,  the  forty-eighth  part  of  an  inch. 

A  finger,  .912  inch. 

A  hand's-breadth,  3.648  inches. 

A  span,  10.944  inches. 

A  foot,  twelve  inches. 

A  cubit,  one  foot  9.888  inches. 

A  holy  cubit,  three  feet,  or  a  yard. 

The  king's  cubit,  a  foot  and  nine  inches. 

A  reed,  six  cubits  and  a  hand's-breadth,  or  ten  feet  11.328  inches. 

A  pace,  five  feet,  and  probably  in  some  cases  only  a  step,  or  two  feet  and  a  half. 

A  furlong,  or  the  eighth  part  of  a  mile. 

A  mile,  a  thousand  paces,  one  mile  four  hundred  and  three  paces  one  foot. 
A  sabbath  day's  journey,  seven  hundred  and  twenty-nine  paces  three  feet.* 


Note. — The  quantities,  supposed  to  be  contained  in  the  preceding  weights  and 
measures,  are  by  no  means  accurately  ascertained  ;  some  making  them  to  be  con- 
siderably more,  and  some  less,  than  what  are  here  stated.  We  have  chiefly  fol- 
lowed the  calculation  given  in  the  Tables  annexed  to  a  small  English  Bible, 
printed  at  Edinburgh  in  the  year  1748,  by  Adrain  Watkins,  printer  to  His 
Majesty.  It  is,  however,  of  little  consequence,  whether  they  be  correct  in  this 
particular  or  not ;  since  the  spiritual  signification  belonging  to  the  different 
names  both  of  the  Jewish  weights  and  measures,  is  not  in  the  least  affected  by 
our  ignorance  of  the  exact  quantities  they  represented,  as  compared  with  the 
weights  and  measures  now  in  use. — Gold  and  silver  by  weight  served  in  ancient 
times  for  money  instead  of  stamped  coin. 

In  general  it  may  be  observed,  that  weights  signify  the  states  of  a 
thing  as  to  good,  and  measures  the  states  of  a  thing  as  to  truth :  for 
gravity  in  the  natural  world  corresponds  to  good  in  the  spiritual 

*A  few  corrections  in  the  above  tables  as  I  been  made,  generally  on  the  authority  of 
originally  published  by  the  author,  have  I  Dr.  Arbuthnot.— Editor. 


492 


A  KEY  TO  WEIGHTS  AND  MEASURES. 


world,  and  extension  corresponds  to  truth.  The  reason  of  this  is, 
that  in  heaven  where  correspondences  originate,  there  is  neither 
gravity  nor  extension,  there  being  no  space  there  such  as  belongs  to 
nature ;  and  yet  there  is  an  appearance  both  of  gravity  and  of  exten- 
sion, because  there  is  an  appearance  of  space,  which  appearance  is  for 
the  sake  of  distinguishing  in  a  visible  and  sensible  manner  the  dif- 
ferent qualities  and  states  of  things  in  the  spiritual  world.  In  an 
opposite  sense,  weights  are  predicated  of  evil,  and  measures  of  falsity. 
"Whence  it  follows  that  things  good  and  true  tend  upwards,  that  is, 
to  heaven  and  the  Lord,  who  is  called  the  Most  High,  because  He  is 
the  inmost  of  all ;  but  things  evil  and  false  tend  downwards,  that  is, 
to  hell,  which  is  said  to  be  in  the  depths  below,  because  it  is  in  the 
outermost  or  extreme  principles  of  life. — A.  C.  3104,  3405,  4482, 
5658. 

Again,  weights  represent  the  quantity  of  good  in  the  church,  or  in 
an  individual  of  the  church;  and  measures  represent  the  quality 
thereof,  which  is  determined  by  the  truth  with  which  it  is  conjoined. 
— A.  C.  8533,  9603.  Hence  to  weigh  or  measure  any  thing,  when 
spiritually  understood,  is  to  explore  and  ascertain  its  quantity  and 
quality  as  to  good  and  truth.— Ap.  Ex.  629.    A.  R.  313,  486. 

A  balance,  or  pair  of  scales,  signifies  the  estimation  of  a  thing  as  to 
truth  and  good.— A.  R.  313.    Ap.  Ex.  373. 

Measures  of  different  capacities  signify  the  states  of  things  as  to 
truth,  and  also  as  to  good,  the  one  following  as  a  consequence  of  the 
other.— A.  C.  8533,  9603. 

Measures  of  dry  things  serving  for  food,  such  as  an  ephah,  an  omer, 
a  homer,  etc.,  with  which  wheat,  barley,  and  flour  were  measured, 
signify  goods;  and  measures  of  liquids  serving  for  drink,  such  as  a 
bath,  a  hin,  a  cor,  etc.,  signify  truths. — A.  C.  8540. 

In  like  manner  measures  of  application,  such  as  hand-breadths, 
spans,  feet,  cubits,  reeds,  paces,  f  urlongs,  miles,  etc.,  have  a  similar  sig- 
nification ;  the  length  of  an  object  having  more  immediate  reference 
to  good,  and  its  breadth  to  truth. — A.  R.  485,  904  to  910.  Ap.  Ex, 
627.    A.  C.  9603. 

To  this  account  of  the  signification  of  weights  and  measures,  which 
affords  a  general  view  of  their  application  and  use  in  the  Sacred 
Scriptures,  it  will  be  sufl^cient  to  add  such  of  the  particular  weights 
and  measures  as  are  of  the  most  frequent  occurrence ;  by  the  help  of 
which,  and  the  examples  that  follow,  it  is  presumed  the  reader  will 
be  enabled  to  discern  many  traits  of  divine  wisdom  displayed  in  the 


WEIGHTS  AND  MEASURES. 


493 


language  of  revelation,  which  entirely  escape  the  notice  of  those  who 
are  unacquainted  with  its  spiritual  sense. 

WEIGHTS. 

A  fihel-el,  from  its  being  the  usual  unit  of  value  among  the  Jews, 
signifies  the  price  or  estimation  of  a  thing  according  to  quantity  ;  the 
price  of  what  is  holy ;  the  estimation  of  good  and  truth  ;  also  truth 
itself  derived  from  good :  for  being  a  weight  both  of  silver  and  of 
gold,  it  is  used  to  denote  the  value  of  both.— A.  C.  2959,  3104,  10221, 
10222. 

A  shekel  of  the  sanctuary,  or  a  shekel  of  holiness,  is  so  called,  because 
it  refers  to  truth  and  good  from  the  Lord,  which  constitute  the  essen- 
tial principle  of  sanctity  in  the  church. — A.  C.  2959,  3104,  10221, 
10222. 

A  shekel  of  twenty  gerahs  signifies  the  estimation  of  the  good  of 
remains.— A.  C.  2959, 10222. 

Half  a  shekel  signifies  as  much  as  is  sufficient  for  use.  And  as  a 
whole  shekel  consbted  of  twenty  gerahs,  the  half-shekel,  of  ten  gerahs, 
sometimes  denotes  all,  because  the  number  ten  bears  the  same  signifi- 
cation, and  further  implies  remains,  which  are  the  truths  and  goods 
treasured  up  in  the  interiors  of  man  by  the  Lord. — A.  C.  3104, 
10221. 

A  gerah  or  oholus  involves  the  same  signification,  but  not  in  so  full 
a  degree,  as  the  shekel,  of  which  it  is  the  twentieth  part,  viz.,  truth 
from  good.— A.  C.  2959,  10221. 

A  pound  or  a  talent  as  money,  signifies  the  knowledges  of  truth  and 
good  from  the  Word.— Ap.  Ex.  193,  675.  A.  C.  7770.  Also  the 
faculty  of  liberty  and  rationality,  together  with  prudence,  circum- 
spection, judgment,  etc. — D.  P.  210.  Goods  and  truths  from  the 
Lord ;  the  truths  of  faith  ;  also  remains. — A.  C.  5291. 

A  talent  of  pure  gold  denotes  celestial  good,  from  which,  as  from 
one  single  fountain,  flow  all  spiritual  things. — A.  C.  9574. 

A  talent,  as  a  weight  either  of  silver  or  gold,  signifies  truth  and 
good  in  great  purity  ;  and  in  an  opposite  sense,  falsity  and  evil  of  a 
most  malignant  quality. — A.  R.  714.    Ap.  Ex.  1026. 

Lead,  as  a  weight,  signifies  either  good  or  evil  in  the  exterior  natu- 
ral man :  for  as  lead  among  the  metals  named  in  the  Word,  is  of  the 
most  ignoble  and  inferior  order,  so  it  is  used  to  denote,  in  a  good 
sense,  the  lowest  or  most  external  natural  good,  and  in  an  opposite 
sense  the  lowest  or  grossest  kind  of  evil.  Hence,  a  stone  of  lead,  a 
42 


494 


A  KEY  TO  WEIGHTS  AND  MEASURES. 


weight  of  lead,  or  a  talent  of  lead,  signifies  evil,  and  the  false  principle 
derived  from  evil.— A.  C.  8298,  8540. 

A  stone,  when  considered  as  a  weight,  and  in  a  sense  opposite  to  its 
genuine  meaning,  signifies  the  false  principle  from  evil :  for  such  is 
the  nature  of  evil  that  it  tends  downwards,  and  causes  the  false  prin- 
ciple with  which  it  is  conjoined,  to  descend  like  a  heavy  substance  in 
the  natural  world,  to  the  deep  below  in  the  spiritual  world,  that  is,  to 
hell. — A.  C.  8279.  But  falsity  or  error,  if  it  be  not  derived  from 
evil,  has  no  such  tendency  of  itself :  and  hence  many  who  are  in  fal- 
sities as  to  doctrine,  and  yet  in  good  as  to  life,  are  capable  of  being 
elevated,  after  instruction,  into  heaven. — A.  C.  8298. 

MEASURES. 

An  omer,  being  the  tenth  part  of  an  ephah,  signifies  as  much  of 
good  as  is  sufficient  for  use  ;  for  an  omer,  as  well  as  an  ephah,  signifies 
good ;  and  as  ten  signifies  fulness,  so  a  tenth  part  denotes  a  sufficiency, 
also  a  little  or  few.— A.  C.  8468,  8533,  8540,  10136,  10262. 

An  ephah,  being  a  measure  of  wheat,  barley,  and  fine  flour,  and 
the  tenth  part  of  a  homer,  is  predicated  of  good,  and  denotes  the 
quantity  thereof,  that  is,  the  quantity  of  reception,  whether  it  be 
much  or  little.— A.  C.  8468,  8540,  10136,  10262.  The  ephah  was 
usually  divided  into  ten  parts,  by  which  number  was  signified  much, 
all,  and  fulness.  But  in  Ezek.  xlv.  13,  and  xlvi.  14,  the  ephah  is 
divided  into  six  parts,  by  reason  of  the  subject  there  treated  of  being 
the  new  temple,  or  spiritual  kingdom  of  the  Lord,  in  which  the  num- 
bers 12,  6,  and  3,  are  chiefly  in  use. — A.  C.  10262. 

A  homer  containing  ten  ephahs,  signifies  fulness ;  and  being  a 
measure  of  wheat  and  barley,  is  therefore  predicated  of  good. — A.  C. 
8468,  8540,  10262.  Ten  homers,  Num.  xi.  32,  signify  too  much,  or 
superfluity.— A.  C.  8469. 

A  chocnix,  being  a  measure  of  wheat  and  barley  among  the  Greeks, 
signifies  the  quality  and  degree  of  the  estimation  of  good  and  truth 
from  the  Word.— A.  R.  314.    Ap.  Ex.  374. 

A  hin,  being  a  measure  of  wine  and  oil,  is  predicated  of  truth,  and 
denotes  the  quantity  thereof,  also  the  quantity  or  degree  of  con- 
junction.—A.  C.  8540,  10136,  10262.  The  hin  was  divided  into 
four  parts,  to  denote  conjunction  ;  for  such  is  the  signification  of  the 
number  four.  The  same  is  also  signified  by  the  oil,  which  was  meas- 
ured in  the  hin,  and  mixed  with  the  fine  flour  in  the  meat-offerings ; 
the  flour  denoting  reception,  and  the  oil  conjunction. — A.  C.  10262. 


ILL  USTRA TI VE  EXAMPLES. 


495 


A  cor,  being  a  measure  of  liquids,  and  containing  ten  baths,  is  pred- 
icated of  truth  in  a  state  of  fulness,  and  denotes  the  quantity  thereof 
—A.  C.  102G2. 

A  bath,  being  a  measure  of  liquids,  is  predicated  of  truth,  and  de- 
notes the  quantity  thereof  as  being  small  or  few. — A.  C.  8468,  8540, 
10262. 

Reeds,  cubits,  furlongs,  and  other  measures  of  application,  signify 
the  states  and  qualities  of  things  either  with  respect  to  good  or  truth, 
or  the  conjunction  of  both  ;  also  the  faculty,  power  and  manner  of 
exploring  and  discerning  those  states. — A.  R.  485,  904.  Ap.  Ex.  627. 
A.  C.  9603. 

EXAMPLES. 

(1.)  Ex.  xvi.  16.  "This  is  the  thing  which  Jehovah  hath  com- 
manded ;  Gather  of  it  (manna)  every  man  according  to  his  eating  : 
an  omer  for  every  man,  according  to  the  number  of  your  pereons,  take 

ye  every  man  for  them  which  are  in  his  tents."  By  gathering 

manna,  every  man  according  to  his  eating,  is  signified  reception  and 
appropriation  of  the  good  of  truth,  according  to  the  faculty  or  ca- 
pacity of  each  individual :  manna  denotes  the  good  of  truth,  or  that 
good  which  results  from  a  knowledge  of,  and  obedience  to,  the  divine 
laws.  By  the  quantity  gathered,  viz.,  an  omer  for  every  man,  accord- 
ing to  the  number  of  persons  in  the  tents,  is  signified  as  much  as  is 
sufficient  to  supply  the  spiritual  necessity  of  each,  and  promote  the 
general  good  of  society :  an  omer,  which  was  the  tenth  part  of  an 
ephah,  denotes  as  much  as  is  sufficient  for  use. — See  A.  C.  8467  to 
8470. 

(2.)  Ex.  xxix.  40.  "And  with  the  one  lamb  thou  shalt  offer  a 
tenth-deal  of  flour  mingled  with  the  fourth  part  of  a  hin  of  beaten 

oil ;  and  the  fourth  part  of  a  hin  of  wine  for  a  drink-offering."  

The  sacrifice  of  a  lamb  in  the  morning  represented  the  removal  of 
evils  by  the  good  of  innocency  from  the  Lord,  and  the  implantation 
of  good  and  truth  in  the  internal  man :  the  sacrifice  of  a  lamb  in  the 
evenmg  represented  the  same  in  the  external  man.  A  tenth-deal  of 
flour  mixed  with  beaten  oil,  signified  spiritual  good  fi'om  a  celestial 
origin,  as  much  as  is  necessary  for  conjunction  :  a  tenth-deal,  or  tenth 
of  an  ephah,  denotes  the  quantity  of  good,  or  what  is  sufficient  for 
use ;  flour  denotes  truth  from  celestial  good,  which  is  the  same  as 
spiritual  good ;  oil  denotes  celestial  good ;  and  the  fourth  -part  of  a 
kin  denotes  what  is  sufficient  for  conjunction.   So  in  like  manner  the 


496 


A  KEF  TO  WEIGHTS  AND  MEASURES. 


fourth  part  of  a  hin  of  wine  for  a  drink-offering  signifies  as  much  of 
spiritual  truth  as  is  sufficient  for  conjunction:  wine  denotes  spiritual 
truth ;  a  hin,  the  quantity  of  truth ;  and  the  fourth  part,  like  the 
number  four,  conjunction. — See  A.  C.  10134  to  10139. 

(3.)  Ex.  XXX.  12,  13.  "  When  thou  takest  the  sum  of  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel,  after  their  number ;  then  shall  they  give  every  man  a 
ransom  for  his  soul  unto  Jehovah,  when  thou  numberest  them  ;  that 
there  be  no  plague  amongst  them  Avhen  thou  numberest  them.  This 
they  shall  give,  every  one  that  passeth  among  them  that  are  num- 
bered :  half  a  shekel  after  the  shekel  of  the  sanctuary,  (a  shekel  is 

twenty  gerahs,)  a  half-shekel  shall  be  the  offering  to  Jehovah."  

By  taking  the  sum  of  the  children  of  Israel,  or  numbering  them,  is 
signified  the  orderh'  arrangement  and  disposition  of  all  things  relat- 
ing to  the  church.  By  every  man  giving  a  ransom  for  his  soul  unto 
Jehovah,  is  signified  purification  or  deliverance  from  evil  by  the 
truth  of  faith,  and  by  an  acknowledgment  that  all  truths  and  goods 
ai-e  from  the  Lord.  By  half  a  shekel,  after  the  shekel  of  the  sanc- 
tuary, are  signified  all  things  of  truth  from  good  ;  the  reason  of  which 
signification  is,  that,  as  the  shekel  consisted  of  twenty  gerahs,  so  the 
half-shekel  consisted  of  ten,  and  the  number  ten  denotes  all,  likewise 
remains,  which  are  the  truths  and  goods  received  by  man,  and  treas- 
ured up  in  his  interiors  by  the  Lord.  The  shekel  itself  denotes 
truth  from  good,  and,  considered  as  a  weight,  the  quantity  of  each. 
It  is  called  the  shekel  of  the  sanduai-y  or  of  holiness,  because  truth  and 
good  are  holy,  being  derived  from  the  Lord  who  alone  is  holy.  The 
offering  of  half  a  shekel,  therefore,  to  Jehovah,  denotes  that  all  things 
of  the  church  are  from  Him.— See  A.  C.  2959,  10216  to  10223. 

(4.)  Lev.  xix.  35,  36.  "  Ye  shall  do  no  unrighteousness  in  judg- 
ment, in  mete-yard,  in  weight,  or  in  measure.    Just  balances,  just 

weights,  a  just  ephah,  and  a  just  hin  shall  ye  have."  By  the 

weights  and  measures  here  named,  as  well  as  by  those  mentioned  in 
Ezek.  xlv.  10  to  14,  are  signified  rules  of  exploration  and  just  judg- 
ment as  to  the  state  and  quality  of  good  and  truth  in  the  church. — 
See  Ap.  Ex.  373,  629.    A.  R.  313,  486,  487.    A.  C.  8540. 

(6.)  Isa.  V.  9,  10.  "Of  a  truth  many  houses  shall  be  desolate, 
even  great  and  fair,  without  inhabitant.  Yea,  ten  acres  of  vineyard 
shall  yield  one  bath,  and  the  seed  of  a  homer  shall  yield  an  ephah." 

 The  subject  here  treated  of  is  the  vastation  or  desolation  of  the 

church.  By  many  houses  great  and  fair  becoming  desolate  and 
without  inhabitant,  is  signified  that  with  the  members  of  the  church 


ILL  USTRA  TI VE  EX  A  MPLES. 


497 


the  affection  of  good  and  the  intelligence  of  truth  would  perish :  great 
is  predicated  of  good  and  the  affection  of  good ;  and  fair  or  beautiful 
is  predicated  of  truth  and  the  intelligence  of  truth.  By  ten  acres  of 
vineyard  yielding  only  one  hath,  and  the  seed  of  a  homer  yielding 
only  an  ephah,  is  signified  that  there  would  be  scarce  any  remains 
either  of  spiritual  or  of  celestial  things,  which  consist  in  faith  and 
charity :  ten  acres  denote  fulness  and  much,  the  same  being  also  sig- 
nified by  a  homer ;  but  a  bath  and  an  ephah,  each  being  the  tenth 
part  of  a  homer,  denote  fewness  and  little ;  for  according  to  the  rule 
previously  laid  down,  p.  469,  when  the  number  ten  signifies  much, 
a  tenth  part  denotes  little  or  few.  See  A.  C.  576,  8468.  Ap.  Ex. 
675. 

(6.)  Isa.  xl.  12.  "Who  hath  measured  the  waters  in  the  hollow 
of  his  hand,  and  meted  out  heaven  with  the  span,  and  comprehended 
the  dust  of  the  earth  in  a  measure,  and  weighed  the  mountains  in 

scales,  and  the  hills  in  a  balance  f"  The  just  arrangement  and 

estimation  of  all  things  in  heaven  and  the  church,  according  to  the 
quality  of  good  and  truth  therein,  is  here  described  by  measuring, 
spanning,  and  weighing  in  a  balance.  By  the  waters  are  signified 
truths ;  by  the  heavens,  interior  or  spiritual  truths  and  goods ;  by 
the  dust  of  the  earth,  exterior  or  natural  truths  and  goods,  belong- 
ing to  heaven  and  the  church ;  by  mountains,  the  goods  of  love ;  by 
hills,  the  goods  of  charity ;  and  by  measuring  and  weighing  them  is 
meant  the  just  appreciation  and  arrangement  thereof  by  the  Lord, 
according  to  their  respective  qualities. — See  Ap.  Ex.  373,  629.  A. 
R.  486.    A.  C.  3104,  9603. 

(7.)  Ezek.  xl.  2,  3,  5.  "  In  the  visions  of  God  Jehovah  brought 
me  into  the  land  of  Israel,  and  set  me  upon  a  very  high  mountain, 
by  which  was  as  the  frame  of  a  city  on  the  south.  And  He  brought 
me  thither,  and  behold,  there  was  a  man  whose  appearance  was  like 
the  appearance  of  brass,  with  a  line  of  flax  in  his  hand,  and  a  meas- 
uring-reed ;  and  he  stood  in  the  gate.  And  behold,  a  wall  on  the 
outside  of  the  house  round  about,  and  in  the  man's  hand  a  measur- 
ing-reed, of  six  cubits  long,  by  the  cubit,  and  a  hand-breadth;  so  he 
measured  the  breadth  of  the  building  one  reed,  and  the  height  one 

reed."  In  this  and  the  three  following  chapters  is  contained  a 

description  of  the  new  temple  seen  by  Ezekiel  in  spiritual  vision, 
with  the  dimensions  of  its  various  parts,  as  of  the  wall,  the  gate,  the 
porch,  the  threshold,  the  posts,  the  doors,  the  steps,  the  windows,  the 
chambers,  the  court,  the  altar,  etc.,  which  are  mai'ked  by  the  num- 
42*  2G 


498 


A  KEY  TO  WEIGHTS  AND  MEASURES. 


bers  of  reeds,  cubits  and  hand-breadtJis.  By  the  building,  house  and 
temple,  is  signified  the  church ;  by  the  gate  and  entrance,  introduc- 
tory truth  ;  by  the  interior  of  the  temple,  the  things  relating  to  the 
internal  of  the  church  ;  and  by  the  porch  and  court,  the  things  relat- 
ing to  its  external.  The  length,  the  breadth,  and  height  of  the 
various  parts,  denote  the  good  and  truth  of  the  church,  with,  the 
degrees  of  each :  length  being  predicated  of  good,  breadth  of  truth, 
and  height  of  their  degrees.  That  such  is  the  spiritual  signification 
of  the  dimensions  of  the  house  and  temple,  is  plain  fi-om  chap,  xliii. 
10,  11,  where  the  prophet  is  ordered  to  "  show  the  house  to  the  house 
of  Israel,  that  they  may  be  ashamed  of  their  iniquities,  and  that  they 
may  measure  the  pattern,  and  keep  the  Avhole  form  thereof,  and  all 
the  ordinances  thereof,  and  do  them." — See  Ap.  Ex.  629.  A.  C. 
9604. 

(8.)  Ezek.  xlvii.  3  to  5.  "And  Avhen  the  man  that  had  the  line 
in  his  hand  went  forth  eastward,  he  measured  a  thousand  cubits,  and 
he  brought  me  through  the  waters ;  the  waters  were  to  the  ankles. 
Again  he  measured  a  thousand,  and  brought  me  through  the  waters ; 
the  waters  were  to  the  knees :  again  he  measured  a  thousand,  and 
brought  me  through ;  thS  waters  were  to  the  loins.  Afterward  he 
measured  a  thousand,  and  it  was  a  river  that  I  could  not  pass  over : 
for  the  waters  were  risen,  waters  to  swim  in,  a  river  that  could  not 

be  passed  over."  A  description  is  here  given  of  the  manner  in 

which  intelligence,  with  the  members  of  the  church,  increases  by  the 
reception  of  divine  truth  proceeding  from  the  Lord,  signified  by  the 
waters  issuing  out  from  under  the  threshold  of  the  house  towards  the 
east,  and  coming  down  from  the  right  side  of  the  house,  at  the  south 
side  of  the  altar,  as  mentioned  in  ver.  1.  By  the  east  is  signified  love 
to  the  Lord,  because  the  east  in  heaven  is  Avhere  the  Lord  appears  as 
a  sun ;  and  the  right  side  from  thence,  which  is  called  the  south,  is 
where  divine  truth  is  received  in  its  greatest  light,  on  which  account 
the  waters  are  said  to  come  on  the  south  side  of  the  altar.  By  the 
waters  which  reached  to  the  ankles,  is  signified  intelligence  such  as 
is  possessed  by  the  sensual  and  natural  man ;  for  the  ankles  in  the 
human  body  denote  the  sensual  and  natural  principle.  By  the  wa- 
ters which  reached  to  the  knees,  is  signified  intelligence  such  as  is 
possessed  by  the  spiritual-natural  principle.  By  the  waters  which 
reached  to  the  loins,  is  signified  intelligence  such  as  is  possessed  by 
the  spiritual  man ;  for  the  loins  denote  the  marriage  of  truth  and 
good,  which  constitutes  the  spiritual  principle.    By  the  waters  which 


ILLUSTRATIVE  EXAMPLES. 


499 


could  not  be  passed  over,  is  signified  the  intelligence  of  the  celestial 
man,  properly  called  wisdom,  which  being  ineffable  and  far  above 
the  comprehension  of  the  natural  man,  is  therefore  compared  to  a 
river  that  could  not  be  passed  over,  whose  waters  also  wei'e  waters 
to  swim  in.  The  measuring  with  a  line  from  place  to  place  a  thou- 
sand cnbit9,  signifies  exploration  and  designation  of  the  difllerent 
qualities  of  divine  truth  in  heaven  and  in  the  church,  according  to 
its  various  reception  by  angels  and  men. — See  Ap.  Ex.  629. 

(9. )  Hosea  iii.  2.  "  So  I  bought  her  (the  adulteress)  for  fifteen 
pieces  of  silver,  and  for  a  homer  of  barley  and  a  half-homer  of  barley." 

 By  the  woman  an  adulteress  is  here  meant  the  house  of  Israel 

who,  by  their  vain  traditions  and  corrupt  doctrines,  had  falsified 
every  truth  and  adulterated  every  good  contained  in  the  Word.  By 
her  being  bought  for  fifteen  pieces  of  silver,  and  for  a  homer  and  half- 
homer  of  barley,  is  signified  that  the  Israelitish  church  possessed  so 
little  of  truth  and  of  good,  that  its  estimation,  even  taken  at  the  full, 
was  of  little  or  no  intrinsic  value :  the  fifteen  pieces  of  silver  are 
predicated  of  truth,  and  denote  the  deficiency  thereof  both  of  quan- 
tity and  quality :  the  same  is  also  signified  by  the  homer  and  half-homer 
of  barley,  w^hich  are  predicated  of  good. — See  Ap.  Ex.  374.  A.  R. 
315.    A.  C.  8468. 

(10.)  Zech.  ii.  1,  2.  "  I  lifted  up  mine  eyes  again,  and  looked, 
and  behold,  a  man  with  a  measnring-line  in  his  hand.  Then  said  I, 
Whither  goest  thou  ?  And  he  said  unto  me,  To  measure  Jerusalem, 
to  see  what  is  the  breadth  thereof,  and  what  is  the  length  thereof." 

 Jerusalem  here  signifies  the  new  church  of  the  Lord ;  and  by 

measuring  it,  to  see  its  breadth  and  length,  is  signified  to  explore  and 
hence  to  ascertain  the  quality  and  quantity  of  truth  and  good  apper- 
taining to  its  doctrine  :  to  measure  with  a  measuring-line,  is  to  explore 
and  discover  the  quality  and  quantity :  its  breadth  denotes  the  truth 
of  doctrine ;  and  its  length  the  good  of  love. — See  Ap.  Ex.  629.  A. 
C.  9603. 

(11.)  Zech.  V.  5  to  8.  "  Then  the  angel  that  talked  with  me  went 
forth  and  said  unto  me,  Lift  up  now  thine  eyes,  and  see  what  is  this  that 
goeth  forth.  And  I  said.  What  is  it  ?  And  he  said.  This  is  an  ephah 
that  goeth  forth.  He  said  moreover,  This  is  their  resemblance  through 
all  the  earth.  And  behold,  there  Avas  lifted  up  a  talent  of  lead :  and 
this  is  a  woman  that  sitteth  in  the  midst  of  the  cphah.  And  he  said. 
This  is  wickedness ;  and  he  cast  it  into  the  midst  of  the  ephah,  and 
he  cast  the  weight  of  lead  upon  the  mouth  thereof."  In  this  passage 


500 


A  KEF  TO   WEIGHTS  AXD  ITASURES. 


is  described  the  profanation  whicli  took  place  in  the  church,  of  which 
the  prophet  speaks.  By  the  ephah  is  signified  good ;  by  the  woman 
evil,  or  wickedness,  as  expressly  stated  in  the  words  of  the  text ;  and 
by  the  weight,  talent,  or  stone  of  lead  upon  the  mouth  of  the  ephah, 
is  signified  the  false  principle  derived  from  evil,  which  closes  up  and 
infests  the  good,  and  thus  by  a  kind  of  mixture  with  good  produces 
a  state  of  profanation. — See  A.  C.  8540. 

(12.)  Dan.  v.  25  to  29.  "And  this  is  the  writing  that  was  writ- 
ten, Mene  mene,  telcel  uphardn.  This  is  the  interpretation  of  the  thing  ; 
Mene,  God  hath  numbered  thy  kingdom,  and  finished  it.  Tekel,  thou 
art  weighed  in  the  balances,  and  art  found  wanting.  Peres,  thy  king- 
dom is  divided,  and  given  to  the  Medes  and  Persians."  The  sub- 
ject here  treated  of,  in  the  spiritual  sense,  is  the  consummation  or 
end  of  the  church,  and  the  profanation  of  the  holy  things  of  the 
Word,  represented  by  the  vessels  of  gold  and  silver,  out  of  which  the 
king  of  Babylon,  his  princes,  and  wives  and  concubines  drank,  in 
praise  of  false  gods.  By  the  writing  on  the  wall  is  signified  that  the 
church  was  entirely  destroyed.  By  mene  mene,  or  numbered  num- 
bered, is  signified  an  exploration  of  the  quality  of  the  church  both  as 
to  truth  and  good,  more  particularly  as  to  truth.  By  tekel,  or  thou 
art  weighed  in  the  balances,  is  signified  the  estimation  of  the  quality 
of  good,  which  was  found  and  adjudged  to  be  adulterated  and  pro- 
faned. By  jueres  is  signified  dissipation,  extermination,  and  separation 
from  every  good  and  truth  of  the  church  :  literally,  upharsin  signifies 
and  they  divide ;  the  letter  u,  as  a  conjunction  prefixed  to  the  word, 
denoting  atid ;  and  pluirsin,  a  variation  of  the  word  peres,  or  paras, 
being  the  participle  of  the  present  tense,  plural  number,  denoting 
they  divide  or  are  dividing,  implying  that  innumerable  evil  and  false 
principles  concurred  in  dissipating  and  destroying  every  thing  good 
and  true  belonging  to  the  church.— See  A.  C.  3104,  9093,  10217.  A. 
R.  313,  316.    Ap.  Ex.  373,  453. 

(13.)  Apoc.  xi.  1.  "And  there  was  given  me  a  reed  like  unto  a 
rod:  and  the  angel  stood,  saying.  Rise,  and  measure  the  tcmjjle  of 

God,  and  the  altar,  and  them  that  worehip  therein."  By  a  reed 

like  unto  a  rod  or  staff,  is  here  signified  the  power  of  exploring  and 
discerning  the  quality  of  the  church  and  its  worship ;  which  power 
or  capacity  being  exercised  by  man  apparently  of  himself,  yet  under 
an  acknowledgment  that  it  is  in  reality  from  the  Lord,  is  therefore 
first  compared  to  a  reed  in  reference  to  the  weakness  or  inability  of 
man,  and  afterwards  to  a  rod  or  staff  in  reference  to  the  power  of 


ILL  USTRA  TIVE  EXAMPLES. 


501 


divine  truth  from  the  Lord.  By  rising  and  measuring  the  temple  of 
God,  and  tlie  altar,  and  them  that  worship  therein,  is  signified  seeing^ 
knowing,  and  examining  the  state  of  the  church  in  heaven  in  respect 
to  the  truth  of  doctrine,  the  good  of  love,  and  worship  thence  de- 
rived :  to  meamre  is  to  know  and  examine  the  quality  of  a  thing ;  the 
temple  of  God  is  predicated  of  the  truth  of  doctrine ;  the  altar,  of 
the  good  of  love:  and  they  that  worship  therein,  when  considered 
abstractly  from  persons,  of  worship  itself — See  A.  R.  485,  486.  Ap. 
Ex.  627  to  629. 

(14.)  Apoc.  xxi.  15  to  17.  "And  he  that  talked  with  me  had  a 
golden  reed  to  measure  the  city,  and  the  gates  thereof  and  the  wall 
thereof.  And  the  city  lieth  four-square,  and  the  length  is  as  large  as 
the  breadth  :  and  he  measured  the  city  with  the  reed,  twelve  thousand 
Jurlongs :  the  length  and  the  breadth  and  the  height  of  it  are  equal. 
And  he  measured  the  wall  thereof,  a  hundred  and  forty  and  four 

cubits,  according  to  the  measure  of  a  man,  that  is,  of  an  angel."  

Here  again  a  reed  signifies  the  power  or  faculty  of  understanding  and 
knowing :  and  as  this  power  is  derived  from  the  good  of  love,  and 
given  by  the  Lord  to  those  who  are  in  such  good,  which  is  signified 
by  gold,  therefore  the  reed  is  described  as  a  golden  reed.  By  measur- 
ing the  city,  the  gates  and  the  wall  of  the  city,  which  is  the  holy 
Jerusalem,  is  signified  the  application  of  the  above  faculty  in  examin- 
ing and  investigating,  with  a  view  to  understand  and  know  the  quality 
and  character  of  the  New  Chui-ch  as  to  its  doctrine,  its  introductory 
truths,  and  the  literal  sense  of  the  Word,  from  which  its  doctrine  is 
derived ;  the  city  denotes  the  New  Church,  as  to  doctrine ;  the  gates, 
introductory  truths,  or  the  knowledges  of  truth  and  good ;  and  the 
wall,  the  Word  in  its  literal  sense,  serving  as  a  defence  and  security 
against  all  spiritual  enemies.  By  the  city  being  four-square,  or  so 
situated  as  to  front  all  the  four  quarters,  is  signified  an  equal  or  just 
respect  to  good  and  truth,  and  all  the  states  of  life  thence  derived. 
The  same  is  signified  by  the  length  being  equal  to  the  breadth,  12000 
furlongs ;  the  length  or  longitude  from  east  to  west  being  predicated 
of  good,  and  the  breadth  or  latitude  from  south  to  north  being  predi- 
cated of  truth ;  while  the  height  or  altitude  denotes  the  degrees  of 
both  in  their  various  relations  and  proportions:  12000  furlongs  de- 
note all  the  goods  and  truths  belonging  to  the  church.  The  dimen- 
sions of  the  wall,  144  cubits,  show  the  quality  of  the  Word  in  its 
literal  sense,  as  containing  all  the  goods  and  truths  of  heaven  and 
the  church :  cubits,  like  other  measures,  denote  the  quality  of  a  thing; 


502 


A  KEY  TO  W EIGHTS  AND  MEASURES. 


and  the  number  144,  like  the  number  12000,  and  12,  from  which  both 
arise,  denotes  all.  The  measure  is  said  to  be  the  measure  of  a  man, 
that  is,  of  an  angel,  because  the  church  on  earth  consisting  of  men, 
and  the  church  in  heaven  consisting  of  angels,  are  regarded  by  the 
Lord  as  one  church,  being  formed  of  the  same  principles  of  divine 
love  and  divine  wisdom,  though  received  in  different  degrees  by  each 
respectively.  By  a  man  is  signified  intelligence  and  wisdom  derived 
from  the  Word,  whether  it  be  in  an  individual  or  in  a  society;  and  by 
an  angel  is  signified  divine  truth,  also  a  heavenly  society,  and  an 
individual  of  such  a  society,  receptive  of  divine  truth  from  the  Lord, 
who  is  the  sole  fountain  thereof  Thus  it  appears  that  the  dimensions 
of  the  New  Jerusalem  are  not  to  be  regarded  as  the  dimensions  of  a 
great  city,  according  to  the  natural  idea  suggested  by  the  terms  used, 
but  that  they  are  to  be  wholly  referred  to  the  spiritual  things  of 
heaven  and  the  church,  particularly  to  the  doctrine  of  divine  truth 
and  good  derived  from  the  Word,  and  now  revealed  by  the  Lord 
through  the  instrumentality  of  a  chosen  servant. — See  A.  R.  904  to 
910.    Ap.  Ex.  629.    A.  C.  9603. 

Comiasion. 

From  the  preceding  view,  limited  and  imperfect  as  it  is,  of  the 
sjiiritual  signification  of  numbers,  weights  and  measures  in  the  Word 
throughout,  it  is  evident  that  without  a  knowledge  of  this  most 
ancient  science,  according  to  which  the  things  relating  to  heaven  and 
the  church  are  constantly  described,  the  true  and  genuine  sense  of 
divine  revelation  must  in  a  great  measure  remain  buried  in  obscurity. 
Many  passages  indeed  are  to  be  found,  especially  in  the  historical 
parts  both  of  the  Old  and  the  New  Testament,  in  which  the  necessity 
of  having  recourse  to  a  sj)iritual  sense  distinct  from  that  of  the  letter, 
is  not  so  obvious  as  it  is  in  some  which  have  been  brought  forward  in 
this  small  treatise.  Yet  when  we  consider  that  the  Word  was  dicta- 
ted by  Jehovah  himself,  that  it  descended  through  all  the  heavens  to 
man,  and  consequently  that  in  its  origin  it  is  holy  and  divine  ;  then 
it  must  be  acknowledged  that  it  contains  an  internal  as  well  as  an 
external  sense,  and  that  the  former  pervades  every  part  of  the  latter. 
If  so,  it  follows  that  numbers,  weights  and  measures,  as  expressed  in 
the  literal  sense,  must  in  all  cases  form  the  basis  of  another  more  interior 
sense,  which  may  be  regarded  as  wine  in  comparison  with  water,  John 
ii.  7  to  10 ;  as  a  soul  in  comparison  with  its  body  of  flesh,  John  vi. 
63 ;  or  as  heaven  itself  in  compariscm  with  the  earth,  Isa.  Iv.  9. 


PRECIOUS  AND  COMMON  STONES, 

AND 

THEIR  MEANING  IN  SCRIPTURE  * 


CHAPTER  YI. 

A  General  Account  of  the  Stones  mentioned  in  the  Sacred  Scrip- 
tures, THE  Purposes  to  which  they  were  applied,  and  their 
various  Significations. 

IN  the  Sacred  Scriptures  mention  is  frequently  made  of  rocks  and 
stones,  rough  or  unwrought  stones,  wrought  or  hewn  stones,  arti- 
ficial stones  or  bricks,  corner-stones,  mill-stones,  chalk-stones,  and  also 
of  jirecious  stones,  gems,  and  pearls  ;  by  which  are  spiritually  under- 
stood either  genuine  truths,  apparent  truths,  or  perverted  truths, 
which  latter  are  more  properly  called  falsities.  And  it  is  from  the 
use  or  application  of  the  exjiressious,  that  we  learn  to  know  when  to 
refer  them  to  one  signification  and  when  to  another.  For  it  is  to  be 
well  observed,  not  only  with  resjiect  to  stones,  but  to  many  other 
substances  in  nature,  that  the  same  term  carries  with  it,  on  different 
occasions,  very  different  meanings ;  and  that,  in  some  cases,  it  bears 
a  sense  directly  the  reverse  of  what  it  elsewhere  conveys,  which  is 
always  determined  by  the  nature  of  the  subject  treated  of.  For  ex- 
ample ;  when  the  Lord  himself  is  called  a  Rock,  as  in  Ps.  xviii.  2, 
31,  46 ;  or  a  Stone,  as  in  ]Matt.  xxi.  42 ;  Ps.  cxviii.  22 ;  Isa.  viii.  14 ; 
it  is  plain,  that  the  term  is  to  be  understood  in  its  genuine  sense,  as 
significative  of  divine  truth.  But  when,  on  the  other  hand,  mention 
is  made  of  the  Rock  of  the  perverted  Church,  as  in  Deut.  xxxii.  31, 
32  ;  the  dumb  stone,  as  in  Hab.  ii.  19  ;  or  of  committing  adultery  with 
stones,  as  in  Jer.  iii.  19 ;  or  of  taking  up  stones  to  stone  Jesus,  as  in 
John  X.  31 ;  it  is  equally  plain,  that  the  term,  in  such  cases,  denotes 
false  principles  of  doctrine  and  of  life,  which  are  entirely  opposed  to 
the  divine  truth  of  the  Word. 


*  By  Robert  Hiudmarsh.   First  published  in  London,  1851. 

503 


504 


PRECIOUS  AND  COMMOy  STONES 


Among  the  various  piirposes  to  which  stones,  both  common  and 
precious,  are  assigned  in  the  Sacred  Scriptures,  in  consequence  of  the 
signification  which  they  obtained  in  the  earliest  ages  of  the  world, 
the  following  are  particularly  distinguishable,  viz. : — 

1.  Stones  for  altars,  pillars,  witnesses  and  memorials. 

2.  Tables  of  Stone  for  the  Ten  Commandments. 

3.  Stones  for  temples  and  other  buildings. 

4.  Stones  for  idols,  etc. 

5.  Precious  stones  for  the  breast-plate  of  Aaron,  and  for  the  founda- 
tions of  the  New  Jerusalem. 

Hence  we  read  in  different  parts  of  the  Word, — 

1.  Of  the  Stone  of  Israel.    Gen.  xlix.  24. 

2.  Of  the  Rock  of  Israel.    2  Sam.  xxiii.  3. 

3.  Of  the  Rock  of  salvation.  Deut.  xxxii.  15 ;  2  Sam.  xxii.  47 ; 
Ps.  xviii.  2,  31,  46. 

4.  Of  a  stone  rejected  by  the  builders,  which  yet  became  the  head- 
stone of  the  corner,  on  which  whosoever  falleth,  shall  be  broken  ;  but 
on  whomsoever  it  shall  fall,  it  Avill  grind  him  to  powder.  Ps.  cxviii. 
22 ;  Matt.  xxi.  42,  44  ;  Mark  xii.  10,  11 ;  Luke  xx.  17, 18. 

5.  Of  a  stone  of  stumbling,  and  a  rock  of  offence,  over  which  both 
the  houses  of  Israel  and  the  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem  shall  stumble, 
and  fall,  and  be  broken.    Isa.  viii.  14,  15. 

6.  Of  a  stone  cut  out  of  a  mountain  without  hands,  which  smote 
the  image  of  Nebuchadnezzar,  and  brake  it  in  pieces,  and  which 
afterwards  became  a  great  mountain  (or  rock),  and  filled  the  whole 
earth.    Dan.  ii.  34,  35,  45. 

7.  Of  a  stone  with  seven  eyes,  said  to  be  the  eyes  of  Jehovah, 
which  run  to  and  fro  through  the  whole  earth.    Zcch.  iii.  9 ;  iv.  10. 

8.  Of  the  head-stone  of  the  temple,  which  shall  be  brought  forth 
with  shoutings,  while  the  cry  of  grace,  grace,  is  raised  unto  it.  Zech. 
iv.  7. 

9.  Of  great  stones,  costly  stones,  and  hewed  stones,  for  the  founda- 
tion of  the  house  or  temple  of  Jehovah,  and  for  other  parts  of  the 
building.  1  Kings  v.  17,  18 ;  vi.  7,  36;  Hag.  ii.  15,  18;  Matt.  xxiv. 
1,2;  Mark  xiii.  2 ;  Luke  xxi.  5,  6. 

10.  Of  the  same  for  Solomon's  house,  and  for  the  house  of  Pharaoh's 
daughter.    1  Kings  vii.  8-12. 

11.  Of  the  stones  of  Zion,  in  which  her  children  take  delight.  Ps. 
cii.  14. 

12.  Of  the  two  tables  of  testimony,  tables  of  stone,  on  which  the 


SPOKEN  OF  m  THE  SCRIPTURES. 


505 


commandments  were  first  written  with  the  finger  of  God,  and  after- 
wards broken  by  Moses.  Ex.  xxiv.  12 ;  xxxi.  18  ;  xxxii.  15,  16,  19  ; 
Deut.  iv.  13;  v.  22;  ix.  9-17. 

13.  Of  the  two  tables  of  stone,  which  were  renewed  by  Moses.  Ex. 
xxxiv.  1,  4,  27-29 ;  Deut.  x.  1-5 ;  1  Kings  viii.  9. 

14.  Of  altars  of  stone,  and  rocks,  for  the  worship  of  Jehovah.  Ex, 
XX.  24,  25 ;  Deut.  xxvii.  5,  6 ;  Josh.  viii.  30,  31 ;  Judg.  vi.  20,  21 ; 
xiii.  19,  20;  1  Kings  xviii.  31,  32,  38. 

15.  Of  the  stones  of  the  altar  becoming  as  chalk-stones.  Isa. 
xxvii.  9. 

16.  Of  stones  and  heaps  of  stones  for  pillows,  pillars,  memorials 
and  witnesses.  Gen.  xxviii.  18,  22;  xxxi.  45-48,  52;  xxxv.  14,  20; 
Ex.  xxiv.  4;  Josh.  iv.  1-9,  20-24;  vii.  26;  viii.  29;  xxii.  10-34; 
xxiv.  26,  27 ;  1  Sam.  vii.  12;  2  Sam.  xviii.  18. 

17.  Of  stones  for  land-marks.    Deut.  xix.  14;  xxvii.  17. 

18.  Of  twelve  stones,  which  the  Israelites  took  out  of  the  midst  of 
Jordan,  when  they  jDassed  over  it,  for  a  memorial.  Josh.  iv.  2-8,  20- 
24. 

19.  Of  other  twelve  stones,  which  Joshua  set  up  in  the  midst  of 
Jordan,  where  the  feet  of  the  priests  stood,  who  bare  the  ark  of  the 
covenant.    Josh.  iv.  9. 

20.  Of  great  stones  plastered  with  plaster,  on  which  the  words  of 
the  law  were  to  be  written.    Deut.  xxvii.  2-4. 

21.  Of  Moses  sitting  upon  a  stone,  with  his  hands  lifted  up,  while 
the  Israelites  and  the  Amalekites  were  engaged  in  battle.  Ex.  xvii. 
12. 

22.  Of  Moses  being  put  into  a  clift  of  the  rock,  and  covered  with 
the  hand  of  Jehovah,  while  his  glory  passed  by.    Ex.  xxxiii.  21,  22. 

23.  Of  Moses  smiting  the  rock,  on  which  Jehovah  stood,  with  his 
rod,  so  that  water  came  out  of  it  in  abundance.  Ex.  xvii.  6 ;  Num. 
XX.  10,  11 ;  Ps.  Ixxviii.  15,  16,  20;  cv.  41;  cxiv.  8;  Isa.  xlviii.  21. 

24.  Of  speaking  to  the  rock,  that  it  may  give  forth  water.  Num. 
XX.  8. 

25.  Of  sucking  honey  out  of  the  rock,  and  oil  out  of  the  flinty  rock. 
Deut.  xxxii.  13. 

26.  Of  great  stones  for  covering  the  mouth  of  wells.  Gen.  xxix. 
2,  3,  8,  10. 

27.  Of  brick,  instead  of  stone,  for  building  the  city  and  the  towers 
of  Babel.    Gen.  xi.  3. 

28.  Of  altars  of  brick.    Isa.  Ixv.  3. 
43 


506 


PRECIOUS  AND  COMMON  STONES 


29.  Of  the  stones  of  the  sanctuary.    Lam.  iv.  1. 

30.  Of  stones  of  fire.    Ezek.  xxviii.  14,  16. 

31.  Of  stones  of  emj^tiness.    Isa.  xxxiv.  11. 

32.  Of  gravel-stones.    Lam.  iii.  16. 

33.  Of  smooth  stones  of  the  stream.    Isa.  Ivii.  6. 

34.  Of  stones  for  bread.    Matt.  iv.  3  ;  vi.  9  ;  Luke  iv.  3;  xi.  11. 

35.  Of  the  dumb  stone.    Hab.  ii.  19. 

36.  Of  the  stone  crying  out  of  the  Avail,  and  the  beam  out  of  the 
timber  answering  it.    Hab.  ii.  11. 

37.  Of  committing  adultery  with  stones,  and  with  stocks.  Jer. 
iii.  9. 

38.  Of  a  stony  heart.    Ezek.  xi.  19  ;  xxxvi.  26. 

39.  Of  seed  falling  on  stony  places.  Matt.  xiii.  5,  20 ;  Mark  iv.  5, 
16  ;  Luke  viii.  6,  13. 

40.  Of  raising  up  children  to  Abraham  out  of  stones.  Matt.  iii. 
9 ;  Luke  iii.  8. 

41.  Of  the  stones  being  ready  to  cry  out,  in  case  the  disciples  of 
Jesus  had  been  silent  on  the  occasion  of  his  entry  into  Jerusalem. 
Luke  xix.  40. 

42.  Of  building  the  church  upon  a  rock.    Matt.  xvi.  18. 

43.  Of  a  stone  laid  in  Ziou,  a  tried  stone,  a  precious  corner-stone, 
a  sure  foundation.    Isa.  xxviii.  16. 

44.  Of  a  white  stone,  and  in  the  stone  a  new  name  written,  which 
no  man  knoweth,  save  he  that  receiveth  it.    Apoc.  ii.  17. 

45.  Of  five  smooth  stones,  which  David  took  out  of  a  brook,  and 
with  one  of  which  he  smote  Goliath  the  Philistine  in  his  forehead, 
and  then  slew  him.    1  Sam.  xvii.  40,  49,  50. 

46.  Of  sharp  stones  for  circumcision.    Ex.  iv.  25. 

47.  Of  hail-stones,  great  stones  cast  down  from  heaven.  Ex.  ix. 
23,  etc. ;  Josh.  x.  11 ;  Ezek.  xiii.  11,  13 ;  Ps.  xviii.  12,  13 ;  Aj^oc.  xvi. 
21. 

48.  Of  mill-stones.  Deut.  xxiv.  6 ;  Isa.  xlvii.  2 ;  Jer.  xxv.  10 ; 
Matt,  xviii.  6;  Luke  xvii.  2;  Apoc.  xviii.  21,  22. 

49.  Of  stoning  men  with  stones.  Ex.  xvii.  4  ;  Lev.  xxiv.  10-16  ; 
Num.  xiv.  10  ;  xv.  32-36  ;  Deut.  xiii.  10  ;  xvii.  5  ;  xxi.  18-21 ;  Josh, 
vii.  25;  1  Sam.  xxx.  6;  1  Kings  xii.  18;  xxi.  10,  13-15;  Ezek.  xvi. 
40 ;  xxiii.  47  ;  Matt.  xxi.  35 ;  xxiii.  37  ;  Mark  xii.  4  ;  Luke  xiii.  34 ; 
XX.  6  ;  John  viii.  5-7  ;  x.  31-33. 

50.  Of  dashing  the  foot  against  a  stone.  Ps.  xci.  12;  Matt.  iv.  6  ; 
Luke  iv.  11. 


SPOKEN  OF  IN  THE  SCRIPTURES. 


507 


51.  Of  dashing  the  little  ones  of  the  daughter  of  Babylon  against 
the  stones.    Fs.  cxxxvii.  9. 

52.  Of  judges  being  overthrown  in  stony  places.    Ps.  cxli.  G. 

53.  Of  sons  being  as  plants,  and  daughters  as  corner-stones.  Ps. 
cxliv.  12. 

54.  Of  the  rock,  the  holes  of  the  rocks,  the  caves  of  the  earth,  the 
clefts  of  the  rocks,  and  the  tops  of  the  ragged  rocks,  into  which  the 
wicked  shall  go,  for  fear  of  Jehovah.    I.sa.  ii.  10,  19,  21. 

55.  Of  the  wicked  calling  upon  the  mountains  and  rocks  to  fall 
on  them,  and  hide  them  from  the  divine  presence.    Apoc.  vi.  16. 

56.  Of  slaying  men  on  rocks  and  stones.    Judg.  vii.  25  ;  ix.  5,  18. 

57.  Of  taking  up  stones  to  cast  at  Jesus.  John  viii.  59 ;  x.  31- 
33 ;  xi.  8. 

58.  Of  gathering  stones  out  of  a  vineyard.    Isa.  v.  2. 

59.  Of  building  a  house  upon  a  rock.  Matt.  vii.  24,  25 ;  Luke 
vi.  48. 

60.  Of  Jehovah  as  a  rock.  Deut.  xxxii.  4, 15, 18,  30,  31  ;  1  Sam. 
ii.  2  ;  2  Sam.  xxii.  2,  32,  47  ;  Ps.  xviii.  2,  31,  46  ;  xxxi.  2,  3  ;  xl.  2 ; 
xlii.  9  ;  Ixi.  2  ;  Ixii.  2,  6,  7  ;  Ixxviii.  35  ;  Ixxxix.  26  ;  xcii.  15  ;  xci\^ 
22 ;  xcv.  1 ;  Isa.  xxxii.  2. 

61.  Of  false  gods  as  a  rock.    Deut.  xxxii.  31,  37. 

62.  Of  images  or  idols  of  stone.  Lev.  xxvi.  1 ;  Deut.  iv.  28 ; 
xxviii.  64;  xxix.  17;  Judg.  xvii.  3,  4;  xviii.  14-21,  30,  31; 
2  Kings  xvii.  41 ;  xviii.  4;  xix.  18;  xxiii.  14,  24;  Ps.  Ixxviii.  58; 
xcvii.  7;  cvi.  36,  37;  Isa.  x.  19;  xxi.  9;  xliv.  9,  10,  15,  17;  xlv. 
17,  20 ;  xlvi.  1 ;  xlviii.  5  ;  Dan.  v.  4,  23  ;  Micah  i.  7  ;  Nahum  ii.  14 ; 
Hab.  ii.  18;  Apoc.  ix.  20;  xiii.  14,  15;  xiv.  9,  11 ;  xv.  2;  xix.  20; 
XX.  4. 

63.  Of  the  body  of  Jesus  being  laid  in  a  new  tomb  hewn  out  of 
the  rock,  and  a  great  stone  rolled  to  the  door  of  the  sepulchre,  and 
sealed.  Matt,  xxvii.  60,  66 ;  xxviii.  2 ;  Mark  xv.  46 ;  xvi.  3,  4 ; 
Luke  xxiii.  53 ;  xxiv.  2  ;  John  xix.  41,  42 ;  xx.  1,  etc. 

64.  Of  an  angel  rolling  back  the  stone  from  the  door  of  the  sepul- 
chre, and  sitting  upon  it.    Matt,  xxviii.  2  ;  Mark  xvi.  3,  4. 

65.  Of  a  paved  work  of  sapphire-stone  under  the  feet  of  the  God 
of  Israel,  resembling  the  body  of  heaven  for  clearness.  Ex.  xxiv. 
10  ;  Ezek.  i.  26  ;  x.  i. 

66.  Of  the  appearance  of  the  wheels,  seen  by  Ezekiel,  like  unto 
the  color  of  a  beryl-stone.    Ezek.  i.  16  ;  x.  9. 

67.  Of  two  onyx-stones  on  the  shoulders  of  the  ephod,  having  the 


608 


PRECIOUS  AND  COMMON  STONES. 


names  of  the  children  of  Israel  engraven  on  them.  Ex.  xxv.  7  ; 
xxviii.  9-12;  xxxv.  9,  27 ;  xxxix.  6,  7. 

68.  Of  the  precious  stones  called  Urim  and  Thummim,  for  the 
breast-plate  of  Aaron.  Ex.  xxv.  7  ;  xxviii.  17-21 ;  xxxv.  9,  27  ; 
xxxix.  8-14. 

69.  Of  precious  stones  presented  by  the  queen  of  Sheba  to  Solo- 
mon.   1  Kings  X.  10. 

70.  Of  precious  stones  brought  to  Solomon  from  Ophir,  in  the 
navy  of  Hiram,  king  of  Tyre.    1  Kings  x.  11. 

71.  Of  precious  stones  for  the  foundations,  the  windows,  the  gates, 
and  the  borders  of  the  church  to  be  established  among  the  Gentiles. 
Isa.  liv.  11,  12. 

72.  Of  precious  stones  for  the  clothing  of  the  king  of  Tyrus. 
Ezek.  xxviii.  12-16. 

73.  Of  precious  stones  for  the  adorning  of  the  whore  of  Babylon. 
Apoc.  xvii.  4 ;  xviii.  16. 

74.  Of  precious  stones  for  the  wall  and  foundations  of  the  Isew 
Jerusalem.    Apoc.  xxi.  18-20. 

In  all  the  cases  above  enumerated  stones  denote,  as  before  ob- 
served, truths,  either  genuine,  or  apparent,  or  perverted ;  which  will 
sufficiently  appear  from  the  observations  now  following  on  some  of 
the  passages  already  referred  to. 


CHAPTEE  YIL 


Stones  used  for  Altars,  Pillars,  Witnesses,  and  Memorials. 

Stones  for  Altars. 

(1.)  Ex.  XX.  24,  25.  An  altar  of  earth  thou  shalt  make  uiito  me, 
and  shalt  sacrifice  thereon  thy  burnt-offerings,  and  thy  peace-offer- 
ings, thy  sheep,  and  thine  oxen.  And  if  thou  wilt  make  me  an  altar 
of  stone,  thou  shalt  not  build  it  of  hewn  stone :  for  if  thou  lift  up 
thy  tool  upon  it,  thou  hast  polluted  it. 

(2.)  Deut.  xxvii.  5,  6.  And  there  shalt  thou  build  an  altar  unto 
Jehovah  thy  God,  an  altar  of  stone.  Thou  shalt  not  lift  up  any  iron 
tool  upon  them.  Thou  shalt  build  the  altar  of  Jehovah  thy  God  of 
whole  stones :  and  thou  shalt  offer  burnt-offerings  thereon  unto  Jeho- 
vah thy  God. 

(3.)  Josh.  viii.  30,  31.  Then  Joshua  built  an  altar  unto  Jehovah 
the  God  of  Israel  in  mount  Ebal,  as  ]Moses  the  servant  of  Jehovah 
commanded  the  children  of  Israel,  as  it  is  written  in  the  book  of  the 
law  of  Moses,  an  altar  of  whole  stones,  over  which  no  man  hath  lift 
up  any  iron. 

(4.)  1  Kings  xviii.  31,  32.  Elijah  took  twelve  stones,  according  to 
the  number  of  the  tribes  of  the  sons  of  Jacob  :  and  with  the  stones 
he  built  an  altar  in  the  name  of  Jehovah. 

As  the  essential  part  of  worship  consists  in  two  things,  namely, 
good  and  truth,  or  charity  and  faith,  therefore,  in  reference  to  these 
mention  is  made  of  an  altar  of  earth  and  an  altar  of  stone.  Woi-ship 
from  a  principle  of  good,  or  of  charity,  was  represented  by  the  offer- 
ings and  sacrifices  made  upon  altars  of  earth;  but  worship  from  the 
love  of  truth  or  from  faith,  was  represented  by  the  offerings  and  sac- 
rifices made  upon  altars  of  stone.  The  former  is  the  worship  of  a 
man  already  regenerated,  or  of  one  who  is  in  charity,  and  at  the 
same  time  in  faith  derived  from  it :  the  latter  is  the  worship  of  him 
who  is  undergoing  the  process  of  regeneration,  and  who  by  faith  is 
led  to  charity,  or  by  the  precepts  of  truth  into  the  life  of  good. 

The  reason  why  the  altar  was  not  to  be  built  of  hewn  stones,  but 
43*  509 


510 


PRECIOUS  AND  COMMON  STONES. 


of  umvrought  or  Avhole  stones,  "was,  that  the  labor  of  man  in  hewing 
and  preparing  thera  according  to  his  ow  n  skill  and  judgment,  denoted 
self-derived  intelligence,  which,  so  far  as  it  contains  anything  of 
merely  human  life  or  human  merit,  is  in  itself  evil,  and  therefore 
cannot  enter  into,  or  mingle  itself  w  ith,  the  pure  Avorship  of  the  Lord 
without  contaminating,  defiling,  and  in  a  great  degree  profaning  it. 
All  worship,  to  be  truly  acceptable,  must  be  derived  from  the  Lord 
alone  by  his  AVord  ;  the  truths  of  w  hich,  being  in  themselves  divine, 
if  received  by  man  in  sincerity  of  heart  and  integrity  of  life,  will 
bear  above  him  the  consideration  of  selfish  and  temporal  interests,  to 
the  contemplation  and  love  of  those  which  are  heavenly  and  eternal. 

(5.)  Judges  vi.  20,  21.  The  angel  of  God  said  unto  Gideon,  Take 
the  flesh  and  the  unleavened  cakes,  and  lay  them  upon  this  rock. 
And  he  did  so.  Then  the  angel  of  Jehovah  put  forth  the  end  of  the 
staff  that  was  in  his  hand,  and  touched  the  flesh  and  the  unleavened 
cakes :  and  there  rose  up  fire  out  of  the  rocl:,  and  consumed  the  flesh 
and  the  unleavened  cakes. 

(6.)  Judges  xiii.  19,  20.  Manoah  took  a  kid,  with  a  meat-offer- 
ing, and  oflPered  it  upon  a  rock  unto  Jehovah.  And  it  came  to  pass, 
when  the  flame  went  up  toAvard  heaven  from  off'  the  altar,  that  the 
angel  of  Jehovah  ascended  in  the  flame  of  the  altar. 

In  both  of  these  instances  a  natural  rock  is  used  as  an  altar  to  Je- 
hovah. The  rock  denotes  divine  truth,  and  the  fire  issuing  out  of  it 
is  divine  love:  These  two  concurring  in  the  worship  there  repre- 
sented, cause  it  to  become  acceptable  in  the  sight  of  heaven  ;  which 
is  still  further  confirmed  by  the  circumstance  of  the  angel  of  Jeho- 
vah ascending  in  the  flame  of  the  altar. 

(7.)  Isa.  xxvii.  9.  When  Jacob  shall  make  the  sfoues  of  the  altar 
as  chalk-stones  that  are  beaten  asunder,  the  groves  and  images  shall 
not  stand  up. 

Jacob  here  is  the  church  diverging  from  Avhat  is  spiritual  into 
things  natural ;  and  the  Avorship  of  such  a  church  is  descril^ed  by  his 
making  all  the  stones  of  the  altar  as  mere  chalk-stones  beaten  asun-* 
dcr,  and  thus  liable  to  be  dispersed  by  every  wind.  The  stones  of  the 
altar  are  divine  truths,  from  and  according  to  Avhich  Avorship  ought 
to  be  performed :  and  these  are  said  to  become  as  chalk-stones  de- 
prived of  their  former  consistency  and  durability,  when  they  are  per- 
verted, that  is,  Avhcn  they  are  separated  from  charity,  which  giA'es 
them  the  power  of  cohesion,  and  Avhen  consequently  they  are  dissi- 
pated, and  arc  no  longer  to  be  found  in  the  church  in  their  purity 


STONES  FOR  ALTARS. 


511 


and  integrity.  It  is  therefore  written,  that,  whensoever  this  shall 
take  place,  the  groves  and  images,  representative  of  divine  truths, 
shall  no  longer  stand  up. 

In  the  best  times  of  the  most  ancient  and  the  ancient  church,  which 
existed  long  before  the  Israelitish  i^eople  were  formed  into  the  repre- 
sentative of  a  church,  groves,  gardens  and  mountains  were  the  places 
of  their  worship.  Adam,  or  the  most  ancient  church,  worshipped 
Jehovah  in  a  garden  which  is  called  the  garden  of  Eden,  Gen.  ii.  8. 
Noah,  or  the  ancient  church,  which  succeeded  the  most  ancient,  after 
the  ark  had  rested  on  the  mountains  of  Ararat,  built  an  altar  to  Jehovah, 
and  offered  burnt-offerings,  on  the  altar.  Gen.  viii.  4,  20.  Abraham 
also  pitched  his  tent  on  a  mountain,  and  built  thereon  an  altar  unto 
Jehovah,  Gen.  xii.  8.  He  likewise  "  planted  a  gy'ove  in  Beer-sheba, 
and  called  there  on  the  name  of  Jehovah,  the  everlasting  God,"  Gen. 
xxi.  33.  Every  tree  in  those  ancient  gardens  and  groves  denoted  some 
distinct  perception  or  knowledge  of  divine  truth,  and  thus  reminded 
the  worshippers  of  the  various  divine  attributes  and  perfections,  which 
from  time  to  time  they  assembled  together  to  acknowledge  and  com- 
memorate. For  the  same  reason  they  also  set  up  images,  statues  and 
pillars  in  and  near  their  groves :  and  this  they  did,  not  in  the  way 
of  idolatrous  superstition,  but  from  an  enlightened  view  of  the  works 
of  nature  and  of  art,  knowing  that  every  object  which  presented  itself 
before  their  external  senses,  was  representative  of  something  heavenly 
and  divine.  Hence  the  sun,  the  moon,  the  starry  firmament,  moun- 
tains, hills,  valleys,  plains,  fields,  gardens,  groves,  woods,  trees,  rivers, 
fountains,  seas,  clouds,  rocks  and  stones,  beasts,  birds  and  fishes,  in 
endless  variety,  all  contributed  in  turn  to  excite  ideas  and  affections 
strictly  analogous  to  these  different  objects,  but  yet  totally  distinct 
from  them,  just  as  spiritual  things  are  totally  distinct  from  natural 
things. 

But  when,  in  consequence  of  a  long  and  universal  degeneracy  among 
the  men  of  ancient  times,  their  posterity  had  altogether  lost  sight  of 
the  things  signified  by  the  natural  objects  above  named ;  and  when, 
instead  of  leading  the  mind  to  devout  meditation,  those  objects  became 
the  occasion  of  an  external,  criminal  adoration,  without  any  reference 
to  what  w^as  internal,  spiritual  and  divine,  which  is  the  characteristic 
of  mere  idolatry;  then  the  people  of  Israel  were  raised  up,  and 
separated  from  the  other  nations,  as  well  for  the  purpose  of  checking 
the  superstition  which  everywhere  prevailed,  as  for  the  formation  of  a 
kind  of  nucleus  for  the  future  improvement  and  happiness  of  mankind, 


512 


PRECIOUS  AND  COMMON  STONES. 


by  becoming  the  depository  of  a  new  revelation  from  heaven.  Then 
also  for  the  first  time  it  became  a  divine  law,  that  no  images,  statues, 
groves  or  high  places  should  be  suffered  to  remain,  but  that  they 
should  be  universally  brciken  to  pieces,  cut  down,  burnt  and  destroyed. 
Among  the  rest,  it  is  remarkable  that  the  brazen  serpent  Avhich  was 
set  up  by  Moses  at  the  express  command  of  Jehovah,  Num.  xxi.  8, 
and  which  like  other  images  had  become  the  occasion  of  idolatry, 
was  also,  under  the  divine  approbation,  broken  in  pieces  by  the  good 
king  Hezekiah.    See  2  Kings  xviii.  3,  4. 

It  has  been  already  observed,  concerning  the  people  of  ancient 
times,  that,  during  the  state  of  their  integrity,  images,  statues  and 
groves  were  in  constant  use,  not  as  objects  of  idolatrous  veneration, 
but  as  mediums  serving  to  introduce  to  their  contemplation  things 
holy,  spiritual  and  divine,  and  thereby  more  readily  to  excite  their 
devotion :  which  ancient  state  of  society  is  frequently  referred  to  in 
both  the  historical  and  the  prophetical  books  of  the  Sacred  "Writings. 
The  images  or  statues  which  were  set  up  within  their  groves,  reminded 
them  of  the  more  interior  spiritual  things  taught  by  the  church: 
whereas  those  which  were  placed  on  the  outside,  whether  contiguous 
to  them  or  more  distant  from  them,  represented  such  things  as  were 
relatively  more  exterior  and  natural.  Properly  speaking,  the  groves 
mentioned  in  the  passage  above  quoted  from  Isaiah,  involving  all  that 
was  contained  within  them,  denote  worship  from  spiritual  truths ;  and 
the  images  which  according  to  the  original  were  solar  images,  or  solar 
pillars,  either  as  bearing  the  image  of  the  sun  or  as  being  exposed  to 
its  heat,  denote  worship  from  natural  truths.  It  is  by  reason  of  this 
signification  of  the  terms,  retained  from  time  immemorial,  that  the 
prophet  uses  such  language  in  describing  what  will  be  the  situation 
of  the  church,  when  man  by  his  natural  and  depraved  appetites, 
supported  by  his  fallacious  and  perverse  reasonings,  shall  utterly 
depart  from  the  true  worship  of  the  Lord,  namely,  that  it  will  then 
be  divested  of  all  genuine  spiritual  truths,  and  at  the  same  time  of  all 
genuine  natural  truths ;  these  being  understood  by  the  groves  and 
images  which  shall  no  longer  stand  up,  or  have  an  existence  in  the 
church. 

Stones  for  Fillars,  Wihiesses  and  Memorials. 
(1.)   Gen.  xxviii.  18,  22.   Jacob  rose  up  early  in  the  morning,  and 
took  the  sione  that  he  had  put  for  his  pillows,  and  set  it  up  for  a  pillar, 
and  poured  oil  upon  the  top  of  it.    And  he  said,  This  stone,  which  I 
have  set  for  a  pillar,  shall  be  God's  house. 


STONES  FOR  PILLARS,   WITNESSES,  ETC. 


513 


(2.)  Gen.  xxxi.  45-52.  And  Jacob  took  a  stoiie,  and  set  it  up  for 
{i pillar.  And  Jacob  said  unto  his  brethren,  Gather  stones;  and  they 
took  stones  and  made  a  heap :  and  they  did  eat  there  upon  the  heap. 
And  Laban  said,  This  heaj)  is  a  xvitness  between  me  and  thee  this  day. 
Behold  tliis  heap,  and  behold  this  pillar,  which  I  have  cast  betwixt 
me  and  thee.  This  heap  be  witness  and  this  pillar  be  witness  that  I 
will  not  pass  over  this  heap  to  thee,  and  that  thou  shalt  not  pass  over 
this  heap  and  this  pillar  unto  me  for  harm. 

(3.)  Gen.  xxxv.  14.  And  Jacob  set  up  a^i7/a>-  in  the  place  v.  here 
God  talked  with  him,  even  a  pillar  of  stone. 

(4.)  Gen.  xxxv.  19,  20.  Rachel  died,  and  was  buried  in  the  way 
to  Ephrath  which  is  Bethlehem.  And  Jacob  set  a  pillar  upon  her 
grave :  that  is  the  pillar  of  Eachel's  grave  unto  this  day. 

(5.)  Ex.  xxiv.  4.  And  Moses  wrote  all  the  words  of  Jehovah,  and 
rose  up  early  in  the  morning,  and  built  an  altar  under  the  hill,  and 
twelve  pillars,  according  to  the  twelve  tribes  of  Israel. 

(G.)  Josh.  iv.  1-9,  20.  And  it  came  to  pass  when  all  the  people 
were  clean  passed  over  Jordan,  that  Jehovah  sjjake  unto  Joshua, 
saying.  Take  you  twelve  men  out  of  the  people,  out  of  every  tribe  a 
man,  and  command  you  them,  saying,  Take  you  hence  out  of  the  midst 
of  Jordan,  out  of  the  place  where  the  priests'  feet  stood  firm,  twelve 
stones,  and  ye  shall  carry  them  over  with  you,  and  leave  them  in  the 
lodging-place  where  you  shall  lodge  this  night.  Then  Joshua  called 
the  twelve  men,  whom  he  had  prepared  of  the  children  of  Israel,  out 
of  every  tribe  a  man.  And  Joshua  said  unto  them.  Pass  over  before 
the  ark  of  Jehovah  your  God  into  the  midst  of  Jordan,  and  take  ye 
up  every  man  of  you  a  stone  upon  his  shoulder,  according  to  the 
number  of  the  tribes  of  the  children  of  Israel :  that  this  may  be  a  sign 
among  you,  that  when  your  children  ask  their  fathers  in  time  to  come, 
saying.  What  mean  you  by  these  stones  ?  then  ye  shall  answer  them, 
That  the  waters  of  Jordan  were  cut  off  before  the  ark  of  the  covenant 
of  Jehovah,  when  it  passed  over  Jordan,  the  waters  of  Jordan  M  ere 
cut  off :  and  these  stones  shall  be  for  a  memorial  unto  the  children  of 
Israel  for  ever.  And  the  children  of  Israel  did  so  as  Joshua  com- 
manded, and  took  up  tivelve  stones  out  of  the  midst  of  Jordan,  as 
Jehovah  spake  unto  Joshua,  according  to  the  number  of  the  tribes 
of  the  children  of  Israel,  and  carried  them  over  with  them  unto  the 
place  where  they  lodged,  and  laid  them  down  there.  And  Joshua  set 
up  tivelve  stones  in  the  midst  of  Jordan,  in  the  place  where  the  feet  of 
the  priests  who  bare  the  ark  of  the  covenant  stood  ;  and  they  are  there 

2H 


614 


PRECIOUS  AND  COMMON  STONES. 


unto  this  day.  And  those  twelve  stones  which  they  took  out  of  Jordan, 
did  Joshua  pitch  in  Gilgal. 

(7.)  Josh.  viii.  28,  29.  And  Joshua  burnt  Ai,  and  made  it  an 
heap  for  ever,  even  a  desolation  unto  this  day.  And  the  king  of  Ai  he 
hanged  on  a  tree  until  even-tide :  and  as  soon  as  the  sun  Avas  down, 
Joshua  commanded  that  they  should  take  his  carcase  dovra  from  the 
tree,  and  cast  it  at  the  entering  of  the  gate  of  the  city,  and  raise 
thereon  a  great  heap  of  stones  that  remaineth  unto  this  day. 

(8.)  Josh.  xxiv.  26,  27.  And  Joshua  wrote  these  words  in  the  book 
of  the  law  of  God,  and  took  a  great  stone,  and  set  it  up  there  under 
an  oak,  that  was  by  the  sanctuary  of  Jehovah.  And  Joshua  said  unto 
all  the  people,  Behold,  this  stone  shall  be  a  witness  unto  us ;  for  it  hath 
heard  all  the  words  of  Jehovah  which  He  spake  unto  us :  it  shall  be 
therefore  a  witness  unto  you,  lest  ye  deny  your  God. 

(9.)  1  Sam.  vii.  12.  Samuel  took  a  stone,  and  set  it  between  Miz- 
peh  and  Shen,  and  called  the  name  of  it  Eben-ezer,  saying.  Hitherto 
hath  Jehovah  helped  us. 

From  the  preceding  passages  it  is  plain,  that  heaps  of  stones  were 
collected,  great  stones  set  up,  and  pillars  erected,  not  only  for  the 
purpose  of  marking  the  boundaries  bctAVoen  the  possessions  of  one 
man  and  those  of  another,  but  also  as  monuments  or  memorials  to 
testify  and  evidence,  in  a  way  that  could  not  be  denied,  the  truth  of 
certain  historical  facts,  as  well  as  the  solenm  engagements  which  had 
been  entered  into  by  individuals,  or  by  a  whole  people,  both  with  their 
neighbor  and  with  their  God.  To  the  above  ancient  practice  may  also 
be  traced  the  origin  of  the  law  of  nations.  And  hence  may  be  seen 
at  least  one  reason  why  stones  in  the  Sacred  Scriptures  are  used  to 
signify  truths. 


CHAPTEE  VIII. 


Tables  of  Stones  for  the  Ten  Commandments. 

The  Tim  Tables  in  General. 

(1.)  Ex.  sxiv.  12.  And  Jehovah  said  unto  Mos.es,  Come  up.  to 
me  into  the  mount,  and  be  there :  and  I  will  give  thee  tables  of  stone 
and  a  law  and  commandments  which  I  have  written. 

(2.)  Ex,  xxxi.  18.  And  He  gave  unto  Moses,  when  He  had  made 
an  end  of  communing  with  him  upon  mount  Sinai,  two  tables  of  tes- 
timony, tables  of  stone,  written  with  the  finger  of  God. 

(3.)  Ex.  xxxii.  15,  16,  19.  And  Moses  turned,  and  went  down 
from  the  mount,  and  the  two  tables  of  the  testimony  were  in  his  hand  :  and 
the  tables  were  written  on  both  their  sides ;  on  the  one  side  and  on 
the  other  were  they  written.  And  the  tables  were  the  work  of  God, 
and  the  writing  was  the  writing  of  God  graven  upon  the  tables.  And 
it  came  to  pass  as  soon  as  he  came  nigh  unto  the  camp,  that  he  saw 
the  calf,  and  the  dancing ; — {for  in  the  absence  of  Moses,  Aaron  and  the 
people  had  made  a  golden  calf,  and  were  dancing  before  it:) — and  Moses' 
anger  Avaxed  hot,  and  he  cast  the  tables  out  of  his  hands,  and  brake 
them  beneath  the  mount. 

(4.)  Ex.  xxxiv.  1,  4,  28.  And  Jehovah  said  unto  Moses,  Hew 
thee  two  tables  of  stone  like  unto  the  first :  and  I  will  write  upon  these 
tables  the  words  that  were  in  the  first  tables,  which  thou  brakest. 
And  he  hewed  two  tables  of  stone  like  unto  the  first ;  and  Moses  rose 
up  early  in  the  morning,  and  went  up  unto  mount  Sinai,  as  Jehovah 
had  commanded  him,  and  took  in  his  hand  the  two  tables  of  stone. 
And  He  (Jehovah)  wrote  upon  the  tables  the  words  of  the  covenant, 
the  ten  commandments. 

Similar  things  are  repeated  in  Deut.  iv.  13 ;  ix.  9-17  ;  x.  1-5. 

The  ten  commandments  inscribed  upon  two  tables  of  stone,  as  is 
well  known,  were  the  first-fruits  of  the  Word,  and  contain  an  epitome 
of  the  whole  duty  of  man.  They  are  called  the  ten  words,  because 
the  number  ten  signifies  and  involves  all ;  and  words  or  commandments 
denote  truths  which  have  respect  to  doctrine,  and  goods  which  have 
respect  to  life.  The  reason  why  they  were  written  upon  tables  of  stone 
was,  because,  as  we  have  already  seen,  stone  signifies  truth,  properly 

515 


516 


PRECIOUS  AXD  COMMON  STONES. 


external  truth  such  as  constitutes  the  literal  sense  of  the  Word. 
These  tables  were  two  in  number,  to  represent  thereby  the  conjunction 
of  the  Lord  with  the  church,  and  by  the  church  with  the  human  race. 
Hence  they  are  called  the  tables  oj  the  covenant,  Deut.  ix.  9,  11,  15 ; 
and  the  words  inscribed  upon  them  are  called  the  u'ords  of  the  cove- 
nant, Ex.  xxxiv.  27,  28 :  for  a  covenant  implies  the  agreement  or 
conjunction  of  two.  On  this  account  the  tables,  though  perfectly 
distinct,  were  yet  so  adjusted  to  each  other,  that  l)eing  placed  together, 
and  by  application  conjoined  into  one,  the  wriliug  was  continued  in 
straight  lines  from  one  table  to  the  other,  in  all  respects  as  if  they 
were  only  one  table.  And  it  is  probable,  as  well  from  the  cu"cum- 
stance  of  Closes  carrying  both  the  tables  in  his  hands,  as  from  their 
being  laid  together  in  the  ark,  that  their  dimensions  and  bulk  must 
have  been  very  moderate,  perhaps  considerably  less  than  what  have 
been  usually  assigned  them. 

It  appears  from  Ex.  xxxii.  15,  that  "  the  tables  were  written  on 
both  their  sides;  on  the  one  side  and  on  the  o//(er  were  they  writ- 
ten :"  from  which  passage  it  might  with  some  plausibility  be  inferred, 
that  the  writing  was  upon  each  side  or  surface  of  each  stone,  that  is, 
upon  both  their  fronts  and  bach.  If  this  conjecture  be  admitted, 
then  the  dimensions  of  the  two  tables  may  have  been  proportionably 
diminished :  while  the  M  riting  upon  the  fronts  and  backs  might  still 
denote  the  internal  and  the  external  sense  of  the  Word,  as  in  Ezek. 
ii.  9,  10 ;  and  Apoc.  v.  1.  But  as  it  is  more  probable  that  the  tim 
sides,  or  rather,  in  strict  conformity  with  the  original,  the  two  transits, 
had  respect  merelj-  to  the  two  distinct  tables  whicli  were  placed  one 
against  the  other,  the  expression  seems  plainly  to  imply  that  both  in 
writing  and  in  reading  each  of  the  commandments,  a  transition  was 
made  from  one  table  to  the  other,  in  the  manner  already  described. 

The  common  opinion  is,  that  so  many  entire  precepts  were  written 
upon  one  table,  and  so  many  upon  another,  as  exhibited  in  almost  all 
Christian  churches :  which  idea  has  been  thouglit  to  receive  confirma- 
tion from  its  being  usually  said,  that  one  table  is  for  the  Xiord,  and 
the  other  for  man.  This  latter  sentiment  is  indeed  true  in  one  re- 
spect, that  is,  representatively,  as  arising  from  the  nwnber  of  the 
tables  spiritually  considered,  as  well  as  from  the  twofold  duty  which 
man  is  bound  to  perform,  viz.,  first  to  the  Lord,  and  secondly  to  his 
neighbor.  And  hence  we  may  also  see  the  reason  why  the  Lord  in 
the  Gospel  comprises  the  whole  of  the  decalogue  in  t)vo  commandments 
only,  saying,  that  love  to  the  Lord  constitutes  the  first,  and  love  to 


THE  TWO  TABLES  OF  STONE. 


517 


our  neighbor  the  second,  Matt.  xxii.  37-89 :  Avhen  nevertheless  it  is 
most  evident  that  his  words  are  not  to  be  taken  literally,  stridhj,  or 
formally,  because  the  second  commandment  as  written  upon  the  tables, 
equally  with  the  first,  respects  our  duty  to  our  God,  and  not  so  much 
our  duty  to  our  neighbor.  Whenever,  therefore,  mention  is  made  in 
a  general  way,  that  one  table  belongs  to  the  Lord  and  the  other  to 
man,  this  language  is  to  be  understood  spiritualhj,  as  we  shall  now 
explain,  and  not  in  such  a  sense  as  to  imply  either  that  a  certain 
number  of  the  precepts  was  written  upon  one  table,  and  a  certain 
number  on  the  other,  or  that  one  part  only  of  the  divine  law  is  for 
man,  because  Avritten  on  one  of  the  tables  as  his  part  of  the  covenant, 
and  the  remainder  for  the  Lord  to  perform  on  his  part,  because  writ- 
ten on  the  other. 

The  spiritual  interpretation  alluded  to,  which  has  no  respect  to 
number  as  such,  but  to  the  thing  signified  by  number,  is  to  the  follow- 
ing effect :  Every  precept  contains  a  duty  for  man  to  perform,  and  in 
each  he  is  required  to  act  apparently  by  his  own  power :  yet,  as  in 
reality  he  is  of  himself  utterly  incapable  either  of  shunning  evil  or 
of  doing  good,  it  therefore  becomes  necessary  that  the  Lord  should 
accompany  him,  and  be  perpetually  j^resent  with  him,  to  give  him  both 
the  inclination  and  the  ability  to  observe  every  one,  or  any  one,  of 
his  divine  laws.  In  other  Avords,  man's  part  in  the  covenant  consists 
in  his  shunning  the  evil  that  is  forbidden,  and  in  doing  the  good  that 
is  enjoined,  apparently  of  himself,  yet  in  reality  from  the  Lord :  and 
the  Lord's  part  in  the  same  covenant  consists  in  his  actually  supplying 
man  with  all  the  purity  of  motive,  all  the  integrity  of  pwpose,  and  all 
the  power  of  action,  necessary  for  the  occasion ;  the  result  of  which 
will  be,  that,  while  man  thus  obeys  the  divine  command,  he  will  yet 
at  the  same  time  ascribe  all  the  merit  to  the  Lord  alone.  And  hence 
the  true  reason  may  be  seen,  why  the  words  and  matter  of  each  com- 
mandment were  continued  from  one  table  to  the  other,  as  already 
described,  and  not  written  in  the  way  commonly  supposed,  with  a 
certain  number  of  commandments  on  one  table  and  a  certain  number 
on  the  other.  By  each  commandment  being  inscribed  on  both  tables, 
the  true  idea  of  a  covenant  or  of  spiritual  conjunction  with  the  Lord, 
is  more  fully  set  forth  than  it  could  be  by  any  other  means:  and  we  are 
thereby  clearly  instructed  that  Avhile  the  Lord  is  in  man,  man  ought 
also  at  the  same  time  to  be  in  the  Lord.  This  agrees  with  his  own 
words  in  the  Gospel :  "  He  that  abideth  in  me  and  /  in  him,  the  same 
bringeth  forth  much  fruit :  for  without  me  ye  can  do  nothing,"  John  xv.  5. 
44 


518 


PRECIOUS  AND  COMMON  STONES. 


That  the  view  which  we  have  hero  taken  of  the  ten  commandments 
written  on  two  tables  of  stone,  yet  in  such  a  manner  as  to  exhibit  the 
true  conjunction  of  the  Lord  and  man,  is  a  just  one,  may  be  further 
confirmed  by  other  examples  to  be  found  in  the  Word.  When  Abram 
was  desirous  of  some  sign  to  assure  him  that  he  and  his  posterity 
should  inherit  the  promised  land,  he  Avas  ordered  to  take  a  heifer  of 
three  years  old,  and  a  she-goat  of  three  years  old,  and  a  ram  of  three 
years  old;  and  he  divided  these  in  the  mid-d,  and  laid  each  piece  one 
against  the  other,  Gen.  xv.  8-10.  This  division  of  each  animal  into 
two  parts  or  pieces,  and  the  position  of  these  one  over  against  the  other, 
represented  the  same  thing  as  the  division  of  the  laM's  into  tivo  tables, 
and  the  application  of  both  together,  viz.,  the  conjunction  of  the  Lord 
and  man :  and  therefore  it  is  written  immediately  afterwards  in  ver. 
18,  that  "  in  the  same  day  Jehovah  made  a  covenant  uith  Abram." 

We  find  also,  that  in  ancient  times  it  was  usual  even  for  transgres- 
sors and  idolators  to  divide  the  animals  which  they  ofiered  in  sacrifice 
to  their  fiilse  gods,  and  to  pass  between  the  pieces,  as  in  Jer.  xxxiv. 
18 :  whereby  was  represented  the  conjunction  of  hell  with  man,  or, 
what  is  the  same  thing,  the  conjunction  of  evil  and  of  falsity  in  the 
human  mind. 

In  general,  by  the  various  sacrifices  whereof  part  Avas  burnt  upon 
the  altar  and  part  was  given  to  the  people  to  eat :  also  by  the  blood, 
half  of  which  was  sprinkled  upon  the  altar  and  half  upon  the  people, 
Ex.  xxiv.  6,  8,  Avas  represented  the  conjunction  of  the  Lord  and  man 
by  means  of  divine  good  and  divine  truth.  The  same  is  likewise 
denoted  by  the  bread  which  Jesus  brake,  or  divided,  when  He  fed  the 
multitude,  and  when  He  instituted  the  holy  siipper.  From  all  which 
we  learn  that  the  great  object  continually  held  up  to  view,  both  in 
the  writings  of  Moses  called  the  law,  and  of  the  Evangelists  called 
the  gospel,  is  the  conjunction  of  the  Lord  with  man,  and  thereby  is 
eternal  salvation. 

The  first  Pair  of  Tables  which  were  broken  by  Moses,  and  repre- 
sented the  Ancient  Word,  with  Remarks  on  some  of  the  Apocry- 
phal books,  the  Fables  of  the  Ancients,  and  other  ancient  Writ- 
ings. 

Of  the  first  pair  of  tables  it  is  said  that  they  were  the  work  of  God, 
and  that  the  writing  was  the  writing  of  God  graven  uj)on  the  tables, 
being  written  with  the  finger  of  God.  But  of  the  second  pair  of  tables 
■which  were  like  unto  the  first,  we  read  that  Moses  hewed  and  prepared 


THE  FIRST  PAIR  OF  TABLES. 


519 


them  for  the  Avriting ;  and  that  afterwards  Jehovah  himself  wrote  on 
the  tables  the  Avords  that  were  in  the  first  tables.  AVith  a  view  to  ex- 
plain these  extraordinary  circumstances,  the  following  observations 
are  submitted ; 

The  two  tables  containing  the  divine  law  in  a  concise  and  compre- 
hensive form,  and  being  a  kind  of  first-fruits  or  harbinger  of  the 
succeeding  revelation,  represented  the  whole  Word.  But  the  first 
pair  in  particular,  which  were  broken  at  the  foot  of  the  mountain, 
represented  the  Ancient  Word,  or  that  code  of  divine  revelation 
•which  existed  prior  to  the  Word  given  by  Moses  and  the  prophets. 
This  Ancient  Word  being  no  longer  accommodated  to  the  degenerate 
state  of  man,  was  therefore  by  the  divine  providence  of  the  Lord, 
removed  in  order  to  make  way  for  the  Word  Avhich  we  now  have, 
as  better  suited  to  the  temper  and  genius  of  the  Israelitish  people, 
and  indeed  of  mankind  in  general.* 

That  such  an  Ancient  Word  did  really  exist  j^rior  to  our  Word,  is 
evident  from  this  circumstance,  that  it  is  expressly  quoted  by  Moses 
in  Num.  xxi.  14,  15,  who  transcribes  a  passage  from  one  of  the  his- 
torical or  rather  prophetical  books  belonging  to  it,  called  the  book  of 
the  Wars  of  Jehovah ;  alluding  in  the  first  place  to  the  wars  of  the 
Israelites  Avith  their  different  enemies,  and  in  the  next  place  to  the 
future  acts  of  Jehovah  in  the  Humanity,  when  He  accomplished  the 
great  work  of  redemption  by  fighting  against  and  overcoming  all  the 
powers  of  hell.  Moses  in  the  same  chapter,  ver.  27-30,  gives  an- 
other quotation  from  another  book  of  the  Ancient  Word  called  Prov- 
erbs, or  rather  Enunciations,  as  it  appears  to  have  consisted  of  pro- 
phetic declarations.  Joshua  likewise,  when  he  bade  the  sun  and 
moon  stand  still,  refers  to  a  third  book  of  the  Ancient  Woi'd,  saying, 
"Is  not  this  written  in  the  booh  of  Jasher?"  (i.  e.  the  booh  of  Rectitude 
or  Equity?)  chap.  x.  12,  13;  again  alluding  to  the  wars  of  the  Is- 
raelites, and  to  the  victories  over  man's  spiritual  enemies,  which  the 
Lord  obtained  while  in  the  flesh.  The  same  book  is  appealed  to 
as  a  book  of  high  authority,  by  the  author  of  the  book  of  Samuel, 


*  As  a  proof  that  the  event  here  spoken  of 
was  of  the  Divine  Providence,  it  may  be  suf- 
ficient to  remark,  that,  when  Moses  in  great 
anger  and  indignation  cast  the  tables  to  the 
ground,  and  brake  them  in  pieces,  although 
he  had  just  before  received  them  in  the  most 
solemn  manner,  and  as  a  most  sacred  de- 
posit from  the  hands  of  Jehovah,  still  no 
expression  of  divine  disapprobation  is  to  be 


found  on  account  of  the  apparently  rash 
conduct  of  Moses,  but  only  on  account  of 
the  wickedness  of  the  people.  On  the  con- 
trary, his  intercession  in  behalf  of  Aaron 
and  of  the  people  was  accepted  by  Jehovah ; 
and  this  without  any  previous  atonement 
being  required  of  him  for  the  purgation  of 

\  himself. 

1 


520 


PRECrOUS  AKD  COMMON  STONES. 


on  the  occasion  of  David's  lamentation  over  Saul  and  Jonathan: 
see  2  Sam.  i.  17,  18. 

But  besides  the  evidence  arising  from  these  references  and  direct 
quotations  from  different  books  of  the  Ancient  Word,  other  proofs 
are  to  be  found  in  our  Word,  that  there  existed  a  church  prior  to 
the  Israelitish  church,  and  consequently  a  revelation  prior  to  that 
received  by  Moses,  or  even  by  Abraham.  Balaam,  an  inhabitant  of 
Syria,  and  a  prophet  belonging  to  a  very  different  people  from  the 
Israelites,  yet  projihesied  from  the  mouth  of  Jehovah  the  true  God, 
Num.  xxii.  8-18:  and  in  chap,  xxiii.  and  xxiv.  throughout,  on  his 
surveying  the  dwellings  of  Israel  in  tents  and  tabernacles,  according 
to  their  tribes,  the  spirit  of  God  came  upon  him,  and  he  openly  an- 
nounced the  future  greatness  of  that  people,  and  foretold  the  coming 
of  the  Lord  into  the  world. 

It  appears  also  fi'om  Gen.  xiv.  18-20  that  Melchizedek,  who  was 
priest  of  the  most  high  God  as  well  as  king  of  Salem,  brought  forth 
bread  and  wine  to  Abram  and  blessed  him  :  whereupon  Abram  gave 
him  tithes  of  all,  as  an  acknowledgment  that  Melchizedek  repre- 
sented some  higher  or  more  interior  principle  of  celestial  life  than 
Abraham  at  that  time  did.  This  circumstance  clearly  proves  that  a 
church  existed  prior  to  that  instituted  among  the  posterity  of  Abra- 
ham ;  that  in  it  the  offices  of  priesthood  and  royalty  were  exercised 
by  one  and  the  same  person,  who  thus  rejiresentcd  the  union  of  divine 
good  and  divine  truth  in  the  person  of  the  Lord  that  the  symbols 
of  that  church,  bread  and  wine,  were  similar  to  those  appointed  in 
the  Christian  Cliurch  by  our  Lord  himself ;  and  therefore  that  there 
must  have  been  in  those  early  ages  of  the  world  a  revelation  or  Sa- 
cred Scripture  suited  to  the  then  existing  states  of  mankind,  which 
in  process  of  time  has  given  place  to  the  Word  written  by  Moses, 
the  prophets  and  the  Evangelists. 

Moses  himself  who  broke  the  two  former  tables  and  hewed  out 
new  ones,  also  represented  the  Word,  or  the  divine  law  in  general, 
especially  the  legal  and  historical  jnirt  of  it :  and  as  the  new  Word 
was  in  the  external  sense  to  treat  much  of  the  Israelitish  people,  it 


•  This  is  what  is  meant  in  Ps.  ex.  4,  by  the 

Lord's  being  a  priest  forever  after  the  order 
of  Melchizedek:  for  Melchizedek  as  a  priest 
represented  the  divine  good,  and  as  a  king 
the  divine  truth.  In  the  Israeliti.sh  cliurch 
this  representation  was  usually  effected  by 
two  distinct  persons,  the  priest  and  the  king  : 
but  in  times  antecedent  to  the  Jewish  the- 
ocracy, that  is  to  say,  in  the  ancient  church. 


which  existed  before  and  at  the  time  of 
Abraham,  the  representation  frequently  cen- 
tred in  one  person,  who  was  Iwth  priest  and 
king.  Such  was  Melchizedek  when,  after 
the  battle  of  the  king.s,  he  administered  sac- 
ramental bread  and  wine  to  Abram,  blessed 
him,  and  received  from  him  tithes  of  all  his 
acquisitions,  Gen,  xiv.  18-20. 


THE  FIRST  PAIR  OF  TABLES. 


521 


therefore  became  necessary  to  change  the  external  language  or 
exjyrcmon  of  the  Word,  while  its  hitcrnal  sense  and  divinity  still 
remained  the  same.  This  change  of  a  former  external  sense  of  the 
Word,  for  a  new  external  sense  better  adapted  to  the  state  of  the 
Jewish  nation,  by  describing  their  history,  manners  and  institutions, 
is  clearly  pointed  out,  not  only  by  the  fact  of  Moses  breaking  the 
first  tables,  and  afterwards  hewing  out  fresh  ones,  but  also  by  the 
occasion  which  impelled  him  to  do  it,  namely,  the  total  dejiarture  of 
the  Israelites,  with  Aaron  at  their  head,  from  the  worship  of  Jehovah 
to  the  worship  of  the  golden  calf,  in  the  formation  of  which  they 
had  all  unanimously  concurred.  And  it  appears  at  the  same  time 
no  less  evident,  that  the  same  divinity,  the  same  sanctity,  and  the 
same  internal  sense,  which  had  inspired  the  former  Word,  are  still 
preserved  and  continued  in  that  which  we  now  possess.  The  same 
ivords,  i.  e.  the  same  great  truths,  which  were  inscribed  on  the  former 
tables,  were  equally  written  by  the  same  divine  hand  on  the  new  tables. 

The  Ajjocrj'phal  books  which  are  frequently  annexed  to  the  Old 
Testament,  and  reputed  by  Christians  of  doubtful  authority,  are  not 
to  be  considered  as  forming  any  part  of  the  Ancient  Word  here 
spoken  of.  Some  of  them  are  supposed  to  have  been  written  in  the 
Avay  of  mere  allegory.  For  example,  Grotius  states  his  opinion  con- 
cerning the  book  of  Judith  to  be  that  it  is  entirely  a  parabolic  fiction, 
written  in  the  time  of  Antiochus  Epiphanes,  when  he  came  into  Ju- 
dea  to  raise  a  persecution  against  the  Jewish  church ;  and  that  the 
design  of  it  was  to  confirm  the  Jews  under  that  persecution  in  the 
hope  that  God  would  send  them  a  deliverance.  He  attemjDts  also  an 
explanation,  saying,  "that  by  Judith  is  meant  Judea;  hj  BdJniUa 
the  temple,  or  house  of  God ;  and  by  the  stvord  which  w^ent  out  from 
thence,  the  prayers  of  the  saints ;  That  Nehuchodonosor  denotes  the 
devil ;  and  the  kingdom  of  Assyria  the  devil's  kingdom,  pride :  That 
by  Holojernes  is  meant  the  instrument  or  agent  of  the  devil  in  that 
persecution,  Antiochus  Epiphanes  who  made  himself  master  of  Judea, 
that  fair  widow,  so  called,  because  destitute  of  relief :  That  Eliakim* 
signifies  God,  who  would  arise  in  her  defence,  and  at  length  cut  off 
that  instrument  of  the  devil,  who  would  have  corrupted  her." 

Grotius  and  others  also  think,  that  the  book,  called  Baruch,  in  the 
Apocrypha,  is  a  mere  fiction,  or  allegorical  relation,  written  by  some 


*  Jerom,  in  his  Latin  version  of  Judilh,  |  GocJin  the  one  case,  as  Je/iot'a  or /oa  is  taken 
promiscuously  uses  the  terms  Eliakivi,a.r).&  i  for  the  name  of  Je/ioi'a/i  in  the  other. 
Jehoiakini,  or  Joakim ;  El  being  the  name  of  I 
44* 


522 


PRECIOUS  AND  COMMON  STONES. 


Hellenistic  Jew,  and  containing  nothing  of  a  real  history.  See  Pri- 
deaux's  Connection,  vol.  i.,  p.  52. 

The  same  observations  will  in  a  great  measure  apply  to  many  other 
writings  which  have  been  brought  down  to  our  times,  particularly 
those  of  the  ancient  mythologists,  of  which  the  celebrated  Lord 
Bacon  says,  "  It  may  pass  for  a  further  indication  of  a  concealed  and 
secret  meaning,  that  some  of  these  fables  are  so  absurd  and  idle  in 
their  narration,  as  to  proclaim  an  allegory  even  afar  oti'.  A  fable 
that  carries  probability  with  it,  may  be  supposed  invented  for  pleasure 
or  in  imitation  of  history :  but  what  could  never  be  conceived  or 
related  in  this  way,  must  surely  have  a  different  use.  For  example ; 
what  a  monstrous  fiction  is  this.  That  Jupiter  should  take  2Ietis  to 
wife ;  and  as  soon  as  he  found  her  pregnant,  eat  her  up ;  whereby  he 
also  conceived,  and  out  of  his  head  brought  forth  Pallas  armed !  Cer- 
tainly no  mortal  could,  but  for  the  sake  of  the  moral  it  couches, 
invent  such  an  absurd  dream  as  this,  so  much  out  of  the  road  of 
thought." 

He  further  observes,  "  The  argument  of  most  weight  with  me  is : 
That  many  of  these  fables  appear  not  to  have  been  invented  by  the 
persons  who  relate  and  divulge  them,  whether  Homer,  Hesiod,  or 
others ;  for  if  I  were  assured  they  first  flowed  from  those  later  times 
and  authors,  I  should  never  expect  anj-thing  singularly  great  and 
noble  from  such  an  origin.  But  whoever  attentively  considers  the 
things,  will  find  that  these  fables  are  delivered  down  by  those  writers, 
not  as  matters  then  first  invented,  but  as  received  and  embraced  in 
earlier  ages.  And  this  principally  raises  my  esteem  of  those  fables; 
which  I  receive,  not  as  the  product  of  the  age,  or  invention  of  the 
poets,  but  as  sacred  relics,  gentle  whispei*s,  and  the  breath  of  better 
times,  that,  from  the  traditions  of  more  ancient  nations,  came  at 
length  into  the  flutes  and  trumpets  of  the  Greeks." 

The  explanations  of  these  things,  which  have  been  attempted  by 
learned  men  of  the  present  age,  by  no  means  reach  that  sublimity  of 
conception,  or  that  superlative  degree  of  Avisdom,  which  there  is 
reason  to  believe  distinguished  the  sages  of  ancient  times.  And  yet 
they  are  suflBcient  to  produce  a  conviction  in  the  mind,  that  when- 
ever our  ancestors  of  most  remote  antiquity  would  describe  the  opera- 
tions of  cither  spiritual,  moral,  civil  or  j^hysical  causes,  they  did  it  in 
such  terms  and  under  such  forms  and  emblems  as  we  find  more 
or  less  characterize  all  their  writings.  Mr.  William  Jones,  in  his 
Figurative  Language  of  Holy  Scripture,  (p.  318,)  states  what  he  sup- 


THE  FIRST  PAIR  OF  TABLES. 


523 


poses  to  have  been  signified  by  the  idols  of  the  ancients,  the  heavenly 
constellations,  etc.,  etc. 

"All  idoh  (says  he)  were  originally  emblematical  figures,  expressive 
of  the  lights  of  heaven,  and  the  powers  of  nature.  Apollo  was  the 
sun ;  Diana  was  the  moon ;  both  represented  with  arrows,  because 
both  shot  forth  rays  of  light. 

"  The  forms  of  worship  were  symbolical.  They  danced  in  circles, 
to  show  the  revolutions  of  the  heavenly  bodies. 

"  In  the  constellations, — the  Bears  possess  the  arctic  or  northern 
regions.  The  Ram,  Bull,  and  Lion,  all  sacred  to  the  solar  light  and 
fire,  are  accommodated  to  the  degrees  of  the  sun's  power,  as  it  in- 
creases in  the  summer  months.  The  Crah,  w  hich  walks  sideways  and 
backwards,  is  placed  where  the  sun  moves  paralled  to  the  equator, 
and  begins  in  that  sign  to  recede  towards  the  south.  The  Scales  are 
placed  at  the  autumnal  equinox,  where  the  light  and  darkness  are 
equally  balanced.  The  Capricorn,  ox  il/ou/ifam-Goai,  is  placed 
at  the  tropical  point,  from  whence  the  sun  begins  to  climb  ujiward 
towards  the  north.  The  ear  of  corn  in  the  hand  of  Virgo  marks  the 
season  of  the  harvest.  The  precession  of  the  equinoctial  points  has 
now  removed  the  figures  and  the  stars  they  belong  to  out  of  their 
proper  places ;  but  such  was  their  meaning  when  they  Avere  in  them. 

"  Boyalty  and  government  were  formerly  distinguished  by  symbolical 
insignia.  A  kingdom  w  as  supposed  to  be  attended  with  jioiver  and 
glory.  The  glory  was  signified  by  a  crown  with  points  resembling 
rays  of  light,  and  adorned  with  orhs  as  the  heaven  is  studded  with 
stars.  Sometimes  it  was  signified  by  horns,  which  are  a  natural 
crown  to  animals,  as  we  see  in  the  figure  of  Alexander  upon  some 
ancient  coins.  The  power  of  empire  was  denoted  by  a  rod  or  sceptre. 
A  rod  was  given  to  Moses  for  the  exercise  of  a  miraculous  power ; 
whence  was  derived  the  magical  wand  of  enchanters  :  and  he  is  figured 
Avith  horns,  to  denote  the  glory  which  attended  him,  when  he  came 
down  from  the  presence  of  God.  In  Homer's  Uiad,  the  priest  of 
Apollo  is  distinguished  by  a  sceptre  in  his  hand  and  a  crown  on  his 
head,  to  show  that  he  derived  his  power  from  the  Deity  whom  he 
represented.  So  long  as  monarchy  prevailed,  the  sceptre  of  kings  was 
a  single  rod :  but  when  Brutus  first  formed  a  republic  at  Rome,  he 
changed  the  regal  sceptre  into  a  bundle  of  rods,  or  fagot  of  sticks, 
with  an  axe  in  the  middle,  to  signify  in  this  case  that  the  power  was 
not  derived  from  heaven,  but  from  the  multitude  of  the  people,  who 
were  accordingly  flattered  from  that  time  forward  with  Majesty. 


521 


PRECIOUS  AXD  COMMON  STON'ES. 


"  Time  was  represented  with  wings  at  his  feet,  a  razor  or  a  scythe  in 
his  right  hand,  a  lock  of  hair  on  his  forehead,  and  his  head  bald 
behind;  Justice, -with  her  sword  and  scales;  Fortune,  with  her  feet 
U])on  a,  rolling  sphere  and  her  eyes  hoodwinked ;  Vengeance,  \\ith.  her 
whip;  Pleasure,  with  her  enchanted  cup;  Hope,  with  her  anchor; 
Death,  with  his  (/a)-i  and  hour-glass;  and  many  others  of  the  same  class, 
all  representing  in  visible  forms  the  ideas  contemplated  by  the  mind. 

"  Pythagoras  points  out,  by  the  letter  Y,  the  road  of  lH'e  branching 
out  into  two  ways,  the  one  of  virtue,  the  other  of  vice.  He  advises 
not  to  keep  animals  ivith  crooked  claws ;  i.  e.  not  to  make  companions 
of  persons  who  are  fierce  and  cruel : — not  to  stop  upon  a  journey  to 
cut  wood ;  i.  e.  not  to  turn  aside  to  things  foreign  to  the  main  purpose 
of  life : — Never  to  make  a  libation  to  the  Gods  from  a  vine  ivhich  has 
not  been  pruned;  i.  e.  not  to  offer  worship  but  from  the  fruits  of  a 
severe  and  well-ordered  life : — Not  to  wipe  aivay  sweat  with  a  sword ; 
i.  e.  not  to  take  away  by  force  and  violence  what  another  has  earned 
by  his  labor.  It  was  customary  with  the  ancients  to  use  aflat  instru- 
ment, like  the  blade  of  a  knife,  to  wipe  away  sweat  from  the  skin, 
and  to  clear  it  of  the  Avater  after  the  use  of  the  bath.  Another  say- 
ing of  Pythagoras  was,  that  it  is  a  foolish  action  to  read  a  poem  to  a 
bead ;  i.  e.  to  communicate  what  is  excellent  to  a  stupid,  ignorant 
person :  which  is  similar  to  that  prohibition  in  the  Gospel,  not  to  give 
a  holy  thing  to  a  dog,  nor  to  cast  pearh  before  stvine." 

In  addition  to  the  observations  above  made  concerning  the  writings 
of  antiquity,  it  may  be  remarked,  that  the  Apostle  Peter  in  his  second 
Epistle,  (chap,  ii.,)  and  Jude  in  his  General  Epistle,  both  appear  to 
have  copied  from  one  and  the  same  ancient  book  which  was  extant 
in  their  day,  but  is  since  lost  to  the  world.  How  otherwise  can  it  be 
accounted  for,  that  the  very  same  ideas,  the  very  same  kind  of 
language,  and  the  very  same  order  of  delivery,  which  we  find  in  the 
one  writer,  are  so  punctually  followed  by  the  other '?  Let  the  reader 
only  compare  the  jiassages  here  referred  to,  and  he  wiW  find  no  room 
for  a  doubt  on  the  subject. 

Peter,  2d  Epistle.  Jude,  General  Epistle. 

Compare  chap,  ii.,  ver.  1,  with 


4 
6 
10 
11 
12 


Ver.  4. 
6. 
7. 
8. 
9. 
10. 


TEE  SECOND  PAIR  OF  TABLES. 


525 


Peter,  2d  Epistle. 
Compare  chap,  ii.,  ver.  13  to  15,  with 


Jude,  General  Ep'mtlc. 
Ver.  11,  12. 
12,  13. 


17 

18,  19 
chap,  iii.,  ver.  2 


16. 
17. 
18, 


3 


Peter  goes  on  in  the  succeeding  verses  of  chap.  iii.  to  speak  of  the 
forincr  heavens  and  former  earth  ;  of  the  heavens  and  earth  which 
then  were ;  of  these  latter  being  reserved  for  destruction  by  fire  as 
the  former  had  been  by  water ;  and  lastly  of  new  heavens  and  a  new 
earth,  wherein  should  dwell  righteousness  :  all  which  particulars  were 
no  doubt  transcribed  by  him  from  some  ancient  writing,  not  perhaps 
of  absolutely  divine  authority,  like  the  genuine  books  of  the  Ancient 
^yord,  but  the  production  of  some  enlightened  man  who  treated  of 
the  succession  of  different  churches  in  the  style  and  manner  of  the 
literal  sense  of  our  Word.  Jude  also,  in  his  Epistle,  ver.  14,  15, 
makes  express  mention  of  a  prophetical  book  Avritten  by  Enoch,  the 
seventh  from  Adam,  and  quotes  from  it  a  passage  which  foretells  the 
coming  of  the  Lord  to  execute  judgment  upon  the  wicked.  And  it 
is  not  improbable  but  several  of  the  references  made  by  the  Evange- 
lists to  the  sayings  of  prophets  not  to  be  found  in  the  Old  Testa- 
ment, may  have  been  intended  as  appeals  to,  or  citations  from,  that 
Ancient  Word  Avhich,  as  already  observed,  was  represented  by  the 
two  tables  of  stone  broken  by  Moses  at  the  foot  of  Mount  Sinai.  Or 
possibly  they  may  have  been  contained  in  some  other  prophetic  books, 
or  written  sayings  now  lost,  of  which  mention  is  so  frequently  made 
in  the  books  of  Kings  and  Chronicles ;  such  as  the  book  of  the 
Chronicles  of  King  David ;  the  book  of  the  Acts  of  Solomon  ;  the 
book  of  Samuel  the  Seer ;  the  book  of  Nathan  the  prophet ;  the  book 
of  Gad  the  seer ;  the  Prophecy  of  Ahijah  the  Shilonite ;  the  Visions 
of  Iddo  the  seer ;  the  book  of  Shemaiah  the  prophet ;  the  book  of 
Jehu,  the  son  of  Hanani ;  the  Writing  of  Elijah  the  prophet ;  and 
the  written  Sayings  of  the  Seers.  See  1  Kings  xi.  41  ;  1  Chron. 
xxvii.  24 ;  xxix.  29  ;  2  Chron.  ix.  29  ;  xii.  15  ;  xiii.  22 ;  xx.  34  ;  xxi. 
12 ;  xxxiii.  19. 

The  second  Pair  of  Tables,  which  were  substituted  for  the  former, 
and  represented  the  Word  given  by  Moses  and  the  Prophets. 
The  two  tables  which  were  substituted  in  the  place  of  the  former, 

represented  the  Word  given  by  Moses  and  the  Prophets,  or  that  A^•hich 


526 


PRECIOUS  AND  COMMON  STONES. 


we  now  possess.  For  as  the  prior  revelation  was  written  in  a  style 
and  manner  similar  indeed  in  some  respects  to  our  Word,*  yet  by 
correspondences  more  remote,  and  more  difficult  of  solution  than 
those  contained  in  the  history  of  the  Israelitish  people ;  and  as  in 
consequence  of  this  circumstance,  and  at  the  same  time  of  the  gross 
degeneracy  of  mankind  in  general,  as  before  observed,  it  became 
necessary  to  give  them  a  new  ^Yord  better  adapted  to  instruct,  re- 
claim and  amend  them,  than  the  former  was;  on  these  accounts 
Moses  was  commanded  to  hew  or  prepare  two  fresh  tables  of  stone, 
and  to  take  them  up  into  the  mountain  to  Jehovah,  that  He  might 
write  upon  them  according  to  the  former  writing :  whereas  the  first 
tables,  together  with  the  writing  upon  them,  are  said  to  have  been 
wholly  the  work  of  God.  By  Closes  being  ordered  to  prepare  the 
new  tables,  is  therefore  meant  that  he  was  to  be  engaged  in  writing 
the  literal  and  historical  sense  of  the  new  Word,  which  should  treat 
of  the  Jewish  or  Israelitish  people,  over  Avhom  he  was  constituted  the 
head  ;  and  by  Jehovah's  writing  upon  those  tables,  is  undei"stood  that 
nevertheless  that  histoiy  should  be  dictated  by  divine  inspiration, 
and  contain  within  its  bosom  an  internal,  heavenly,  and  even  a  divine 
sense. 

The  distinction  which  is  made  between  the  tables  themselves  and  the 
writing  upon  them,  is  intended  to  point  out  the  distinction  between 
the  literal  sense  of  the  Word  and  its  spiritual  sense :  the  former  being 
like  a  ground,  plane  or  table  on  which  the  latter  is  inscribed,  and 
from  which  it  cannot  properly  be  separated  because  it  is  everyAvhere 
within  it. 

Tlic  Woi'd  being  thus  distinguishable  into  an  internal  and  external 
sense,  it  appears  to  be  not  inconsistent  with  divine  order,  or  the  im- 
mutable nature  of  divine  truth,  that  its  external  should  be  changed 
according  to  the  circumstances  of  mankind,  its  internal  remaining 
ever  the  same.  But  in  what  manner  or  respect  this  change  of  the 
ejJternal  actually  took  place,  which  was  chiefly  on  account  of  the 
Israelitish  people,  cannot  be  better  described  than  in  the  words  of 
Swedcnborg,  who  in  his  Arcana  Calestia,  n.  10,603,  says: 

"  For  the  sake  of  that  nation  altars,  burnt-offerings,  sacrifices, 
meat-offerings  and  libations  Avere  commanded,  and  on  this  account, 
both  in  the  historical  and  prophetical  Word,  those  things  are  men- 
tioned as  the  most  holy  things  of  worship,  when  yet  they  were  allowed, 

•  This  (ippears  from  the  great  resemblance  |  cient  Word  in  Num.  xxi.  27-30  and  Uiat  in 
between  the  passage  quoted  from  the  An-  |  Jer.  xlviii.  45,  46. 


THE  SECOND  PAIR  OF  TABLES. 


527 


because  they  were  first  instituted  by  Eber,  and  were  altogether  unknoAvn 
in  the  ancient  representative  Church.  For  the  sake  of  that  nation 
also  it  came  to  pass  that  divine  worship  was  performed  in  Jerusalem 
alone,  and  that  on  this  account  that  city  was  esteemed  holy,  and  was 
also  called  holy,  both  in  the  historical  and  prophetical  AVord.  The 
reason  was,  that  that  nation  was  in  heart  idolatrous ;  and  therefore, 
unless  they  had  all  met  together  at  that  city  on  each  festival,  every 
one  in  his  own  place  would  have  worshipped  some  god  of  the  gentiles, 
or  a  graven  and  molten  image.  For  the  sake  of  that  nation,  also,  it 
was  forbidden  to  celebrate  holy  worship  on  mountains  and  in  groves, 
as  the  ancients  did ;  the  reason  of  Avhich  prohibition  was,  lest  they 
should  set  idols  there,  and  should  worship  the  very  trees.  For  the 
sake  of  that  nation  also  it  was  permitted  to  marry  several  wives, 
which  was  a  thing  altogether  unknown  in  ancient  times ;  and  like- 
wise to  put  aAvay  their  wives  for  various  causes :  hence  laws  were 
enacted  concerning  such  marriages  and  divorces,  which  otherwise 
would  not  have  entered  the  external  of  the  Word  ;  on  which  account 
this  external  is  called  by  the  Lord  the  external  of  Moses,  and  is  said 
to  be  granted  for  the  hardness  of  their  hearts,  Matt.  xix.  8.  For  the 
sake  of  that  nation  mention  is  so  often  made  of  Jacob,  and  likewise 
of  the  twelve  sons  of  Israel  as  being  the  only  elect  and  heirs,  as  in 
Apoc.  vii.  4—8,  and  in  other  places,  although  they  were  such  as  they 
are  described  in  the  song  of  Moses,  Deut.  xxxii.  15-43,  and  also  in 
the  prophets  throughout,  and  by  the  Lord  himself :  not  to  mention 
other  things  which  form  the  external  of  the  Word  for  the  sake  of 
that  nation.  This  external  is  what  is  signified  by  the  two  tables  hewed 
by  Moses.  That  still  in  that  external  there  is  a  divine  internal  not 
changed,  is  signified  by  Jehovah  writing  on  these  tables  the  same 
words  which  were  on  the  former  tables." 

The  first  tables,  then,  are  said  to  have  been  the  worh  of  God,  and 
the  writing  upon  them  the  ivriting  of  God,  because  the  Ancient 
Word  represented  by  those  tables,  was  dictated  by  God  both  as  to 
its  exterior  and  its  interior  contents,  Avithout  any  respect  to  mere  his- 
torical facts,  except  only  apparently  or  factitiously  in  the  letter,  after 
the  manner  of  the  first  ten  chapters  of  Genesis.  And  the  second 
tables  are  said  to  be  the  worh  of  Moses,  and  the  writing  upon  them  to 
be  the  writing  of  Jehovah,  because  a  great  part  of  the  new  Word  is 
indeed  as  to  its  external  or  historical  sense  written  by  the  pen  of 
Moses,  and  treats  of  the  people  of  Israel  over  whom  he  presided ; 


528 


PRECIOUS  AND  COMMON  STONES. 


while  its  internal  and  divine  sense  is  solely  from  the  Lord,  and  treats 
of  Him  and  his  kingdom  alone. 

Thus  we  see  that  though  the  wickedness  of  the  Israelites,  in  depart- 
ing from  the  worship  of  Jehovah  to  that  of  a  golden  calf,  was  the 
immediate  occasion  of  the  first  tables  being  broken,  still  new  tables 
were  substituted  in  their  place,  whose  contents  were  equally  holy  and 
divine  with  the  former.  And  that  we  may  never  lose  sight  of  the 
real  Author  of  the  "Word,  especially  as  to  its  spiritual,  celestial  and 
divine  senses,  but  may  perpetually  venerate  the  whole  of  its  contents 
as  the  true  medium  of  conjunction  between  heaven  and  earth,  as  the 
best  gift  of  the  Creator  to  the  creature,  and  as  the  very  habitation  of 
the  Lord  with  the  human  race,  we  are  most  solemnly  assured  that 
every  word  of  the  Sacred  Writing  was  impressed  upon  the  tables  by 
Jehovah  himself    Deut.  x.  2,  4. 

We  learn,  therefore,  from  a  due  consideration  of  the  circumstances 
recorded,  particularly  in  relation  to  our  Word  or  Sacred  Scripture, 
represented  by  the  two  tables  of  stone  last  given,  that  its  interior  con- 
tents are  derived  solely  from  the  Lord  ;  and  that  its  exterior  contents, 
though  written  by  the  hand  of  JNIoses  and  the  Prophets,  and  though 
adapted  to  the  state  of  the  Israelites  whose  history  was  thus  made 
the  vehicle  of  divine  wisdom  to  mankind,  when  every  former  dispen- 
sation was  found  unavailable  to  their  reformation  and  regeneration, 
were  yet  suggested  and  indited  by  the  same  merciful  Lord  who  in  all 
ages  of  the  world  has  never  ceased  to  bless  his  creatures  with  a  rev- 
elation of  himself,  and  of  those  divine  laws,  the  observance  of  which 
can  alone  prepare  man  for  a  happy  immortality  in  the  life  to  come. 


CHAPTER  IX. 


The  Breast-Plate  of  Aaron,  called  the  Breast-Plate  of  Judgment, 

AND  also  UrIH  and  TuUMMIM. 

The  Substance  and  Form  of  the  Breast-Plate,  and  Arrangement 
of  the  twelve  precious  Stones. 

(1.)  Ex.  xxviii.  15-21.  Thou  shalt  make  the  breast-plate  of 
judgment  with  cunning  work,  aftei'  the  Avork  of  the  ephod  thou  shalt 
make  it ;  of  gold,  and  of  bhie,  and  of  purple,  and  of  scarlet,  and 
of  fine  twined  linen  shalt  thou  make  it.  Four-square  it  shall  be, 
being  doubled ;  a  span  shall  be  the  length  thereof,  and  a  span  shall 
be  the  breadth  thereof.  And  thou  shalt  set  in  it  settings  of  stones, 
even  four  roivs  of  stones :  the  first  row  shall  be  a  sardius,  (a  ruby,)  a 
topaz,  and  a  carbuncle :  this  shall  be  the  first  roAV.  And  the  second 
row  shall  be  an  emerald,  (a  chrysoprasus,)  a  sapphire,  and  a  diamond. 
And  the  third  row  a  ligure,  (a  cyanus,)  an  agate,  and  an  amethyst. 
And  the  fourth  row  a  beryl,  (a  Tarshish, )  and  an  onyx,  and  a  jas- 
per :  they  shall  be  set  in  gold  in  their  inclosiugs.  And  the  stones 
shall  be  with  the  names  of  the  children  of  Israel,  twelve,  according  to 
their  names ;  like  the  engravings  of  a  signet,  every  one  with  his 
name  shall  they  be  according  to  the  twelve  tribes. 

In  Ex.  xxxix.  8-14,  nearly  the  same  Avords  as  the  preceding  are 
repeated  in  this  chapter ;  but  with  this  difference,  thar  the  former 
appear  in  the  sha^je  of  a  command,  the  latter  as  the  command  exe- 
cuted. 

As  the  breast-plate  of  Aaron  formed  one  of  the  most  magnificent 
appendages  to  his  sacerdotal  dress,  and  at  the  same  time,  from  the 
varied  brilliancy  and  translucency  of  the  precious  stones,  called 
Urim  and  Thummim,  Avhich  were  set  upon  it,  Avas  aj^pointed  to  be 
the  medium  Avhereby  responses  from  heaven  Avere  obtained  in  the 
JeAvish  church,  it  is  intei-esting  to  examine  its  construction,  and  to 
inquire  in  Avhat  manner  the  extraordinarj'  effects  ascribed  to  it  Avere 
produced. 

It  has  been  doubted  by  some  whether  the  breast-plate  formed  one 
square,  or  tAvo  squares  in  one,  making  an  oblong  square,  because  it  is 
45  21  529 


530 


PRECIOUS  AXB  COMMON  STONES. 


described  as  being  four-square  doubled :  and  it  has  likewise  been  sup- 
posed that  the  four  rows  of  precious  stones,  Avhich  were  set  in  it, 
■were  to  be  reckoned  from  right  to  left  in  such  a  manner,  that  the 
three  stones  of  each  row  should  be  placed  laterally,  or  even  with 
each  other.  Accordingly  some  engravings  have  represented  the 
plate  on  Aaron's  breast,  and  the  rows  of  stones  set  upon  it,  in  the 
way  and  position  just  described.  But  on  a  more  careful  examina- 
tion of  the  passage  above  quoted,  it  will  be  found  that  the  whole 
breast-plate  was  a  perfect  square,  being  a  span  in  length  and  a  span 
in  breadth :  yet  it  was  a  square  of  a  double  or  twofold  character, 
because  it  was  divided  into  right  and  left,  to  represent  a  celestial  and 
a  spiritual  principle :  and  these  again  were  subdivided,  to  denote  the 
internal  and  the  external  of  each :  the  whole  forming  four  rows  in  a 
vertical  or  upright  position,  with  three  stones  in  each  row,  and  there- 
by representing  and  signifying  the  conjunction  of  all  the  truths  of 
heaven  Avith  the  good  from  which  they  are  derived,  and  at  the  same 
time  their  high  perfection.    (See  Plate.) 

The  breast-plate  itself  was  made  of  gold,  of  blue,  and  of  purple, 
and  of  scarlet,  and  of  fine  twined  linen :  its  form  being  that  of  a 
square  when  doubled  ;  it  had  two  rings  at  the  upper  ends,  and  two  at 
the  middle  of  the  sides,  whereby  it  was  fastened  to  the  ephod :  and 
each  of  the  precious  stones,  twelve  in  number,  was  set  in  a  socket  of 
gold,  and  had  the  name  of  one  of  the  twelve  tribes  of  Israel  en- 
graved upon  it.  Wliich  particular  name  was  inscribed  on  one  stone, 
and  which  on  another,  does  not  appear  from  the  description  given  in 
the  Word  :  and  it  would  be  very  difficult  if  not  impossible  for  us  at 
the  present  day  to  determine  this  point,  since  the  order  of  the  names 
in  other  parts  of  the  AVord  varies  on  different  occasions,  each  name  at 
one  time  denoting  more  or  less  of  the  good  and  the  true  pro^wrly  signi- 
fied by  it,  according  to  the  nature  of  the  subject  treated  of,  the  arrange- 
ment in  each  case  adopted,  and  the  relation  of  the  one  to  the  other  and 
to  the  whole.  For  examples  of  this  variety  in  the  order  of  the  nomi- 
nation of  the  tribes,  the  reader  may  consult  the  following  passages : 

1.  For  the  order  of  their  birth.  Gen.  xxix.  32-35;  xxx.  6-24; 
XXXV.  18. 

2.  For  the  order  in  which  they  arc  named,  before  Jacob  came  to 
his  father  Isaac  to  ilamre.  Gen.  xxxv.  23-26. 

3.  For  the  order  when  they  came  into  Egypt,  Gen.  xlvi.  8-19. 

4.  For  the  order  when  they  were  blessed  by  their  father  Jacob, 
then  Israel,  Gen.  xlix.  3-27. 


REPRESENTATION  OF  THE  BREAST-PLATE 


With  its  Precious  Stones,  their  Colors, 


and  Signification. 


CELESTIAL. 


FiKST  Row.       Second  Row. 


Ritby. 


KEDDISH  BLITE. 


Chrysoprasus. 


Topaz. 


Sapphire. 


■  ■ 


Carbuncle. 


3. 


Celestial  Good. 


6. 

Diamond. 


Celestial  Truth. 


SPIRITUAL. 


Third  Row. 


WHITISH  BLUE. 


Cyamcs. 


Fourth  Row. 


BLUISH  WHITE. 


7. 


Agate. 


m 


Amethyst.  Jasper, 


1 


©. 


Spiritual  Good. 


Tarshish. 


lO. 


Onyx. 


m 


12. 


Spiritual  Truth. 


First  Roir,  Downuard-f, 

Red  

Celestial  love  of  Good. 

Second  Row  



Reddish  Blue  

Celestial  Love  of  Truth. 

Third  Hoir  

Whitish  Blue  

Spiritual  Love  of  Good. 

Fourth  Row  

Bluish  White  

Spiritual  Love  of  Truth. 

THE  BREAST-PLATE  OF  AAJtOK 


531 


5.  For  the  order  when  the  heads  of  the  different  tribes  arc  named, 
for  the  purpose  of  numbering  their  armies,  Num.  i.  5-15. 

6.  For  the  order  when  all  the  males  capable  of  war,  from  twenty 
years  old  and  upward,  were  numbered,  Num.  i.  20-43. 

7.  For  the  order  when  they  pitched  their  tents  around  the  taber- 
nacle of  the  congregation,  Num.  ii.  1  to  end. 

8.  For  the  order  when  the  princes  of  the  tribes  made  their  offer- 
ings, Num.  vii.  12-78. 

9.  For  the  order  when  they  marched,  the  ark  of  the  covenant 
going  before  them.  Num.  x.  14-28,  33. 

10.  For  the  order  when  the  heads  of  the  tribes  were  sent  to  spy 
out  the  land  of  Canaan,  Num.  xiii.  4-15. 

11.  For  the  order  when  they  Avere  numbered.  Num.  xxvi.  5-62. 

12.  For  the  order  when  the  princes  were  ai^poiuted  to  divide  the 
land  by  inheritance.  Num.  xxxiv.  13-29. 

13.  For  the  order  when  thej^  stood  upon  mount  Gerizim  to  bless 
the  people,  and  upon  mount  Ebal  to  curse,  Deut.  xxvii.  12,  13. 

14.  For  the  order  when  they  were  blessed  by  Moses,  Deut.  xxxiii. 
6-24. 

15.  For  the  order  when  the  lands  were  divided  by  lot  among  them, 
Josh,  xiii.-xix. 

16.  For  the  order  when  certain  cities  were  given  by  lot  to  the  Le- 
vites.  Josh.  xxi.  4-7. 

17.  For  the  order  when  the  cities  so  given  to  the  Levites  are  men- 
tioned by  name.  Josh.  xxi.  9-39. 

18.  For  the  order  when  the  new  or  holy  land  shall  be  divided  by 
lot  according  to  the  tribes  of  Israel,  Ezek.  xlviii.  2-8,  23-28. 

19.  For  the  order  when  the  gates  of  the  new  or  holy  city  are  de- 
scribed, Ezek.  xlviii.  31-34. 

20.  For  the  order  when  twelve  thousand  of  each  tribe  are  sealed, 
Apoc.  vii.  5-8. 

With  respect  to  the  names  appropriated  to  each  stone,  it  is  probable 
that  some  one  of  the  preceding  orders  of  nomination  Avas  observed, 
though  not  particularly  stated  in  the  letter  of  the  Word.  The  order 
of  their  birth  is  generally  supposed  to  have  been  the  order  adoiDted 
for  the  breast-plate,  probably  because  that  Avas  the  order  observed  on 
the  two  onyx-stones  jDlaced  on  the  shoulders  of  the  ephod,  as  in  Ex. 
xx\dii.  10,  But  this  being  matter  of  conjecture  only,  some  incline 
to  that  arrangement  of  the  tribes,  which  represented  the  celestial 
order  subsisting  among  the  angelic  societies  in  heaven,  because  in 


532 


PRECIOUS  AND  COMMON  STONES. 


their  judgment  it  is  the  most  perfect.  Such  appears  to  have  been  the 
order  of  their  encampment,  as  given  in  Num.  ii.  3-21,*  when  they 
were  arranged  according  to  the  four  quarters,  the  standard  of  tlie 
camp  of  Judah  at  the  head  of  three  tribes  being  in  the  east,  that  of 
Reuben  at  the  head  of  three  other  tribes  in  the  south,  that  of  Ephraim 
in  like  manner  in  the  west,  and  that  of  Dan  in  the  north,  with  the 
camp  of  the  Levites  and  the  tabernacle  of  the  congregation  in  the 
midst.  For  Judah  was  the  first  of  the  tribes,  and  bore  the  highest 
signification  ;  while  Dan  was  the  last,  and  denoted  what  was  lowest  in 
heaven  and  the  church.t  Similar  was  the  order  when  they  marched, 
the  ark  of  the  covenant  going  before  them,  Num.  x,  14-28,  33.  And 
probably  they  were  in  the  same  position  in  relation  to  the  four 
quarters,  as  that  above  described,  Avhen  Balaam  beheld  them  at  a 
distance,  and  exclaimed,  "How  goodly  are  thy  tents,  O  Jacob,  and 
thy  tabernacles,  O  Israel !  "  Num.  xxiv.  5. 

But  as  it  is  possible  that  some  other  order  than  that  of  encampment 
may  have  been  required  for  the  breast-plate,  which  however  is  not 
expressed,  we  shall  venture  to  offer  a  conjecture  on  the  reason  of  its 
being  withheld.|  May  it  not  have  been,  because  the  names  as  seen 
upon  the  breast-plate  in  the  sjiiritual  world,  were  not  ahvays  deter- 
mined to  any  one  arrangement,  but  at  times  shifted  from  one  stone, 
or  from  one  order  of  stones,  to  another,  according  to  the  ever-changing 
circumstances  of  the  church,  or  of  the  people  who  represented  the 
church,  either  generally  or  specifically  ?  And  as  this  variety  of  state 
was  perpetual,  and  could  not  have  been  so  well  suggested  or  desig- 
nated by  any  fixed  order  of  naming  the  tribes,  may  it  not  have  been 
on  this  account  that  the  literal  sense  or  the  literal  record,  is  silent 
on  the  point  in  question  ?  And  yet  we  are  authorized  to  believe  that 
the  names  were  actually  engraven  either  over,  under,  or  upon  the 
stones  in  some  determinate  order,  which  must  therefore  have  been 
permanent  in  the  natural  world,  though  variable  in  the  spiritual 
world.  The  inconvenience  or  difficulty  which  may  be  supposed  to 
arise  from  the  disagreement  here  alluded  to  between  what  may  be 


*  See  A.  C,  n.  3802, 4603, 6335,  SSCVl.   Ap.  Ex., 
n. 431. 
t  See  A.  C,  n.  10,335. 

%  An  intelligent  member  of  the  New 
Church  (J.  A.  T.)  makes  the  following  re- 
mark on  this  subject :  ''  There  .seems  to  be  a 
mysterious  reason  why  this  partieular  order 
should  have  been  concealed,  and  that  so 


carefully  even  in  history ;  for  it  must  have 
been  known  to  the  priests,  and  even  to  Jose- 
phus,  who  yet  does  not  mention  it  in  his 
Antiquities  o/  the  Jews.  Probably  it  >vas  to 
prevent  an  imitation  of  the  L'rim  and  Tlittm- 
mini,  and  a  magical  application  of  it  in  ob- 
taining responses,  whicli  some  cabalistic 
books  have  taught  with  respect  to  the  letter 
of  the  Word." 


THE  BREAST-PLATE  OF  AARON. 


633 


called  the  real  fad  and  the  spiritual  me  to  be  drawn  from  the  whole 
des(Ti[)tion  of  IJrim  and  Thumniim,  is  entirely  obviated  by  .wppres- 
sing  in  the  letter  all  mention  of  the  order  of  naming  the  tribes,  or  the 
particnlar  application  of  the  names  to  their  respective  stones  on  the 
breast-plate:  which  is  a  peculiarity  not  exclusively  confined  to  the 
present  case,  but  may  be  observed  in  various  other  instances  to  be  met 
with  in  the  Sacred  Scriptures  both  of  the  Old  and  the  New  Testa- 
ment.* 

They  who  are  desirous  of  further  information  as  to  facts  which 
really  did  take  place,  but  which  yet  were  not  deemed  proper  to  be 
admitted  as  jjart  of  the  Divine  Word,  and  therefore  frequently  referred 
to  the  books  of  the  Chronicles  of  the  kings  of  Judah  and  Israel, 
(which  do  not  apjjear  to  be  those  books  usually  called  Chronicles,  but 
some  others  not  now  extant,)  or  to  some  other  history  collateral  with 
but  distinct  from  the  Sacred  Volume :  see  1  Kings  xi.  41 ;  xiv.  19, 
29,  etc.,  and  pp.  524  and  525  of  this  work.  Compare  also  2  Sam. 
xxiv.  9,  which  is  a  part  of  the  real  Word,  with  1  Chron.  xxi.  5 ; 
xxvii.  24,  which  is  no  2")art  of  the  Word,  but  merely  a  collateral  or 
supplementary  history;  and  the  variation  of  the  Divine  record  from 
what  may  probably  have  been  the  literal  fact  w  ill  immediately  appear. 
Again,  compare  2  Kings  xxiii.  29,  30,  with  2  Chron.  xxxv.  20-27  ; 
and  it  will  be  further  seen,  that  several  particulars  relative  to  the 
good  king  Josiah,  which  are  recorded  as  facts  in  the  last-mentioned 
history,  are  entirely  suppressed  in  the  book  of  Kings,  which  is  a  part 
of  the  Divine  Word. 

Similar  variations  are  observable  in  other  historical  transactions 
related  in  the  divine  books,  when  compared  with  those  given  in  the 
book  of  Chronicles :  as  for  example,  speaking  of  the  first  of  David's 
heroes,  it  is  said  in  the  first  book  of  Chronicles,  that  "  Jashoboam  an 
Hachmonite,  the  chief  of  the  captains,  lifted  up  his  spear  against 
three  hundred,  who  were  slain  by  him  at  one  time,"  chap.  xi.  11  :  but 
in  the  second  book  of  Samuel  the  exploits  of  the  same  mighty  man 


*  In  proof  of  this,  it  may  be  sufficieut  to 
remark,  that  wherever  a  distinction  is  ob- 
servable between  tlie/ac<  and  the  liistoi-y,  the 
real  transaction  and  tlie  record  of  that  transac- 
lion,  in  all  such  cases  the  latter  and  not  the 
farmer,  i.  e.  the  record  and  not  the /ac(,  is  to 
be  considered  as  the  proper  basis  of  revela- 
tion, the  true  expression  of  divine  wisdom,  in 
short,  the  IIolii  Word  itself.  For  of  the  vast 
abundance  of  facts  that  really  and  literally 
took  place  among  the  people  of  Israel,  from 
45* 


their  exodus  out  of  Egypt  to  their  full  estab- 
lishment in  the  land  of  Canaan,  a  certain 
number  only  were  selected  by  the  Divine 
Wisdom  to  constitute  the  sacred  history: 
and  even  of  these  some  were  modified  or 
varied,  some  amplified  or  abridged,  in  such 
a  way  that  nothing  should  appear  in  the 
literal  record,  but  what  was,  is,  and  ever  will 
be  descriptive  (by  correspondences)  of  the 
real  states  of  man's  spiritual  life. 


634 


PRECIOUS  AND  COMMON  STONES. 


are  thus  described  :  "  The  Tachmonite,  that  sat  iu  the  seat,  (or,  as  it 
might  have  been  rendered,  Joshab-bashebeth  the  Tachmonite,)  chief 
among  the  captains,  the  same  ^vas  Adino  the  Eznite,  he  lifted  up  his 
spear  against  eight  hundred,  whom  he  slew  at  one  time,"  chap,  xxiii. 
8.  Here  the  Divine  record  makes  the  number  of  the  slain  to  be 
eight  hundred,  while  the  collateral  history  gives  only  three  hun- 
dred. 

In  the  New  Testament  likewise,  we  find  a  striking  variation  in  the 
account  given  by  Matthew,  from  that  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles, 
concerning  the  death  of  Judas.  Matt,  xxvii.  3-5,  states  that,  after 
Judas  had  betrayed  Jesus,  he  repented,  retui-ned  the  thirty  pieces  of 
silver,  the  price  of  blood,  and  went  and  lianged  himself.  Whereas 
iu  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  i.  18,  it  is  expi-essly  said,  that  he  "  pur- 
chased a  field  with  the  reward  of  iniquity ;  and  falling  headlong,  he 
burst  asunder  in  the  midst,  and  all  his  bowels  gushed  out."  And  it 
is  added,  (ver.  19,)  that  this  "  was  known  unto  all  the  dwellers  at 
Jerusalem ;  insomuch  as  that  field  is  called  iu  their  proper  tcmgue 
Aceldama,  that  is  to  say.  The  field  of  blood."  The  reader  will  here 
observe,  that  the  Evangelist  writes  by  Divine  hispiration,  and  that 
the  Acts  of  the  Apostles  is  to  be  regarded  only  as  a  collateral  history. 
That  the  Word  should  have  been  so  written,  as  to  comprise  in  its 
bosom  nothing  but  the  divine  truths  of  heaven,  while  in  its  external 
form  it  selects  just  so  much  (and  no  more)  of  the  Israelitish  history, 
as  was  found  necessary  to  embody  those  truths ;  and  that  at  the  same 
time  the  Church  should  be  able  to  reap  from  the  Avhole  the  spiritual 
benefit  intended,  is,  to  the  pious  and  enlightened  mind,  matter  of 
astonishment,  as  well  as  of  eternal  gratitude. 

Since,  tlierefore,  the  precise  arrangement  of  the  names  of  the  twelve 
tribes,  or  the  distinct  ajipropriation  of  them  to  the  particular  stones 
of  the  breast-plate,  cannot  now  be  ascertained,  and  for  the  reasons 
above  stated  need  not,  it  is  sufficient  for  us  to  know  that  the  stones 
themselves,  together  with  the  names  inscribed  upon  them,  represented 
all  the  goods  and  truths  of  heaven  and  the  church ;  that  those  on  the 
right  side  (of  the  high-priest)  represented  the  celestial  love  of  good 
and  the  celestial  love  of  truth,  or  in  other  words,  love  to  the  Lord 
and  mutual  love ;  that  those  on  the  lefl  represented  the  spiritual  love 
of  good,  and  the  spiritual  love  of  truth,  or  in  other  words,  charity 
towards  the  neighbor  and  faith  from  that  charity ;  while  the  three 
stones  in  each  row  denoted  the  perfection  and  fulness  of  each  kind 
of  love,  from  its  beginning  to  its  end.    This  signification  arises  as 


TUE  BREAST-PLATE  OF  AARON. 


535 


v  eil  from  the  colors  of  the  stones,  as  from  their  number,  which  was  in 
caoli  row  three. 

We  will  therefore  now  consider  the  rows  in  their  order  ;  and  from 
the  color,  transparency  and  brilliancy  of  each,  endeavor  to  point 
out  their  true  signification.* 

The  first  Bow,  consisting  of  a  Ruby,  a  Tojmz,  and  a  Car- 
buncle. 

There  are  two  fundamental  colors,  from  which  all  the  rest  by  com- 
bination with  each  other  and  with  certain  degrees  of  shade  or  color- 
less media,  are  derived.  These  two  fundamental  colors  are  red  and 
white ;  of  each  of  which  there  are  several  varieties.  The  red,  being 
a  peculiar  display  of  the  primary  or  most  essential  quality  of  fire,  is 
considered  in  the  Sacred  Scriptures  as  expressive  of  the  good  of  love 
with  which  it  corresponds  :  and  the  white,  being  a  peculiar  display  of 
the  secondarxj  property  of  fire,  in  the  same  Writings  denotes  the  truth 
of  wisdom  with  which  it  also  corresponds.  Now  as  the  modifications 
and  variegations  of  natural  light  with  shade  produce  colors  of  every 
description,  so  the  modifications  and  variegations  of  spiritual  light  or 
truth  Avith  ignorance,  produce  all  the  varieties  of  intelligence  and 
wisdom.  And  hence  the  precious  stones  in  the  breast-plate  of  Aaron 
become  representative  either  of  higher  or  of  lower  degrees  of  wisdom, 
(^^hich  is  always  to  be  understood  as  inseparable  from  its  love,) 
according  to  their  brilliancy  and  transparency,  and  at  the  same  time 
according  to  the  kind  of  light  Avhich  predommates  in  them,  whether 
it  be  red  or  white.  If  the  red  predominate,  it  is  a  mark  of  celestial 
or  most  interior  affection  :  but  if  the  white  have  the  ascendancy,  then 
the  affection  and  consequent  perception  denoted,  are  of  a  spiritual  or 
more  exterior  character. 

Under  this  view  of  the  subject  we  see  the  reason  why  the  first  row 
or  order,  consisting  of  a  ruby,  a  topaz,  and  a  carbuncle,  denotes  the 
celestial  love  of  good,  together  with  its  wisdom,  namely,  because  the 


*  The  same  writer  referred  to  in  a  former 
note  (J.  A.  T.)  again  remarks  on  the  tints  or 
colors  of  the  stones  as  follows :  "  I  think  Mr. 
Hindmarsh  is  correct,  viz.,  1st  order,  Red; 
2d,  Reddhh  Blue;  3d,  miitish  Blue;  4th, 
Bluish  niiite.  Yet  I  much  doubt  if  any  of 
the  stones,  which  we  denominate  by  tliose 
names,  will  apply.  The  stones  in  the  breast- 
plate, I  judge,  must  have  been  all  transpar- 
ent ;  and  yet  our  lazure,  or  lapis  lazuH,  and 
onyx  and  jasper,  are  opaque,  and  our  agate  but 


semi-transparent.  The  diamond  is  classed 
among  the  rerftZ/s/i-blue,  which  docs  not 
agree ;  neither  the  amethyst  among  the  whit- 
ish-blue. Our  topaz  is  yellow,  and  not  red. 
In  short,  I  do  not  find  that  there  is  any  one 
of  the  stones  known  by  the  names  which  we 
apply  to  them.  Possibly  it  is  necessary  only 
to  know  generally  the  colors  or  tints  of  the 
orders,  in  application  to  the  correspond- 
ence." 


536 


PRECIOUS  AXD  COMMON  STONES. 


red  or  flame-colored  light  predominates  and  sparkles  in  each  of  those 
stones.  The  prophet  Ezekiel,  alluding  more  particularly  to  the  stones 
of  this  order  and  to  their  signification  as  here  given,  calls  them  stones 
of  fire,  when  he  addressed  the  fallen  king  of  Tyrus  in  these  remark- 
able words :  "  Thus  saith  the  Lord  God,  Thou  sealest  up  the  sum  full 
of  wisdom,  and  perfect  in  beauty.  Thou  hast  been  in  Eden  the  garden 
of  God  ;  every  precious  stone  was  thy  covering ;  thou  wast  upon  the 
holy  mountain  of  God  ;  thou  hast  walked  up  and  down  in  the  midst 
of  the  stones  of  fire.  Thou  wast  perfect  in  thy  ways  from  the  day 
that  thou  wast  created,  till  iniquity  was  found  in  thee.  Thou  hast 
sinned ;  therefore  I  will  cast  thee  as  jirofane  out  of  the  mountain  of 
God ;  and  I  will  destroy  thee,  O  covering  cherub,  from  the  midst  of 
the  stones  of  fire,"  Ezek.  xxviii.  12  to  16. 

The  ruby  is  a  much-admired  gem,  of  a  deep  red  color,  with  an  ad- 
mixture of  purple.  In  its  most  perfect  and  best  colored  state,  it  is  of 
exquisite  beauty  and  extreme  value.  It  is  often  found  perfectly  pure 
and  free  from  blemishes  and  foulness,  but  much  more  frequently 
debased  in  its  value  by  them,  especially  in  the  larger  specimens.  It 
is  of  very  great  hardness,  equal  to  that  of  the  sapi)hire  and  second 
only  to  the  diamond.  It  is  various  in  size,  but  less  subject  to  varia- 
tions in  its  shape  than  most  of  the  other  gems,  being  always  of  a 
pebble-like  figure,  often  roundish,  sometimes  oblong,  larger  at  one 
end  than  the  other,  in  some  sort  resembling  a  pear,  aud  usually  flat- 
ted on  one  side.  In  general  it  is  naturally  so  bright  and  pure  on  the 
surface,  as  to  need  no  polishing ;  and  when  its  figure  will  admit  of  its 
being  set  without  cutting,  it  is  often  worn  in  its  rough  state,  aud  with 
no  other  than  its  native  polish.  Our  jewellers  are  very  nice,  though 
not  perfectly  detcruiinate,  in  their  distinctions  of  this  gem,  knowing 
it  in  its  different  degrees  of  color  under  three  different  names.  The 
first  is  simply  the  ruby,  the  name  given  it  in  its  deepest  colored  and 
most  perfect  state.  The  second  is  the  ■'<pinel  ruby ;  under  this  name 
they  comprehend  those  rubies  which  are  of  a  somewhat  less  bright 
color  than  the  ruliy  simply  so  called.  The  third  is  the  balass  ruby ; 
under  which  name  they  express  a  pale  yet  a  very  bright  ruby,  with 
a  less  admixture  of  the  purple  tinge  than  in  the  deeper  colored  ones, 
and  of  less  value.  The  true  ruby  comes  from  the  East  Indies ;  and 
the  principal  mines  of  it  are  in  the  kingdom  of  Pegu  and  the  island 
of  Ceylon. 

In  our  common  English  version  of  the  Bible,  instead  of  the  ruby, 
the  translators  have  named  the  sardius.    But  the  sardius,  being  a 


THE  BREAST-PLATE  OF  AARON. 


kind  of  cornelian  verging  most  frequently  to  a  flesh-color,  though 
sometimes  to  a  blood-red,  is  neither  so  valuable  nor  of  so  deep  a  hue 
as  the  ruby;  and  therelbre  does  not  so  properly  answer  to  the  Hebrew- 
word  odem,  as  the  ruby  does.  Some  authors  call  the  stone  here  meant 
a  pyropus,  from  the  resemblance  which  its  color  bears  to  fire  or  to 
flame. 

The  modern  topaz  appears  to  be  a  different  gem  from  that  of  the 
ancients  :  and  indeed  the  same  may  be  said  of  several,  if  not  all,  of 
the  other  precious  stones.  That  which  now  bears  the  name  of  a  topaz 
may  be  described  as  follows :  When  perfect  and  free  from  blemishes, 
it  is  considered  a  very  beautiful  and  valuable  gem :  it  is,  however, 
rarely  to  be  found  in  this  state.  It  is  of  a  roundish  or  oblong  figure 
in  its  native  or  rough  state,  usually  flatted  on  one  side,  and  generally 
of  a  bright  and  naturally  polished  surface,  tolerably  transparent. 
They  are  always  of  a  fine  yellow  color ;  but  they  have  this,  like  the 
other  gems,  in  several  different  degrees.  The  finest  of  all  are  of  a 
ti-uc  and  perfect  gold-color,  and  hence  sometimes  called  chrysolites; 
but  there  are  some  much  deeper,  and  others  extremely  pale,  so  as  to 
ajipear  scarcely  tinged  with  yellow.  The  original  topaz  emulates  the 
ruby  in  hardness  and  the  diamond  in  lustre.  The  most  valuable 
kinds  are  said  to  be  found  in  the  East  Indies ;  but  they  are  rarely  of 
any  great  size.  The  tojiazes  of  Peru  come  next  after  these  in  beauty 
and  in  value.  Those  of  Europe  are  princij^ally  found  in  Silesia  and 
Bohemia,  but  generally  with  cracks  and  flaws. 

The  Hebrew  term,  pitdah,  rendered  tojMz  here  and  in  the  English 
Bible,  is,  however,  by  Jerome,  Rabbi  David,  and  others,  called  the 
emerald,  which  is  a  precious  stone  of  a  green  color,  and  very  different 
from  either  of  the  modern  or  the  ancient  topaz.  This  latter,  from  its 
being  classed  with  the  ruby  and  the  carbuncle,  in  all  probability  ex- 
hibited a  beautiful  flame-colored  appearance  which  in  some  specimens 
might  also  have  been  enriched  with  a  fine  golden  tint.  To  this  may 
be  added  the  circumstance  of  its  being  a  production  of  Ethiopia,  and 
not  of  the  places  referred  to  by  our  modern  jewellers.  Job,  in  his 
estimate  of  the  value  of  true  wisdom,  sets  it  far  above  rubies,  above 
the  topaz  of  Ethiopia,  and  above  the  purest  gold,  chap,  xxviii.  18,  19  ; 
which  is  an  association  that  seems  to  justify  our  conclusion,  that  the 
ruby  and  the  topaz  bore  an  affinity  with  each  other,  and  jointly  with 
pure  gold  yielded  a  most  exalted  signification. 

The  carbuncle  is  a  very  elegant  gem,  of  a  deep  red  color,  with  an 
admixture  of  scarlet.  Its  name  in  the  original  implies  brightness  and 


538 


PRECIOUS  AND  COMMON  STONES. 


splendor  as  of  lightning.  This  gem  -was  known  formerly  by  the  name 
of  anthrax.  It  is  said  to  glitter  in  the  night,  and  to  sparkle  much 
more  than  the  ruby.  It  is  usually  found  pure  and  faultless,  and  is  of 
the  same  degree  of  hardness  as  the  sapi:)hire.  It  is  naturally  of  an 
angular  figure  ;  its  usual  size  is  near  a  quarter  of  an  inch  in  length, 
and  two-thirds  of  that  in  diameter  in  its  thickest  part.  When  held 
up  against  the  sun,  it  loses  its  deep  tinge,  and  becomes  exactly  of  the 
color  of  burning  charcoal ;  whence  the  propriety  of  the  name  which 
the  ancients  gave  it.  It  is  found  in  the  East  Indies,  and  there  but 
very  rarely. 

The  second  Sow,  consisting  of  a  Chrysoprasiis,  a  Sapi^hirc,  and 

a  Diamond. 

This  order  or  row  of  jjrecious  stones  denotes  the  celestial  love  of 
truth,  together  with  its  Avisdom,  and  answers  to  the  external  of  the 
celestial  kingdom,  as  the  first  roAv  does  to  its  internal.  The  stones 
of  the  former  row  derived  their  signification  from  their  redness ;  but 
the  stones  of  this  row  derive  it  from  their  blueness  which  partakes 
of  a  reddisli  tinge :  for  it  is  to  be  noted  that  there  is  a  blue  derived 
from  and  tinged  with  red,  and  likewise  a  blue  derived  from  and 
tinged  with  white.  The  blue  from  red,  which  prevails  in  the  stones 
of  this  row,  denotes  the  celestial  love  of  truth ;  but  the  blue  from 
white,  which  prevails  in  the  stones  of  the  next  or  third  row,  denotes 
the  spiritual  love  of  good.  The  affections  of  the  human  mind  here 
represented  by  colors,  though  not  easily  discriminated  by  one  who 
reflects  but  little  upon  them,  are  yet  to  be  considered  as  distinct  from 
each  other,  as  the  stones  of  the  two  rows  when  compared  together. 
In  each  case  the  stones  appear  brilliant  and  resplendent;  but  the 
one  kind  shows  an  affinity  with  red  light,  and  the  other  an  affinity 
with  white  light.  So  likewise  of  the  affections  above  mentioned,  the 
one  has  more  immediate  reference  to  the  good  of  love,  and  the  other 
to  the  truth  of  M  isdom. 

The  chrysoprasus  is  described  by  some  as  of  a  pale  green  color, 
with  an  admixture  of  yellow ;  and  the  name  itself  seems  to  imply  as 
much,  being  compounded  of  the  Greek  word  chruso.i,  gold,  and  pra- 
soii,  a  leek.  In  Hebrew  the  term  is,  nophck,  which  is  rendered 
differentlj'  by  different  translators.  Jerome  makes  it  the  carhuncle; 
the  Septuagint  calls  it  anthrax;  Onkelosand  the  English  translators, 
the  emerald;  and  others  suppose  it  to  be  the  rubij.  Then  comes 
.  Rabbi  David,  who  in  his  book  of  A'oofo  pronounces  it  a  black  precioiis 


THE  BREAST-PLATE  OF  AARON. 


539 


stone.  See  Le  Dieii  in  he.  and  Leigh's  Critica  Sacra,  3d  edit.,  1650. 
But  it  is  well  known,  that  the  gems  or  precious  stones  of  the  ancients 
diflered  in  many  respects  from  those  which  bear  the  same  names 
among  the  moderns ;  and  therefore  nothing  can  be  positively  con- 
cluded against  the  nophek  of  the  Scriptures,  now  called  the  chryso- 
prasus,  being  of  a  cerulean  or  blue  color  Avith  a  distant  tinge  of  red. 

The  sapphire  is  a  pellucid  gem,  which  in  its  finest  state  is  ex- 
tremely beautiful  and  valuable,  being  nearly  equal  to  the  diamond 
iu  lustre,  hardness,  and  price.  Its  proper  color  is  a  pure  blue ;  in 
the  finest  specimens  it  is  of  the  deepest  azure ;  in  others  it  varies  into 
paleness  in  shades  of  all  degrees  between  that  and  a  pure  crystal 
brightness  and  water  without  the  least  tinge  of  color,  but  with  a 
lustre  much  superior  to  the  crystal.  It  is  distinguished  into  four 
sorts,  viz.,  the  blue  sapi)hire,  the  white  sapphire,  the  w-ater  sapphire, 
and  the  milk  sapphire.  The  gem  known  to  us  by  this  name  is  very 
different  fi-om  the  sapphire  of  the  ancients,  Avhich  is  said  to  have  been 
of  a  deep  blue,  veined  with  white,  and  spotted  with  small  gold-colored 
spangles,  in  the  form  of  stars,  etc.  ]\Ioses  describes  the  apjiearance 
of  heaven  under  the  feet  of  the  God  of  Israel,  to  be  like  a  paved 
work  of  a  sapjMre-stone,  Ex.  xxiv.  10.  And  the  prophet  Ezekiel 
says,  that  the  throne  which  was  in  the  firmament  over  the  heads  of 
the  cherubim,  had  the  appearance  of  a  sapphire-stone,  Ezek.  i.  26 ; 
X.  1.  The  ancients  had  an  extraordinary  esteem  for  this  stone ;  and 
those  who  wore  it  about  their  persons,  considered  it  as  a  passport  to 
good  fortune  and  happiness.  The  finest  sapphii-es  are  brought  from 
Pegu  in  the  East  Indies,  where  they  are  found  in  the  pebble  form,  of 
all  the  shades  of  blue.  The  occidental  are  from  Silesia,  Bohemia, 
and  other  parts  of  Europe :  but  though  these  are  often  very  beauti- 
ful stones,  they  are  greatly  inferior  both  in  lustre  and  hardness  to 
the  oriental. 

The  diamond  is  a  clear,  bright  stone,  perfectly  translucent,  which, 
though  naturally  colorless  like  the  purest  water,  is  eminently  distin- 
guished from  all  others  of  the  colorless  kind  by  the  lustre  of  its  re- 
flections. It  derives  its  name  in  the  original  language  from  its  ex- 
treme hardness,  as  it  exceeds  all  the  other  precious  stones  in  that  qual- 
ity, and  can  only  be  cut  and  ground  by  its  own  substance.  It  is  found 
sometimes  in  an  angular,  and  sometimes  in  a  pebble-like  form :  but 
each  kind,  when  polished,  has  the  same  qualities  in  proportion  to  its 
perfection  and  purity.  Iu  its  native  state  it  is  sometimes  bright  as 
if  polished  by  art ;  but  more  frequently  its  surface  is  obscured  Avith 


540 


PRECIOUS  AND  COMMON  STONES. 


foulnesses  of  various  kinds ;  and  sometimes  it  is,  as  the  diamond-cut- 
ters call  it,  veiny,  tliat  is,  it  has  certain  points  inconceivably  hard  on 
its  surface.  Like  all  other  transparent  minerals,  the  diamond  is 
liable  to  be  tinged  by  metalline  particles,  and  is  sometimes  found 
with  a  cast  of  red,  sometimes  blue,  sometimes  green,  and  not  unfre- 
quently  yellow.  That  with  a  cerulean  tinge,  delicately  announcmg 
its  distant  affinity  with  red,  appears  to  have  been  the  diamond  that 
occupied  the  third  place  of  the  second  row  of  precious  stones  in  the 
breast-plate  of  judgment.  The  places  whence  we  obtain  the  diamond, 
are  the  East  Indies,  particularly  the  island  of  Borneo,  Visapour, 
Golconda,  and  Bengal ;  also  the  Brazils  in  the  West  Indies. 

The  third  Bow,  consisting  of  a  Cyanus,  an  Agate,  and  an 

Amethyst. 

This  row  is  the  first  or  inmost  of  the  spiritual  class,  and  therefore 
denotes  the  spiritual  love  of  good  :  for  the  two  preceding  rows  repre- 
sented the  internal  and  the  external  of  the  celestial  class.  By  the 
spiritual  love  of  good  is  meant  charity ;  and  by  the  spiritual  love  of 
truth  is  meant  faith  derived  from  charit)'.  The  stones  of  this  row 
were  of  a  cerulean  or  blue  color  on  a  white  ground ;  consequently 
they  were  of  a  distinct  order  from  the  stones  of  the  second  row, 
which  were  likewise  cerulean,  but  on  a  most  delicate  red  ground. 

The  cyanus — called  by  Jerome,  Josephus,  and  the  English  transla- 
tors, the  Urjure;  by  others  the  lazule,  or  lapis  lazuli;  and  by  Kimchi 
mistaken  for  the  tojiaz — is  a  beautiful  gem,  of  a  fine  blue  color,  and 
is  found  sometimes  variegated  with  spots  or  clouds  of  white,  and  with 
veins  of  a  shining  gold  color.  But  most  probably  the  stone  in  its 
pure  state  is  that  which  is  meant  in  the  Sacred  Scripture  by  the 
cyanus. 

The  agate,  or  achates,  is  a  valuable  gem,  variegated  with  veins  and 
clouds :  some  having  a  white  ground,  some  a  reddish,  some  a  yellowish, 
and  some  again  a  greenish  ground.  Cups  and  vessels  are  frequently 
made  of  agate,  which  is  found  in  Sicily,  Phrygia,  and  India.  The  precise 
color  of  the  stone  known  among  the  ancient  Jews  by  the  name  shebo, 
which  our  English  translators  have  rendered  the  agate,  and  the 
German  Jews  call  the  tojmz,  cannot  be  now  ascertained.  But  from 
its  classification  with  the  other  stones  of  this  row,  which  are  known 
to  be  cerulean,  there  is  sufficient  reason  to  conclude  that  this  stone 
also  was  of  the  same  color,  and  like  them  on  a  white  ground,  but 
varying  a  little  from  them  cither  in  depth  of  tint  or  degree  of  shade. 


THE  BREAST-PLATE  OF  AARON. 


541 


The  amethyst  is  so  called,  because  in  ancient  times,  when  the  vari- 
ous charms  of  superstition  were  more  in  vogue  thau  at  the  present 
day,  it  was  supposed  to  be  a  preservative  against  drunkenness,  or 
excess  in  wine ;  the  term  in  Greek  implying  as  much.  But  the  name 
in  Hebrew,  achlainah,  is  derived  from  a  word  which  signifies,  1,  to 
dream ;  2,  to  recover  from  sickness,  to  grow  fat,  etc.  xVbcn  Ezra 
says  that  the  stone  was  so  called,  because  it  had  the  power  of  causing 
the  person  who  carried  it  about  with  him,  to  dream.  Not  to  dwell, 
however,  on  these  and  such  like  fancies,  it  is  sufficient  for  our  present 
purpose  to  know,  that  the  gem  usually  called  the  amethyst,  is  of 
various  tints,  as  pui'ple,  violet,  blue,  etc.,  and  that  it  is  sometimes 
found  nearly  colorless,  approaching  to  the  purity  of  the  diamond. 
That  which  is  of  a  fine  cerulean  color,  with  a  whitish  tinge,  appears 
to  be  the  amethyst  of  the  Sacred  Scripture,  and  the  last  stone  in  the 
third  row.  They  are  found  in  India,  Arabia,  Armenia,  Ethiopia, 
Cyprus,  Germany,  Bohemia,  and  other  places :  but  those  from  the 
East  are  the  hardest ;  and  if  without  spots,  the}^  are  of  the  greatest 
value.  They  are  of  various  sizes  and  shapes,  from  the  bigness  of  a 
small  pea  to  an  inch  and  a  half  in  diameter. 

TJie  fourth  Row,  consisting  of  a  Tarshish,  an  Onyx,  and  a 

Jasper. 

This  last  row  of  stones,  and  second  of  the  sjiiritual  class,  denotes 
the  spiritual  love  of  truth,  which  is  the  same  thing  as  the  good  of 
faith  ;  the  third  row  as  described  above,  denoting  the  good  of  charity. 
The  color  of  each  of  the  stones  of  this  order  apjjroaches  to  white 
derived  from  blue,  or  to  a  white  with  a  cerulean  tint. 

The  tarshish,  called  also  by  the  English  translators  the  beryl,  and 
by  some  the  turquoise,  the  thalassius,  and  the  aqua-marina,  is  of  a  sea- 
blue  color,  in  some  fine  specimens  approaching  to  white.  Some  of 
these  stones  are  a  mixture  of  green  and  blue  resembling  sea-water. 
According  to  Pliny,  there  are  some  which  may  be  called  chrysoberyls, 
on  account  of  their  golden  or  yellow  color.  These  stones  are  very 
different  from  each  other  with  respect  to  hardness.  The  oriental  are 
the  hardest,  and  bear  the  finest  polish ;  and  consequently  are  more 
beautiful,  and  of  higher  value  than  the  occidental.  The  former  kind 
are  found  in  the  East  Indies,  on  the  borders  of  the  Euphrates,  and 
at  the  foot  of  Mount  Taurus.  The  occidental  ones  come  from  Bohe- 
mia, Germany,  Sicily,  the  Isle  of  Elba,  etc.  And  it  is  affirmed  that 
some  of  them  have  been  found  on  the  sea-shore. 
46 


542 


PRECIOUS  AND  COMMON  STONES. 


Tarshish  was  also  the  name  of  a  maritime  city,  mentioned  in  vari- 
ous parts  of  the  Sacred  Scriptures,  as  in  1  Kings  x.  22 ;  xsii.  48 ; 
Ps.  xlviii.  7  ;  Ixxii.  10;  Ezek.  xxxii.  12,  25;  and  is  supposed  to  be 
the  same  as  Tarsm,  the  birthplace  of  the  apostle  Paul.  As  it  ap- 
pears to  have  been  distinguished  for  its  commerce  and  wealth,  the 
name  of  the  city  was  probably  given  to  the  precious  stone,  as  well  on 
account  of  the  resemblance  of  its  color  to  the  sea-water  off  the  coast, 
as  because  it  was  usually  brought  in  the  ships  of  Tarshish  from  one 
country  to  another. 

The  onyx  is  a  much-admii-ed  gem,  having  variously  colored  zones, 
but  none  of  them  red.  In  some  specimens  the  zones  are  beautifully 
punctuated.  In  general  the  onyx  resembles  the  color  of  a  man's 
nail,  being  whitish  on  a  cerulean  ground. 

The  jafper  is  a  stone  of  great  variety  of  colors,  often  of  a  beautiful 
green,  and  sometimes  with  spots  resembling  those  of  a  panther ; 
hence  called  by  some  of  the  rabbles  the  panther-stone.  Jerome  identi- 
fies it  with  the  beryl.  But  the  true  jasper  of  the  ancients,  or  that 
which  is  mentioned  in  the  Sacred  Scriptures,  (Apoc.  xxi.  11 ;  Ezek. 
xxviii.  13,)  was  neither  green  nor  spotted,  but  a  clear,  white,  pellucid 
and  brilliant  stone,  in  some  degree  resembling  the  crystal  for  purity 
and  whiteness,  yet  still  discovering  its  relation  to  the  family  of  azures, 
by  the  distant  but  easily  perceptible  tinge  of  blue,  which  suffuses  all 
its  substance. 

T/ie  Manner  of  obtaining  Responses  from  Heaven  in  ancient 
Times,  by  Means  of  the  twelve  precious  Stones  called  Urim 
and  Tliummim. 

Having  seen  what  was  signified  by  the  twelve  precious  stones  ia 
the  breast-plate  of  Aaron,  we  now  come  to  explain  the  manner  in 
which  responses  were  given  from  heaven  by  their  means.  We  have 
already  stated,  and  here  repeat,  that  all  the  diversity  of  colors  in 
the  stones  was  produced  by  the  modifications  and  variegations  of  two 
fundamental  colors  proper  to  light :  these  are  red  and  white,  each  in 
a  state  of  brilliancy  and  splendor  illustrative  of  their  true  origin 
which  is  fire,  and  indeed  the  fire  of  the  sun.  From  these,  through  the 
different  degrees  of  shade,  arise  all  the  varieties  of  color,  according 
to  the  qualities  which  different  bodies  possess  of  receiving,  absorbing, 
compounding,  dividing,  reflecting  or  refracting  the  incident  rays  of 
light.  Some  bodies  also  have  the  jn-opcrty  of  jicrverting  the  rays  of 
light  in  such  a  manner,  as  to  extinguish  their  lustre,  aud  to  exhibit 


THE  BREAST-PLATE  OF  AARON. 


either  a  dead  white,  or  a  carbonic  red,  or  a  variety  resulting  from  the 
union  of  tiiese  two  colors  with  a  gloomy  black. 

These  observations  equally  apply  to  the  rays  of  spiritual  light, 
which  consist  of  divine  truth  proceeding  from  the  divine  good  of  the 
Lord,  and  illuminating  human  as  well  as  angelic  minds,  in  the  way 
of  mediate  as  well  as  immediate  influx,  according  to  all  the  diversities 
of  intelligence  and  wisdom  in  each.  For  every  color  in  the  spiritual 
world  is  a  correspondent  expression  of  some  distinct  perception  of 
divine  truth :  and  hence  it  is,  that,  according  to  the  appearance  of 
colors  in  that  world,  their  vivid  brightness  or  their  fading  hue,  the 
various  states  of  wisdom  among  the  inhabitants,  which  are  no  other 
than  so  many  continual  revelations  from  the  Lord,  are  visibly  repre- 
sented. But  this  was  particularly  the  case  when  occasions  offered 
during  the  theocracy  established  among  the  Jewish  and  Israelitish 
people,  for  consulting  and  interrogating  the  Divine  Being  by  means 
of  Urim  and  Thumniim. 

By  Urim  in  the  Hebrew  language  is  signified  shining  fire,  or  fire 
which  gives  forth  light:  and  by  TJiummim  is  signified  integrity  or 
perfection,  which,  in  reference  to  the  precious  stones,  must  denote  their 
resplendency,  brilliancy,  and  extreme  beauty.  These  were  set  in  the 
breast-plate  Avhich  was  then  called  the  breast-plate  of  judgment,  the 
judgment  of  the  children  of  Israel,  and  also  the  judgment  of  Urim, 
because  thereby  responses  were  given,  and  divine  truths  revealed  from 
heaven.  The  communication  thus  opened  between  heaven  and  the 
people  of  Israel  through  the  medium  of  the  high-priest,  was  at  first 
adopted  in  conjunction  with  that  direct  intercourse  with  Jehovah 
which  Moses  enjoyed  during  his  life ;  but  after  the  death  of  Aaron 
and  of  Moses,  it  was  established  as  the  usual  and  regular  channel  of 
making  known  to  Jehovah  the  requests  of  the  people,  and  of  obtain- 
ing from  Him,  in  reply,  such  answers  as  the  Divine  Wisdom  might 
dictate. 

The  manner  in  which  responses  were  given  by  means  of  Urim  and 
Thummim,  is  not  agreed  upon  by  the  different  writers  on  the  subject. 
Josephus  in  his  Antiquities  says  that  the  twelve  precious  stones  cast 
forth  a  more  than  ordinary  lustre,  when  the  Israelites  were  to  obtain 
a  victory  over  their  enemies,  and  that  by  the  appearance  or  non-ap- 
pearance of  this  sign,  they  judged  of  the  state  of  their  aflTairs ;  the 
lustre  and  brilliancy  of  the  stones  foretelling  good  success,  as  their 
appearing  dark  and  cloudy  portended  nothing  but  evil.  Others  are 
of  opinion  that  the  names  of  the  twelve  tribes  which  were  engraven 


544 


PRECIOUS  AND  COMMON  STONES. 


on  the  stones,  as  also  the  names  of  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  to- 
gether with  the  words  in^E5''  shibtey  Jeshurun,  i.  e.  the  tribes  of 
Jeshimin,  or  of  Israel,  added  to  complete  the  twenty-two  letters  of 
the  Hebrew  alphabet,  were  the  instruments  through  which  God  de- 
livered these  oracles.  It  is  therefore  supposed  that  as  many  of  the 
letters  as  were  requisite  to  answer  the  proposed  question,  raised  them- 
selves up  above  the  rest :  as  for  instance,  when  the  Israelites  asked 
the  Lord,  saying,  "  Who  shall  go  up  for  us  against  the  Canaanites  first 
to  fight  against  them  ?"  Judg.  i.  1  ;  it  was  answered  by  the  oracle, 
"  Judah  shall  go  up :  behold,  I  have  delivered  the  land  into  his  hand," 
ver.  2.  The  word  rnin',  Judah,  engraven  on  one  of  the  stones,  was 
raised,  and  cast  forth  a  great  lustre ;  after  which  the  four  letters 
shall  go  up,  raised  themselves  on  the  other  stones.  But  as  there  is  no 
sufficient  authority  for  this  opinion,  and  as  moreover  the  raised  letters 
in  this  instance  do  not  give  the  whole  of  the  answer  which  was 
delivered,  it  is  not  at  all  probable  that  responses  were  given  in  this 
way. 

The  true  mode  of  proceeding  and  of  obtaining  answers  from  heaven 
on  these  occasions,  appears  to  have  been  as  follows  :  The  high-priest, 
(or  in  his  absence,  the  seer,  the  prophet,  the  judge,  or  the  king,  who- 
ever it  might  be  that  was  authorized  to  put  on  the  ephod,  with  or 
without  the  other  apjiendages  of  the  priesthood,)  standing  before  the 
ark  of  the  covenant,  whether  it  was  in  the  tabernacle  or  out  of  it, 
and  being  clothed  in  all  the  garments  of  the  sacred  office ;  the  mitre 
on  his  head,  with  the  golden  plate,  the  holy  crown,  in  its  front ;  the 
ephod,  the  robe,  the  embroidered  coat,  and  the  curious  girdle,  upon 
his  body ;  together  M  ith  the  breast-plate  of  judgment,  having  twelve 
precious  stones  set  in  gold,  and  names  engraven  thereon  of  the  twelve 
tribes  of  the  children  of  Israal,  upon  his  heart ;  a  solemn  api)eal  was 
made  to  Jehovah  ;  He  was  literally  questioned  and  interrogated  as  to 
the  suc.cess  of  undertakings  which  were  meditated ;  and  He  was  re- 
quired to  make  known  his  will  by  Urim  and  Thummini,  that  is  to 
say,  by  the  sparkling  resplendency  and  vibrations  of  light  from  one 
stone  to  the  other,  and  at  the  same  time  by  an  audible  voice  from 
heaven,  or  else  by  a  tacit  perception  corresponding  with  the  splendor  of 
the  stones,  which  might  determine  the  revelation  thus  communicated 
to  the  eye,  the  ear,  and  the  understanding  of  the  petitioner.  Hence, 
when  the  question  was  put  by  man,  the  angels  who  were  present, 
united  in  the  prayer  which  Avith  them  was  entirely  of  a  spiritual 
character,  though  with  the  people  of  Israel  it  was  merely  natural ; 


THE  BREAST-PLATE  OF  AARON. 


545 


and  as  all  prayer  when  genuine,  has  the  power  of  opening  heaven, 
and  thereby  of  ascending  to  the  Lord  himself,  a  response  was  imme- 
diately given  by  Divine  influx,  which  became  perceptible  first  to  the 
angels,  and  aflerwards  to  man  through  their  medium,  and  the  medium 
of  light  vibrating  in  the  precious  stones.  As  soon  as  the  angels  per- 
ceived the  Divine  will  by  the  resplendent  colors  presented  before  their 
eyes  in  the  spiritual  world,  (it  being  one  of  the  prerogatives  of  their 
high  wisdom  to  be  able  to  interpret  those  appearances  with  the  ut- 
most accuracy,)  they  instantly  either  infused  a  suggestion,  or  gave 
forth  an  audible  sound  expressive  of  the  answer  so  received  by  them ; 
and  tliis  voice,  which  appeared  to  proceed  from  off  the  mercy-seat  that 
was  upon  the  ark  of  the  testimony,  from  between  the  two  cherubim, 
(Ex.  XXV.  22 ;  Num.  vii.  89,)  was  distinctly  heard  by  the  priest,  the 
seer,  or  the  prophet,  and  perhaps  by  several  of  the  people  also  who 
were  present,  the  ears  of  their  spirits  being  then  opened  for  the  ex- 
press purpose,  while  the  precious  stones  on  the  breast-plate  were 
miraculously  seen  to  glitter  by  the  rapid  vibrations  of  light,  M-hich 
Avere  in  unison  and  correspondence  with  the  light  or  wisdom  of 
heaven. 

If  the  question  or  interrogation  put  to  Jehovah,  spiritually  con- 
sidered, had  for  its  end  or  object  the  love  and  worship  of  Him  alone, 
in  opposition  to  all  other  gods  and  in  defiance  of  all  enemies ;  or  if  it 
contemplated  the  practice  and  felicity  of  mutual  love,  in  confirma- 
tion or  in  proof  of  their  love  to  God ;  in  such  cases  the  vibrations  of 
light  most  probably  commenced  either  in  the  first,  or  in  the  second 
row  of  precious  stones,  and  in  imitation  of  the  influx  of  love  into 
every  faculty  of  the  human  mind,  first  successively  and  then  simul- 
taneously pervaded,  irradiated,  and  finally  spread  a  blaze  of  glory 
over  every  part  of  the  breast-plate.  And  this  was  an  affirmative  sign, 
rendered  still  more  certain  and  indubitable  by  the  audible  voice  ac- 
companying it,  directing  the  course  they  were  to  take,  and  thus 
enjoining  them  to  persevere  in  that  line  of  duty,  which  the  Divine 
Wisdom,  through  the  medium  of  the  Word  already  given,  had  laid 
down  for  their  use. 

Again,  if  the  question  put  were  in  relation  to  any  of  the  various 
points  of  charity  and  true  faith,  as  weapons  of  spiritual  warfare ;  or 
to  speak  more  literally,  if  they  inquired  of  Jehovah  whether  they 
should  proceed  against  such  and  such  an  enemy  or  not,  and  whether 
the  event  would  be  successful  or  unsuccessful ;  in  this  case,  if  they 
had  been  previously  obedient  to  the  divine  commands  in  other  re- 
46*  2K 


546 


PRECIOUS  AND  COMMON  STONES. 


spects,  the  vibrations  of  light  commenced  either  in  the  third,  or  in 
the  fourth  row  of  stones ;  and,  by  pervading  and  illuminatiug  the 
whole,  gave  a  positive  token  of  the  Divine  approbation,  which  was 
further  confirmed  by  the  audible  voice  of  an  angel. 

But,  on  the  other  hand,  if  at  any  time  the  people  of  Israel  had 
rebelled,  either  by  relapsing  into  idolatry,  or  by  other  acts  of  disobe- 
dience, and  inquiry  were  made  of  Jehovah  how  they  were  to  conduct 
themselves  on  any  particular  emergency,  and  in  the  event  of  their 
attacking  or  being  attacked  by  an  enemy,  whether  success  would  at- 
tend them  or  not ;  in  this  case  the  lustre  of  the  stones  was  dimin- 
ished, the  vibrations  of  the  light  (if  any  appeared)  were  irregular, 
its  brilliancy  less  vivid  than  usual,  and  the  response  given  both  to 
the  eye  and  to  the  ear  of  the  inquirer  was  of  that  negative  kind, 
which  sufficiently  announced  the  Divine  disapprobation,  and  the  con- 
sequent failure  of  the  projected  enterprise.  On  some  occasions  no 
answer  whatever  was  returned :  and  therefore  it  is  written,  that 
"when  Saul  inquired  of  Jehovah,  Jehovah  ansivered  him  not,  neither 
by  dreams,  nor  by  Urim,  nor  by  prophets."    1  Sam.  xxviii.  6. 

General  directions  for  obtaining  a  response,  in  regard  to  Joshua, 
the  successor  of  Moses,  may  be  seen  in  Num.  xxvii.  18-23. 

For  affirmative  and  other  resj)onses,  and  for  cases  wherein  Jeho- 
vah refused  to  give  an  answer,  when  inquired  of,  see  Judges  xx. 
18-28;  1  Sam.  x.  22;  xiv.  37;  xxiii.  2-12;  xxviii.  6;  xxx.  8;  2 
Sam.  ii.  1 ;  v.  19,  23,  24 ;  2  Kings  iii.  11-19. 

Such  appears  to  have  been  the  manner  of  obtaining  responses  from 
heaven  among  the  people  of  Israel,  by  means  of  Urim  and  Thum- 
mim,  whenever  they  were  anxious  to  know  the  Divine  will,  or  the 
result  of  any  meditated  undertaking.  And  though  to  many  in  the 
present  day  it  Mcars  the  complexion  of  fable  and  incredible  mystery, 
yet  it  ought  to  be  remembered  that  in  the  times  when  it  was  prac- 
tised, almost  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  were  in  the  habit  of  consult- 
ing, through  the  medium  of  their  priests,  the  demons  whom  they 
both  feared  and  worshipped :  and  it  cannot  be  questioned  but  they 
also,  on  innumerable  occasions,  received  from  them  such  answers, 
wrapt  up  in  artful  ambiguitj',  as  still  left  a  conviction  in  the  minds 
of  the  inquirers  that  they  were  possessed  of  superhuman  wisdom. 
Of  tills  kind  was  the  famous  oracle  of  Apollo  at  Delphos,  among  the 
heathen  Greeks,  which,  however,  with  the  rest  of  a  similar  descrip- 
tion, was  silenced  by  the  coming  of  the  Lord  into  the  world ;  at 
which  time  the  demons  or  spirits,  who  acted  as  familiars  to  the 


THE  BREAST-PLATE  OF  AAROK 


547 


Pythons  and  Pythonesses,  were  removed  from  their  direct  association 
with  mankind,  and  cast  into  hell. 

The  Manner  of  obtaining  Responses  from  Heaven  at  the  Present 
Day,  by  Means  of  the  literal  Sense  of  the  Word. 

Extraordinary  and  wonderful  as  the  preceding  account  of  the  man- 
ner of  obtaining  responses  from  heaven  may  appear  at  the  present 
day,  it  is  not  more  so  than  the  revelation  of  divine  truth  in  the  literal 
sense  of  the  Word,  and  particularly  the  discovery  now  made  of  its 
genuine  internal  sense  by  means  of  the  science  of  correspondences. 
For  as  the  precious  stones  in  the  breast-plate  of  judgment  represented 
all  the  truths  of  heaven,  so  in  like  manner  they  represented  all  the 
truths  of  the  Word,  but  in  their  literal  or  external  form,  and  conse- 
quently in  their  effect ;  Avhile  the  different  colors  arising  from  the 
modifications  of  natural  light,  denoted  the  variegations  of  wisdom 
and  intelligence  which  may  be  considered  as  spiritual  light,  both  in 
angels  and  in  men.  And  as  the  brilliancy  and  vibrations  of  the  light 
in  the  stones,  together  with  the  audible  voice  from  off  the  mercy-seat, 
presented  both  to  the  eye  and  to  the  ear  of  the  person  inquiring  the 
desired  answer  ;  so  the  same  but  a  more  blessed  effect  is  in  our  times 
produced  by  the  extraordinary  light  of  divine  truth  from  the  internal 
sense  of  the  Word,  which  is  spiritually  seen  to  irradiate  and  as  it 
were  to  vibrate  through  every  part  of  its  literal  sense,  while,  instead 
of  any  external  voice  being  heard,  the  best  affections  of  the  heart  are 
excited,  and  the  Divine  will  is  clearly  understood. 

In  this  way  we  perceive  the  present  use  and  perpetual  application 
of  that  part  of  the  Word,  which  describes  the  miraculous  intercourse 
between  Jehovah  and  the  people  of  Israel,  by  means  of  the  breast- 
plate of  Urim  and  Thummim.  This  intercourse  may  still  be  main- 
tained, though  not  precisely  in  the  same  external  manner  as  with  the 
Israelites  of  old :  and  yet  there  is  reason  to  believe  that  the  same  in- 
ternal modifications  and  variegations  of  heavenly  light  which  ap- 
peared in  former  times,  do  now  also  actually  take  place  in  the  human 
mind,  on  every  occasion  of  consulting  the  Word  purely  for  the  sake 
of  spiritual  information  and  instruction.  Thus  a  person  sincerely 
desirous  of  knowing  the  Divine  will  in  relation  to  any  matter  either 
of  doctrine  or  of  life,  has  only  to  approach  the  Lord  in  his  Word 
under  a  deep  sense  of  his  own  unworthiness,  and  an  interior  acknowl- 
edgment that  every  good  gifl  descends  from  above.  Let  him  then 
interrogate  the  Lord,  or  inquire  of  Him,  by  reading  some  portion  of 


548 


PRECIOUS  AND  COMMON  STONES. 


the  Sacred  Scriptures  for  the  express  purpose  of  knowing  and  doing 
his  will ;  taking  care  that  no  improper  prejudice  or  bias  of  the  mind, 
induced  either  by  education  or  habits  of  vice,  be  suffered  to  inter- 
pose its  influence.  It  is  more  than  probable  that  the  person  so  read- 
ing the  Word,  or  so  inquiring  of  the  Lord,  will  receive  an  answer 
most  suitable  to  his  state  ;  the  pure  and  radiant  light  of  heaven  will 
appear  before  his  eyes ;  that  is  to  say,  his  understanding  will  be 
enlightened  to  discern  all  necessary  truth ;  the  flame  of  divine  love 
also  will  be  kindled  in  his  bosom  ;  his  afiections  will  be  still  further 
purified ;  and  he  will  be  supplied  with  new  power  to  bring  his  whole 
life  by  degrees  into  complete  subjection  to  the  laws  of  divine  order. 
This  conclusion  is  justified  and  confirmed  by  the  words  of  our  Lord, 
"  If  any  man  will  do  his  will,  he  shall  know  of  the  doctrine,  whether 
it  be  of  God,"  John  vii.  17. 


CHAPTER  X. 


The  Science  of  Correspondence  Applied  as  a  Key  to  the  Spiritual 
Interpretation  op  the  Principal  Symbols  in  Kevelation  xxi. 
Chapter,  and  its  Applicability  and  Sufficiency  Demonstrated* 
— "A  New  Heaven  and  a  New  Earth" — "The  Holy  City,  New 
Jerusalem" — "The  Bride,  the  Lamb's  Wife" — "Having  the  Glory 
OF  God" — Measured  with  "a  Golden  Reed" — "The  City  was  Pure 
Gold" — "The  City  lieth  Four  Square" — Its  Foundations,  Walls, 
AND  Gates — "The  Temple  of  It" — "The  Lamb  is  the  Light 
thereof" — "There  shall  be  no  Night  there" — Sovereignty  of 
its  Citizens — Qualifications  for  Citizenship* 

"J.  New  Heaven  and  a  JVew  Earth.'* 

IN  the  first  verse  of  this  chapter,  the  seer  tells  us  that  he  saw  "  a 
new  heaven  and  a  new  earth" — the  former  heaven  and  earth 
having  passed  away.  This  was  seen  in  a  realm  within  or  above 
nature,  and  with  the  seer's  spiritual  eyes,  which  were  then  opened, 
thus  enabling  him  to  behold  things  in  the  upper  realms ;  for  this 
vision,  he  tells  us,  was  vouchsafed  him  when  he  "  was  in  the  spirit." 

The  natural  heaven  and  earth,  as  embracing  all  material  things, 
denote  (because  they  correspond  to)  all  the  si^iritual  things  of  God's 
kingdom  in  both  worlds.  The  vision  of  "  a  new  heaven  and  a  new 
earth,"  therefore,  was  a  proj^hetic  intimation  (under  the  law  of  cor- 
respondence) of  a  new  order  of  things  to  be  some  day  established  in 
both  worlds,  the  spiritual  and  the  natural ;  or  a  new  angelic  Heaven 
in  the  superior  and  a  new  Christian  Church  in  the  inferior  realm. 

And  straightway  an  angel  came  to  John  and  talked  with  him,  say- 
ing, "  Come  hither ;  I  will  show  thee  the  Bride,  the  Lamb's  wife." 
Thereupon  the  angel,  he  says,  "  carried  me  away  in  the  spirit  to  a 
great  and  high  mountain,  and  showed  me  that  great  city,  the  holy 
Jerusalem,  descending  out  of  heaven  from  God." 

Observe  the  correspondences  here.  Natural  elevation  corresponds 
to  spiritual  elevation,  or  exaltation  of  state.  The  seer  was  lifted  by 
Divine  influence  into  a  superior  spiritual  condition,  which  is  what  his 


*  By  B.  F.  Barrett.  From  "  The  Swedenborg  Library,"  Vol.  VII.,  pp.  236-256., 

549 


550  CORRESPONDENCE  FURTHER  ELUCIDATED. 


being  carried  in  spirit  to  the  summit  of  a  high  mountain  corresponds 
to ;  and  in  that  exalted  state  there  is  revealed  to  him,  pictorially 
(under  the  same  great  law — correspondence),  the  Church  of  the  Future 
— its  principles,  its  spirit,  its  doctrines  and  its  life.  These  were  to  be 
altogether  new.  As  He  that  sat  upon  the  throne  said :  "  Behold  I 
make  all  things  new."  This  Church  in  respect  to  its  doctrine  was 
seen  as  a  city ;  for  a  city  corresponds  to  a  church  as  to  doctrine. 

'•'•The  Holy  City,  New  Jerusalem." 

Jerusalem  was  regarded  by  devout  Jews  as  the  city  of  the  living 
God.  They  thought  of  it  and  called  it  the  Holy  City.  It  was  iden- 
tified in  their  minds  with  all  that  they  held  most  sacred — with  their 
religion,  their  worship,  their  church.  Their  temple  and  altar  were 
there.  Those  who  dwelt  outside  of  it  went  there  with  their  tithes  and 
offerings  several  times  a  year.  There  they  held  their  great  national 
festivals ;  and,  with  music,  song  and  dance,  gave  expression  to  their 
intensest  national  as  well  as  their  deepest  religious  feelings.  It  was  to 
them  the  place  of  worship.  They  never  imagined  that  God  could  be 
truly  worshipped  anywhere  else.  Therefore  they  called  it  "  the  city 
of  God  " — "  the  holiest  dwelling-place  of  the  Most  High."  In  their 
minds  it  was  associated  with  all  that  belonged  to  religion  and  worship, 
just  as  Rome  (though  far  more  intimately)  is  at  this  day  associated 
in  the  minds  of  pious  Catholics  with  their  religion,  or  as  Babylon  is 
associated  in  the  minds  of  Protestant  Christians  with  Roman  Cathol- 
icism. 

If  the  Church  of  the  Future,  then,  in  respect  to  its  doctrine  and 
worship,  were  to  have  been  pictorially  represented  as  a  city  eighteen 
hundred  years  ago,  what  city  but  Jerusalem  should  we  expect  would 
have  been  chosen  ?  But  it  was  not  the  Old  Jerusalem  that  John  saw ; 
for  it  was  not  the  old  but  a  new  system  of  religious  doctrine  which 
was  thereby  represented.  Therefore  the  city  that  he  beheld  was  called 
the  New  Jerusalem.  And  because  the  doctrines  of  the  church  thereby 
typified,  were  to  be  no  cunning  device  of  man's  wit  or  wisdom,  but 
doctrines  revealed  from  heaven  by  the  Lord  himself ;  because  they 
were  to  be  doctrines  disclosed  or  brought  doicn  to  man's  understanding 
from  out  that  high  and  heavenly  meaning  of  the  Scripture  which  the 
angels  perceive,  therefore  the  New  Jerusalem  Avas  seen  "coming  down 
from  God  out  of  heaven." 

The  New  Jerusalem,  then,  is  the  type  of  a  new  spiritual  city — the 
city  of  the  living  God — to  be  established  and  built  up  in  human  hearts 


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651 


and  human  society,  but  of  materials  which  come  down  from  God  out 
of  heaven.  In  other  words,  the  type  of  a  new  and  glorious  Church 
on  earth,  and  one  that  will  be  in  sweet  accord  with  the  heaven  of 
angels ;  of  a  church  based  not  on  the  vain  imaginings  of  men,  but  on 
the  precious  and  enduring  truths  of  God's  Word ;  of  a  church 
inspired  by  the  purity,  reflecting  the  glory,  filled  with  the  light  and 
liberty  and  love  of  God.  This  is  what  was  symbolized  and  fore- 
shadowed by  the  city  that  John  beheld  in  vision.  Or  as  Swedenborg 
says,  "  a  new  church  to  be  established  by  the  Lord  at  the  end  of  the 
former  church,  which  will  be  associated  with  the  new  heaven  in  divine 
truths  as  to  doctrine  and  as  to  life." 

For,  consider  what  is  predicated  of  this  city — what  it  is  called  and 
how  it  is  described.    It  is  called 

''The  Bride,  the  Lamb's  Wife." 

And  it  is  so  called  because  of  the  correspondence  and  spiritual 
meaning  of  marriage.  What  are  the  constituents  of  every  regenerate 
soul,  or  of  every  true  church  whether  in  the  larger  or  smaller  form  ? 
Obviously,  the  truths  of  wisdom  and  the  goods  of  love :  heavenly 
laws  in  the  head,  and  heavenly  feelings  in  the  heart.  These  are  the 
essential  things  of  every  true  church,  as  of  every  true  man.  And  these 
come  down  from  God  out  of  heaven  ;  nor  can  they  come  from  elsewhere. 
What  is  said,  therefore,  of  this  city's  descent  from  God,  accords  with 
the  idea  that  a  new  Church  on  earth  is  what  was  symbolized  by  it. 

But  the  angel  called  that  city  "the' Bride,  the  Lamb's  wife." 
Natural  marriage  corresponds  to  spiritual  marriage.  And  spiritual 
marriage  is  the  union  of  true  and  faithful  souls  with  the  Lord.  Such 
souls,  loving  Him  supremely,  and  seeking  above  all  else  to  know  and 
do  his  will,  hold  a  relation  to  Him  which  corresponds  to  the  relation 
of  a  faithful  w-ife  to  her  husband.  They  are  internally  and  spiritually 
married  to  Him.  Therefore,  in  the  symbolic  language  of  Scripture, 
such  souls  (in  the  aggregate)  are  called  his  bride  or  wife :  and  He  is 
called  their  husband.  (Isa.  liv.  5 ;  Ixii.  5  ;  Jer.  xxxi.  32.)  Accord- 
ingly, in  view  of  that  purified  state  of  the  church  in  the  then  distant 
future,  or  of  that  multitude  of  souls  which  would  be  preimred  to 
receive  love  and  wisdom  from  the  Lord,  and  thereby  to  become  truly 
wedded  to  Him,  John  says  he  "  heard  as  it  were  the  voice  of  a  great 
multitude,  and  as  the  voice  of  many  waters,  and  as  the  voice  of 
mighty  thunderings,  saying.  Alleluia :  for  the  Lord  God  omnipotent 
reigneth.  Let  us  be  glad  and  rejoice,  and  give  honor  to  Him ;  for  the 


552 


CORRESPONDENCE  FURTHER  ELUCIDATED. 


marriage  of  the  Lamb  is  come,  and  his  wife  hath  made  herself  ready. 
And  to  her  was  granted  that  she  should  be  arrayed  in  fine  liuen, 
clean  and  white ;  for  the  fine  linen  is  the  righteousness  of  saints." 
(Rev.  xix.  6-8.)  If  the  righteousness  of  saints  is  the  fine  linen  in 
Avhich  the  Lamb's  wife  is  arrayed,  then  the  saints  themselves,  or  the 
Lord's  true  church  must  be  that  wife. 

The  circumstance,  therefore,  of  the  angel's  calling  the  New  Jeru- 
salem "  the  Bride,  the  Lamb's  wife,"  is  conclusive  of  the  fact  that  it 
typified  and  foreshadowed  a  new  state  of  the  church  on  earth ; — a 
state  when  human  hearts  would  enter  into  a  more  intimate  and  bliss- 
ful marriage  union  with  the  Lord. 

Having  the  Glory  of  God." 

This  also  is  predicated  of  the  New  Jerusalem.  And  the  "glory 
of  God  "  must  be  a  spiritual  or  divine  glory.  And  what  can  that  be '? 

What  is  a  man's  true  glory  ?  Not  his  physical  strength  nor  personal 
comeliness ;  not  his  Avorldly  possessions  however  great ;  not  his  social 
or  official  position  however  exalted  ;  not  his  stores  of  knowledge  how- 
ever vast, — for  these  may  be  unwisely  and  selfishly  used.  But  a 
capacious  and  richly-stored  mind,  and  a  heart  emptied  of  selfishness 
and  filled  with  the  love  of  serving  and  blessing  others — this  is  a 
man's  true  glory.  In  a  word,  it  is  unselfish  love  guided  in  its  activi- 
ties by  the  highest  wisdom.  And  if  this  be  the  true  glory  of  a  man, 
then  must  wisdom  and  love  constitute  the  chief  glory  of  God.  The 
wisdom  of  his  Word  is  but  an  emanation  from  his  love,  and  given 
for  the  enlightenment,  exaltation  and  blessedness  of  mankind. 

Human  souls,  then — or  a  church  illumined  by  the  wisdom  and  in- 
spired by  the  love  which  is  the  very  essence  of  heaven,  and  with 
which  the  spiritual  sense  of  the  Word  is  all  aglow — may  be  truly 
said  to  have  "  the  glory  of  God." 

"  By  these  words,"  says  Swedenborg,  "  is  described  the  understand- 
ing of  the  Word  with  those  who  are  in  the  doctrine  of  the  New  Jeru- 
salem, and  in  a  life  according  to  it  [i.  e.,  a  life  of  unselfish  love]. 
With  such  the  Word  shines,  as  it  were,  when  it  is  read ;  it  shines 
from  the  Lord  by  means  of  the  spiritual  sen^e,  because  the  Lord  is 
the  Word,  and  the  spiritual  sense  is  in  the  light  of  heaven  which 
proceeds  from  Him  as  a  sun."  "By  the  glory  of  God  is  meant  the 
Word  in  its  divine  light."    (A.  R.  n.  897.) 

Accordingly  it  is  added,  that  the  light  of  this  city  "was  like  unto 
a  stone  most  precious,  even  like  a  jasper  stone  clear  as  crystal."  A 


THE  KEY  APPLIED  TO  REVELATION  XXL 


553 


jasper  stone  corresponds  to  and  therefore  signifies  "  the  divine  truth 
of  the  Word  in  its  literal  sense  translucent  from  the  divine  truth  in 
the  spiritual  sense." 

Measured  with  "a  Golden  Reed." 

The  angel  who  showed  John  the  New  Jerusalem,  "  had  a  golden 
reed  to  measure  the  city,  and  the  gates  thereof  and  the  wall  thereof." 
If  a  new  Church  is  typified  by  this  city,  a  golden  reed  must  typify 
something  whereby  this  Church  may  be  measured.  And  what  is 
that  ?  How  do  we  measure  human  beings  ?  Not  with  any  material 
standard  of  measurement — for  the  real  man  is  not  material.  We 
measure  men  by  taking  the  dimensions  of  their  souls,  not  of  their 
bodies.  They  are  great  in  the  heavenly  sense,  according  as  they  are 
wise  and  good,  or  according  to  the  strength  and  purity  of  their  love. 
Love,  then, — love  akin  to  God's  own — is  the  standard  of  measure- 
ment to  be  applied  when  human  souls  are  to  be  measured.  And  this 
love  is  what  gold  corresponds  to. 

A  golden  reed,  therefore,  typifies  the  ability  derived  from  the  good 
of  heavenly  love,  to  measure  the  character  of  an  individual,  a  com- 
munity or  church.  What  truer  standard  than  this  can  be  conceived 
of,  whereby  to  measure  beings  created  to  be  images  and  likenesses  of 
Him  who  is  Love  itself.  Or  by  what  other  standard  of  measurement 
shall  we  judge  the  doctrines  of  any  church  ?  For  a  doctrine  is  true 
or  false,  according  to  its  degree  of  conformity  with  this  standard ; 
that  is,  according  as  its  tendency  is  to  develop  and  strengthen  this 
love,  or  to  hinder  its  development.  This,  then,  is  the  true  test  to  be 
applied  to  every  church,  and  to  all  its  doctrines  and  inculcations. 

And  this  agrees  with  Avhat  we  find  in  a  subsequent  verse,  where 
mention  is  made  of  the  wall  of  this  city.  The  wall  encompasses  the 
city  ;  and  its  extent,  therefore,  shows  its  size.  And  the  wall  of  the 
New  Jerusalem  is  said  to  be  "  accoi'ding  to  the  measure  of  a  man, 
that  is,  of  the  angel."  Unselfish  love  is  the  distinguishing  character- 
istic of  every  inhabitant  of  the  celestial  realms.  The  angels  are  all 
of  them  forms  of  love.  Love  of  the  Lord  and  the  neighbor  is  their 
ruling  principle.  And  as  every  true  and  regenerate  man  is  an  augel, 
viewed  as  to  his  immortal  part,  therefore  the  measure  of  a  true  man 
is  the  measure  of  an  angel.  And  as  the  church  consists  of  regenerate 
men,  its  measure  also  must  be  that  of  the  angel. 
47 


654 


CORRESPONDENCE  FURTHER  ELUCIDATED. 


"  The  City  was  Pure  GoW 

It  is  further  said  that  "  the  city  was  pure  gold,  like  unto  clear 
glass."  Gold,  being  the  most  precious  of  minerals,  ought  to  typify 
something  very  precious  in  the  soul  of  man.  It  ought  to  represent 
the  noblest  element  of  humanity — the  essential  constituent  of  heaven 
and  the  church.  And  what  is  that  ?  Not  faith,  as  the  old  theologies 
have  taught,  but  love.  Love  is  the  crowning  attribute  of  Deity. 
"  God  is  love."  And  the  more  unselfish  men  become — ^the  more 
thoroughly  imbued  and  dominated  by  love  of  the  neighbor,  and  of 
all  that  is  just,  sincere,  true  and  good  for  its  own  sake, — the  more 
they  become  like  God.  Accordingly  the  apostle  again  says :  "  And 
he  that  dwelleth  in  love,  dwelleth  in  God  and  God  in  him." 

Now  since  pure  gold  corresponds  to  the  good  of  unselfish  love,  and 
this  love  is  the  essential  thing  in  the  church  typified  by  the  New  Je- 
rusalem, as  it  is,  indeed,  the  essential  thing  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven 
— as  this  is  the  very  substance  and  marrow  of  all  its  teachings  and 
the  end  to  which  all  its  doctrines  point,  therefore  this  city  was  shown 
to  John  as  of  "  pure  gold." 

"All  the  particulars  of  the  doctrine  of  the  New  Jerusalem,"  says 
Swedenborg,  "  relate  to  love  to  the  Lord  and  the  neighbor.  Love  to 
the  Lord  consists  in  trusting  in  Him  and  doing  his  commandments ; 
alid  to  do  his  commandments  constitutes  love  toward  the  neighbor, 
because  to  do  his  commandments  is  to  be  useful  to  our  neighbor." 
(A.  R.  n.  903.) 

As  genuine  love,  or  the  disinterested  love  of  use,  is  what  pure  gold 
corresponds  to,  so  clear  glass  is  the  correspondent  and  symbol  of  the 
transparent  truth  of  the  spiritual  sense  of  the  Word.  And  because 
love  to  the  Lord  and  the  neighbor — love  enlightened  and  guided  by 
heavenly  truth,  is  to  form  the  animating  principle,  yea,  the  very  life 
and  soul  of  the  church  signified  by  the  New  Jerusalem — because  this 
is  to  pervade  all  its  doctrines,  inspire  all  its  activities,  shape  all  its 
ends,  determine  all  its  doings — therefore  the  city  is  described  as  "  pure 
gold  like  unto  clear  glass." 

''The  Gtij  licth  Four  Square." 

It  is  further  said  that  "  the  city  lieth  four  square ;  and  its  length  is 
as  large  as  its  breadth.  And  he  measured  the  city  with  the  reed, 
twelve  thousand  furlongs." 

The  form  and  dimensions  of  this  city  are  symbolic,  like  everything 


THE  KEY  APPLIED  TO  REVELATION  XXL 


555 


else  predicated  of  it.  Tlie  quadrangle  or  square  is  the  type  or  corre- 
spondent of  strict  and  imjmrtial  justice,  which  is  another  distinguish- 
ing characteristic  of  this  church — justice  toward  all  men  and  in  all 
the  relations  of  life.  And  to  represent  its  catholicity  and  universality, 
the  city  is  further  described  as  cubical;  for  "  the  length  and  the 
breadth  and  the  height  of  it  are  equal " — a  type  of  the  fact,  that  this 
church  will  embrace  all  kinds  and  degrees  of  good  and  trutli,  from 
the  lowest  natural  or  scientific  to  the  highest  spiritual  and  celestial. 
It  will  recognize  the  connection  and  oneness,  yea,  the  divineness,  of 
all  kinds  of  truth,  and  show  science  to  be,  not  the  adversary  but  the 
sincere  friend  and  faithful  handmaid  of  religion ;  and  that  God's 
Word  and  works  are  never  in  conflict,  but  in  complete  and  cordial 
agreement. 

lis  Foundations,  Walls  and  Gates. 

The  foundations  and  walls  of  the  city  are  described  as  of  "  precious 
stones."  Stones  are  the  symbols  or  correspondents  of  those  low  but 
unyielding  forms  of  truth  which  belong  to  the  literal  sense  of  the 
Word.  On  these  the  church  rests  as  a  city  on  its  foundations :  for  all 
the  doctrines  of  the  New  Jerusalem  are  drawn  from  and  confirmed 
by  the  truths  of  the  literal  sense.  These,  too,  are  its  protection — its 
walls  as  well  as  its  foundations. 

"  Since  the  holy  city.  New  Jerusalem,"  says  Swedenborg,  "  means 
the  Lord's  Ncav  Church  as  to  doctrine,  its  wall  means  nothing  else 
but  the  Word  in  its  literal  sense,  from  which  doctrine  is  derived ;  for 
that  sense  defends  the  spiritual  which  lies  concealed  within  it,  as  a 
wall  defends  a  city  and  its  inhabitants ;  and  the  literal  sense  is  the 
foundation,  containant  and  support  of  the  spiritual  sense."  (A.  R. 
n.  898.) 

The  stones  with  which  the  foundations  of  the  wall  of  the  city  were 
garnished,  are  said  to  be  all  precioiis,  because  the  truths  of  the  Word 
which  they  typify  are  full  of  the  Lord's  own  spirit  and  life ;  and  this 
is  what  makes  them  precious. 

And  the  twelve  gates  of  the  city  are  the  symbols  or  correspondents 
of  all  the  knowledges  of  good  and  truth  by  which  we  are  introduced 
into  the  church,  or  into  a  true  church  state — as  people  may  be  intro- 
duced into  a  natural  city  through  gates.  And  it  is  said  that  "  every 
particular  gate  was  of  one  pearl,"  because  there  is  one  precious  kind 
of  knowledge  which,  in  spiritual  things,  pervades  all  others  and  con- 
joins them  into  one ;  and  that  is  the  knowledge  and  acknowledg- 
ment of  the  Lord. 


556 


CORRESPONDENCE  FURTHER  ELUCIDATED. 


"  That  the  Lord  is  the  very  ga'i.e  through  which  men  are  to  enter 
into  the  church  and  thence  into  heaven,  He  himself  teaches  in  John 
X.  9 ;  and  that  the  knowledge  and  acknowledgment  of  Him  is  the 
pearl  of  great  price,  is  meant  by  his  own  words  in  Matthew :  '  The 
kingdom  of  heaven  is  like  unto  a  merchantman  seeking  goodly  pearls ; 
who,  when  he  had  found  one  pearl  of  great  price,  went  and  sold  all 
that  he  had  and  bought  it,'  xii.  45,  46.  The  one  pearl  of  great  price 
is  the  knowledge  and  acknowledgment  of  the  Lord."   (A.  R.  916.) 

''The  Temple  of  It." 

In  the  22d  verse,  the  seer  says :  "  And  I  saw  no  temple  therein ; 
for  the  Lbrd  God  Almighty  and  the  Lamb  are  the  temple  of  it," — 
a  declaration  conclusive  of  the  fact,  that  no  natural  but  a  spiritual 
city  is  here  referred  to, — a  vast  multitude  of  enlightened  and  sincere 
worshipers  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  for  it  is  only  of  such  kind  of 
city  that  He  is  the  temple. 

A  temple,  being  a  place  for  external  and  formal  worship,  corre- 
sponds to  a  state  of  internal  and  i-eal  worship.  This,  therefore,  is 
what  it  typifies  and  denotes.  And  in  every  state  of  true  worship,  the 
Lord  himself  is  the  All-in-all ;  for  all  the  thoughts,  desires  and  feel- 
ings whereby  He  is  truly  worshiped,  are  fi"om  Him.  Therefore  a 
temple  or  place  of  worship  becomes  the  representative  of  the  Lord 
himself.  He  is  the  Living  Temple.  And  men,  too,  become  living 
temples  so  far  as  their  hearts  come  to  be  the  abode  of  his  blessed 
Spirit.  Hence  the  apostle  says  to  the  Corinthian  brethren :  "  Know 
ye  not  that  ye  are  the  temple  of  God,  and  that  the  spirit  of  God 
dwelleth  in  you?"  (See  also  1  Cor.  iii.  16.)  Now  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  in  whom  "  dwelleth  all  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead  bodily,"  is 
the  suj^reme  and  only  Object  of  worship  in  the  church  signified  by 
the  New  Jerusalem.  He  and  He  alone,  therefore,  is  the  true  and 
living  Temple  in  this  church.  "A  temple  signifies  the  church  as  to 
woi'ship;  and  in  its  highest  sense,  it  signifies  the  Lord  himself  as  to 
his  Divine  Humanity,  who  is  the  Object  to  be  worshiped.  And  since 
all  of  the  church  is  from  the  Lord,  therefore  it  is  said,  '  for  its  temple 
is  the  Lord  God  Almighty  and  the  Lamb,'  by  which  is  meant  the 
Lord  in  his  Divine  Humanity."   (A.  R.  918.) 

"  The  Lamb  is  the  Light  thereof." 

Look,  again,  at  the  manner  in  which  this  city  is  lighted.  Not  by 
any  artificial  means,  nor  by  the  luminaries  of  the  natural  world. 


THE  KEY  APPLIED  TO  REVELATION  XXI 


557 


"  The  city  had  no  need  of  tlie  sun,  neither  of  the  moon  to  shine  in 
it ;  for  the  glory  of  God  did  lighten  it,  and  the  Lamb  is  the  light 
thereof." 

There  is  but  One  who  can  say,  "  I  am  the  light  of  the  world." 
He  is  the  same  who  declares  Himself  to  be  "  the  Truth."  He  is 
"  the  AVord,"  Avhich,  though  coeval  and  identical  with  God,  "  became 
ficsh  and  dwelt  among  men."  The  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  "  the  true 
light  which  enlighteneth  every  man  that  cometh  into  the  world." 
And  what  is  the  glory  of  God  but  the  refulgence  of  the  Divine  Love 
— the  light  of  spiritual  truth  which  radiates  from  the  ever-living 
Word,  Avhose  glory  is  especially  revealed  in  its  internal  sense?  This 
is  the  light  of  the  spiritual  world — the  light  by  which  angels  see.  It 
is  this  which  illumines  all  minds  on  earth  and  in  heaven.  Truth 
emanating  from  Love  and  accommodated  to  human  needs ; — truth 
from  the  Word  made  flesh,  penetrating  the  dark  corners  of  the  earth 
and  enlightening  the  nations ; — truth  chasing  away  the  shadows  of 
ignorance  and  superstition  and  doubt  and  fear,  showing  mankind  the 
heavenly  paths,  and  guiding  them  upward  to  the  celestial  summits — 
this  is  "  the  glory  of  God."  And  this  it  is  which  is  to  lighten  the 
church  signified  by  the  New  Jerusalem.  "  For  the  glory  of  God  did 
lighten  it,  and  the  Lamb  is  the  light  thereof."  And  because  spiritual 
salvation  comes  from  walking  in  the  light  of  spiritual  truth,  that  is, 
from  living  as  the  truth  requires,  therefore  it  is  immediately  added : 
"  And  the  nations  of  them  that  are  saved  shall  walk  in  the  light 
of  it." 

With  this  agrees  the  prediction  of  the  prophet  Isaiah  concerning 
the  future  state  of  the  church :  "  And  they  shall  call  thee  the  city 
of  the  Lord,  the  Zion  of  the  Holy  One  of  Israel.  .  .  The  Lord  shall 
be  unto  thee  an  everlasting  light,  and  thy  God  thy  glory.  Thy  sun 
shall  no  more  go  down,  neither  shall  thy  moon  withdraw  itself ;  for 
the  Lord  shall  be  thine  everlasting  light,  and  the  days  of  thy  mourn- 
ing shall  be  ended."    (Isa.  Ix.  14,  19,  20.) 

'''■There  shall  be  no  Night  there." 

It  is  further  said  of  the  New  Jerusalem  :  "  And  there  shall  be  no 
night  there ;  and  they  need  no  candle,  neither  light  of  the  sun,  for 
the  Lord  God  giveth  them  light."  Let  the  Key  again  be  applied 
here,  and  note  the  meaning  thereby  elicited. 

There  are  natural  day  and  night,  and  spiritual  day  and  night ; 
day  and  night  in  the  natural  realm,  and  day  and  night  in  the  soul ; 
47* 


558 


CORRESPONDENCE  FURTHER  ELUCIDATED. 


and  they  correspond  one  to  the  other.  When  the  face  of  the  earth 
is  turned  toward  the  sun,  it  is  day-time  in  the  world ;  and  when 
man's  heart  or  -will  (his  spiritual  face)  is  turned  toward  the  Lord,  it 
is  day-time  in  the  soul.  But  when  the  earth  is  turned  away  from 
the  sun,  it  is  night  in  the  Avorld ;  and  Avhen  the  heart  is  turned  away 
from  the  Lord,  it  is  night  in  the  soul.  The  correspondence  is  exact 
and  perfect. 

Truth  and  love  are  the  spiritual  correspondents  of  light  and 
warmth.  And  these  emanate  from  the  Lord  as  natural  light  and 
heat  from  the  natural  sun ;  for  He,  indeed,  is  the  Sun  of  the  spiritual 
world.  When  these  are  absent  from  men's  souls,  or  when  the  church 
on  earth,  under  the  blinding  influence  of  the  loves  of  self  and  the 
world,  invents  and  confirms  itself  in  various  falsities  which  shut  out 
the  sunshine  of  heaven  and  obscure  the  glory  of  the  Lord,  then  it  is 
night  with  the  church.  It  is  precisely  such  a  night  as  this — a  state 
of  spiritual  darkness — that  the  prophet  Micah  refers  to,  \\here, 
speaking  of  the  teachers  who  cause  God's  people  to  err,  he  says : 
"  Therefore  night  shall  be  unto  you,  and  ye  shall  not  have  a  vision  ; 
and  it  shall  be  dark  unto  you,  that  ye  shall  not  divine ;  and  the  sun 
shall  go  down  over  the  prophets,  and  the  day  shall  be  dark  over 
them."    (iii.  6.) 

It  is  to  such  a  night — such  spiritual  darkness  induced  by  fiilse 
persuasions  originating  in  evil  loves — that  the  Lord  refers  when  He 
speaks  of  that  "  outer  darkness "  into  which  the  wicked  are  cast : 
Also  when  He  says :  "  If,  therefore,  the  light  that  is  in  thee  be  dark- 
ness, how  great  is  that  darkness !"  But  in  the  minds  of  those  who 
acknowledge  the  Lord  and  humbly  seek  to  do  his  will,  there  is  no 
such  darkness ;  "  no  night  there."  Therefore  it  is  said  there  shall 
be  no  night  in  the  New  Jerusalem.  There  cannot  be,  since  its  light 
is  the  same  as  that  by  which  the  angels  see — the  light  of  the  spiritual 
sense  of  the  Word — a  light  "  like  unto  a  stone  most  precious,  even 
like  a  jasper  stone  clear  as  crystal." 

They  who  are  in  this  light  have  no  need  of  human  creeds ;  no 
need  of  dogmas  or  "  plans  "  or  "  schemes  "  of  men's  contriving ;  no 
need  of  the  dim,  sickly,  flickering  light  of  self-dcrivcd  intelligence, — 
which  is  what  a  candle  corresponds  to.  Nor  do  they  need  the  more 
glaring  but  not  less  false  and  seductive  light  Avhich  springs  from  the 
selfish  love  of  glory,  and  is  what  is  here  meant  by  the  "  light  of  the 
sun." 

The  sun  in  a  good  sense  coi'responds  to  the  Lord ;  and  its  light 


THE  KEY  APPLIED  TO  REVELATION  XXI. 


559 


corresponds  to  the  truth  which  proceeds  from  Him.  But  this  is 
sometimes  used  in  Scripture  in  an  opposite  sense,  and  denotes  the 
love  of  self,  the  nature  of  which  is  the  opposite  of  the  Lord's  love. 
When  used  in  this  sense,  the  sun's  light  signifies  the  glory  of  the 
love  of  self;  for  this  is  what  its  light  then  corresponds  to.  Ani- 
mated by  the  fire  of 'self-love,  men  may  sometimes  ascend  tempo- 
rarily into  the  light  of  exalted  wisdom.  They  may  see  many  truths, 
and  teach  them  from  a  selfish  love  of  glory.  The  light  into  which 
such  persons  elevate  themselves,  is  not  the  genuine  light  of  the  Sun 
of  heaven,  but  the  false  and  seductive  light  which  originates  in  pride 
or  the  selfish  love  of  fame. 

But  the  dwellers  in  the  New  Jerusalem  are  in  the  love  of  me,  not 
the  love  of  self  They  take  delight  in  the  performance  of  good  uses 
from  love  to  the  Lord  and  the  neighbor.  And  their  love  of  use  be- 
coming strengthened  by  exercise,  opens  their  minds  more  and  more 
to  the  understanding  and  reception  of  spiritual  truth — the  light  by 
which  the  angels  see.  It  is  plain,  therefore,  why  it  is  said,  "  there 
shall  be  no  night  there."  And  because  they  do  not  regard  their  Avis- 
dom  as  their  own  or  self-derived,  and  are  not  ambitious  of  the  glory 
of  discovering  truth,  but  humbly  look  to  the  Lord  in  the  revelations 
He  has  been  pleased  to  make,  and  reverently  acknowledge  Him  in 
the  truth  they  understand  and  in  the  love  they  feel,  therefore  it  is 
added :  "  and  they  need  no  candle,  neither  light  of  the  sun ;  for  the 
Lord  God  giveth  them  light," 

Sovereignty  of  its  Citizens. 

It  is  further  said  of  the  dwellers  in  this  city,  that  "  they  shall  reign 
forever  and  ever."  To  reign  is  predicated  of  those  who  exercise 
sovereign  authority.  But  there  is  a  natural  and  a  spiritual  sover- 
eignty, corresponding  like  body  and  soul.  In  the  New  Jerusalem  all 
are  to  be  crowned  kings  and  queens ;  all  are  to  sit  upon  thrones ;  for 
all  are  to  reign  spiritually.  But  to  reign  in  this  sense  is  not  to  exer- 
cise sovereignty  over  any  outward  kingdom,  but  over  that  empire 
within  which  is  each  one's  own  by  divine  right — the  empire  of  the 
soul.  Rightly  to  rule  here — wisely  to  regulate  and  control  all  the 
passions,  appetites,  thoughts  and  feelings,  and  to  thoroughly  subject 
the  inclinations  of  the  natural  man  to  the  laws  of  the  heavenly  life 
— ^this  is  to  reign  in  the  highest  and  best  sense.  This  is  to  be  spirit- 
ually crowned,  and  to  reign  with  Him  who  is  "  King  of  kings  and 


560 


CORRESPONDENCE  FURTHER  ELUCIDATED. 


Lord  of  lords."  And  in  the  sight  of  angels  this  is  far  nobler  than  to 
sit  upon  any  terrestrial  throne. 

Those  who  thus  reign  over  the  empire  within,  M  ill  never  desire  to 
lord  it  over  others,  but  only  to  do  good  and  serve  from  neighborly 
love.  They  will  seek  to  govern  their  feelings  and  conduct  according 
to  the  laws  of  heavenly  charity.  This  is  what  the  angels  do.  There- 
fore they  are  said  to  sit  upon  thrones  and  to  reign.  And  because  the 
members  of  the  church  signified  by  the  New  Jerusalem  will  all  be 
internally  associated  with  the  angels  and  forever  conjoined  to  the 
Lord,  therefore  it  is  said  that  "  they  shall  reign  forever  and  ever." 

Qualifications  for  Citizenship. 

What,  now,  are  the  qualifications  for  admission  into  this  city? 
Precisely  those  which  fit  one  for  membership  in  the  kingdom  of 
heaven ;  and  which,  therefore,  constitute  him  a  member  of  that  true 
church  on  earth,  which  is  one  with  the  church  in  heaven.  And  it  is 
only  the  faithful  doers  of  the  truth,  who  have  their  hearts  cleaused 
of  selfishness  and  sin,  and  are  thus  fitted  for  admission  into  heaven. 
As  the  Lord  himself  has  declared  :  "  Not  every  one  that  saith  unto 
me.  Lord,  Lord,  shall  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  but  he  that 
doeth  the  will  of  my  Father  Avhich  is  in  heaven."  And  as  none  can 
enter  heaven  without  keeping  the  Commandments,  or  without  shun- 
ning all  known  evil  as  sin,  neither  can  they  enter  the  true  and  living 
church  on  earth  in  any  other  way.  Accordingly  the  terms  of  admis- 
sion into  the  New  Jerusalem  are  thus  clearly  stated :  "  Blessed  are 
they  that  do  his  commandments,  that  they  may  have  right  to  the  tree 
of  life,  and  may  enter  in  through  the  gates  into  the  city."  And 
again :  "  There  shall  in  nowise  enter  into  it  anything  that  defileth, 
neither  whatsoever  worketh  abomination  or  maketh  a  lie ;  but  they 
that  are  written  in  the  Lamb's  book  of  life." 

Yes :  none  but  the  faithful  doers  of  the  truth  can  really  enter  or 
have  an  abiding  place  in  the  New  Jerusalem ;  for  none  others  come 
into  that  state  of  union  \\-ith  the  Lord  and  fellowship  with  the  angels, 
which  is  the  true  church  state.  But  all  who  acknowledge  the  Lord 
and  humbly  strive  to  obey  his  precepts,  by  whatever  names  they  are 
known  on  earth,  are  known  and  acknowledged  in  the  realms  above 
as  belonging  to  the  true  and  living  church.  They  have  "  entered  in 
through  the  gates  into  the  city." 

Such,  briefly,  is  the  meaning  of  the  New  Jerusalem,  and  of  the 
principal  symbols  employed  in  its  description,  as  unfolded  by  the  rule 


THE  KEY  APPLIED  TO  REVELATION  A'XL  661 

or  law  of  correspondence.  As  to  its  reasonableness  and  consistency, 
as  well  as  its  agreement  with  other  parts  of  Scripture  and  the  indi- 
cations of  God's  purposes  in  the  past  history  and  present  condition  of 
the  church,  the  reader  will  form  his  own  conclusion.  But  he  should 
not  forget  or  overlook  the  general  state  of  Apocalyptic  interpreta- 
tion, and  the  darkness,  confusion  and  contradiction  which  have 
hitherto  prevailed  among  learned  commentators,  with  regard  to  the 
meaning  and  purpose  of  this  book.  If  he  wishes  to  pursue  the  in- 
quiry, and  to  learn  the  signification  of  the  numerous  other  symbols 
mentioned  in  the  Revelation,  and  the  true  meaning  of  this  wonderful 
book,  we  refer  him  to  Swedenborg's  extended  explanation  of  it  in  his 
"  Apocalypse  Revealed." 

2L 


CHAPTER  XL 


The  Word  and  its  Inspiration — No  Written  Word  before  the  Fall 
— The  Ancient  Word  that  became  Lost — Source  of  the  Grecian 
Mythology — All  Religious  Knowledge  from  Divine  Revelation 
— ^The  Scriptures  a  Light  to  all  Nations — The  Medium  of  Commu- 
nication between  Angels  and  Mex — Nature  of  the  Word  in 
Heaven — Illustrating  and  Confirming  the  Doctrine  of  Corre- 
spondence— Distinction  between  Verbal  and  Personal  Inspira- 
tion— No  Written  Word  on  any  Earth  but  ours,  and  the  Reason 

"WHY.* 

The  Word  and  its  Inspiration. 

OF  all  the  services  which  Swedeiiborg,  under  the  guidance  of  Di- 
vine Providence,  has  performed  to  the  world,  perhaps  the  great- 
est is  that  of  throwing  a  new  light  on  the  Sacred  Volume,  whereby 
it  becomes  to  us,  as  it  were,  a  new  Book.  And  this  light  was  greatly 
needed.  There  is  no  subject,  perhaps,  of  a  theological  nature,  about 
which  there  is  more  doubt  and  discussion  at  the  present  day,  than  in 
regard  to  the  true  character  and  meaning  of  the  volume  called  the 
Holy  Scriptures.  Some  calling  themselves  Christians,  doubt  and 
even  deny  the  Divine  authority  of  a  large  portion  of  it,  regarding  the 
Old  Testament,  for  instance,  as  an  obsolete  code  of  laws  intended 
only  for  a  by -gone  age  and  nation  ;  while  the  greater  part,  perhaps, 
of  the  Christian  world,  though  looking  upon  it  as,  in  a  general  sense, 
the  Word  of  God,  yet  either  openly  question,  or  else  entertain  only 
vague  ideas  concerning,  its  Plenary  Inspiration. 

In  the  midst  of  this  obscurity,  the  Sun  of  Righteousness  has  risen 
on  the  world,  "  witli  healing  in  his  wings :"  "  the  people  that  walked  in 
darkness  have  seen  a  great  light ;  they  that  dwell  in  the  land  of  the 
shadow  of  death,  upon  them  hath  the  light  shined."  (Isaiah  ix.  2.) 
The  Lord  who  Avas  "  the  Word  made  flesh,"  and  who  is  the  Word  in 
its  spirit  and  life,  has  come  a  second  time  into  the  world,  and  revealed 
Himself  anew  to  men,  by  the  opening  of  the  internal  sense  of  that 


*  By  Rev.  O.  Prescnft  Hiller.  First  published  in  the  London  InteUeclual  Repository,  from 
June  to  December,  1864. 

5G2 


THE  WORD  AND  ITS  INSPIRATION. 


563 


Word  wherein  He  dwells.  Through  his  illuminated  messenger  He 
has  now  made  known  the  precise  nature  of  the  inspiration  of  the  Sa- 
cred Volume,  and  has  shown  tliat  that  Divine  Word  is  the  Lord's 
very  presence  amongst  men,  giving  light  not  only  to  the  Christian, 
but  also  to  the  Gentile  world ;  and  still  more,  that  it  illumines  the 
heavens  as  well  as  the  earth,  and  that  it  is  read  by  angels,  as  indeed 
that  Word  itself  declares — "  For  ever,  O  Lord,  thy  Word  is  settled 
in  heaven."    (Ps.  cxix.  89.) 

Our  purjjose  in  the  present  Essay  is  to  enlarge  upon  these  points ; 
to  show  from  statements  and  explanations  in  the  writings  of  Sweden- 
borg,  the  true  nature  of  the  Divine  Word,  the  precise  character  and 
manner  of  its  inspiration,  its  influence  on  the  world,  and  the  high 
use  it  performs  as  a  connecting  medium  between  earth  and  heaven. 

The  most  effective  way,  perhaps,  of  presenting  the  subject  in  a  clear 
light  will  be  to  treat  it  historically.  In  the  Most  Ancient  Church, 
which  existed  before  man's  decline  and  full,  there  was  no  outward  or 
written  Word ;  none  such  was  needed.  The  influx  of  light  from 
heaven  into  the  interiors  of  men's  minds  was  in  that  age  a  sufficient 
guide.  This  was  because  their  minds,  being  in  an  unperverted  state, 
were  turned  towards  heaven,  and  consequently  could  receive  the  in- 
flowing light  and  love  in  their  true  order,  and  thus  be  illumined  by 
the  one  and  warmed  by  the  other.  But  after  the  Fall,  man  could 
no  longer  be  thus  led  ;  for  the  human  mind  being  then  in  a  perverted 
state,  and  turned  away  from  heaven,  the  truth  flowing  in  became 
changed  into  falsity,  and  the  good  into  evil.  This  was  an  efi^ect  of 
the  great  law,  that  a  disordered  mind  perverts  what  flows  into  it, — 
that  the  recipient  form  modifies  the  influx,  and  assimilates  it  to  its 
own  nature.  The  operation  of  this  law  may  be  plainly  seen  in  the 
outward  universe ;  for  instance,  the  heat  and  light  of  the  sun  flow 
into  all  vegetables  alike,  and  the  common  earth  gives  them  all  nour- 
ishment ;  yet  from  the  same  materials,  so  to  speak,  the  different  plants 
manufacture  different  and  sometimes  totally  opposite  productions. 
Out  of  the  same  nourishment  the  rose  brings  forth  its  charms,  and 
the  brier  its  ugliness ;  the  vine  its  grapes,  and  the  hemlock  its  poison. 
This  is  because  each  plant,  according  to  its  interior  structure  and 
nature,  modifies  the  inflowing  light,  heat  and  sap,  and  turns  them  to  its 
own  uses.  Just  so  is  it  with  the  inner  world  of  man's  mind.  The 
light  and  heat  of  the  heavenly  Sun  are  ever  pouring  truth  and  love 
and  life  alike  into  every  mind ;  but  these  are  received,  rejected  or 
modified  according  to  the  conformation,  structure  and  order  of  the 


566  CORRESPONDENCE  FURTHER  ELUCIDATED. 


"  Since  that  Word  was  full  of  such  correspondences  as  were  only 
remotely  significant  of  celestial  and  spiritual  things,  in  consequence 
of  which  it  began  to  be  generally  falsified,  then,  by  the  Divine  prov- 
idence of  the  Lord,  in  process  of  time  it  was  removed,  and  at  last  was 
lost ;  and  another  Word  was  given,  written  by  correspondences  less 
remote,  which  was  the  Word  published  by  the  prophets  among  the 
children  of  Israel."* 

We  can  easily  conceive  this  to  be  the  fact,  when  we  observe  how 
entirely  that  portion  of  our  present  Word  which  was  copied  from  the 
ancient  one,  namely,  the  narrative  in  the  first  chapters  of  Genesis, 
has  been  misunderstood,  both  in  the  JcAvish  and  in  the  Christian 
church.  That  narrative,  as  Swedenborg  in  his  Arcana  Coelestia 
shows,  is  a  pure  allegory,  describing,  under  the  figure  of  a  natural 
creation,  the  rise  and  establishment  of  the  first  or  Most  Ancient 
Cliurch ;  next,  under  the  picture  of  a  garden,  the  wisdom  and  hap- 
piness of  the  men  of  that  church ;  and  lastly,  under  the  representa- 
tion of  the  temptation  by  a  serpent,  and  the  destruction  by  a  flood, 
the  decline,  fall,  and  final  consummation  of  that  Church.  Yet  this 
allegorical  account,  the  Jews  and  even  the  Christians  have  taken  for 
a  narrative  of  literal  facts ;  thus  both  obscuring  their  own  minds, 
and  at  the  same  time  casting  a  shade  of  mysteiy  and  inconsistency 
on  the  Divine  Word.  And  yet,  to  minds  in  any  degree  of  interior 
discernment,  how  evidently  is  it  an  allegory !  The  very  names  of 
the  trees  mentioned — the  "  tree  of  life,"  and  the  "  tree  of  the  knowl- 
edge of  good  and  evil " — are  enougli  to  make  it  plain  that  no  natu- 
ral trees  were  meant ;  and  how  could  a  literal  serpent  be  supposed  to 
think  and  sjaeak  in  the  manner  represented  ?  and  how  could  an  ark 
of  the  size  there  described  be  imagined  capable  of  holding  all  the 
animals  in  the  world  ?  These,  and  many  other  considerations,  would 
seem  sufficient  to  have  shown  that  at  least  some  interior  meaning  was 
intended  to  be  conveyed,  quite  different  from  the  sense  of  the  letter. 
But  the  truth  is  that  men  have  lost  not  only  all  knowledge  of  tlie 
science  of  correspondences,  according  to  which  that  allegory  was 
written,  but  also  all  perception  of  interior  things,  as  a  consequence 
of  having  no  love  for  them  ;  and  lionce  the  gross  error  into  which 
they  liave  fallen  of  taking  tliis  account  in  its  literal  acceptation,  and 
thus  of  entirely  misunderstanding  and  falsifying  it.  From  tliis  sin- 
gle instance  we  may  see  tlic  truth  of  Swedenborg's  statement  as  to 
the  reason  why,  under  Divine  Providence,  the  Ancient  Word  was 
withdrawn. 


»  See  the  Doctrine  of  the  Sacred  Scripture,  n.  102. 


THE  WORD  AND  ITS  INSPIRATION. 


567 


Many  important  Inferences,  however,  are  deducible  from  the  fact 
of  the  former  existence  of  that  Ancient  Word.  Our  knowledge  of 
that  fact,  for  instance,  throws  great  light  on  the  origin  of  the  myth- 
ology as  well  as  the  wisdom  of  the  ancient  Gj-eeks  and  Romans,  and 
also  on  the  source  of  the  religious  of  the  oriental  nations.  In  regard 
to  the  Grecian  mythology,  Swedenborg  states  it  to  have  been  derived 
from  the  science  of  correspondences,  according  to  which  the  Ancient 
Word  was  written, — which  science,  in  ancient  times,  was  spread  over 
all  the  countries  of  the  south-west  of  Asia,  and  also  over  Egypt. 

"  I  have  been  informed,"  says  he,  "  that  the  men  of  the  Most  An- 
cient Church  Avere  of  so  heavenly  a  genius  that  they  conversed  with 
angels,  and  that  they  had  the  power  of  holding  such  converse  by 
means  of  correspondences ;  hence,  the  state  of  their  wisdom  became 
such  that,  in  viewing  any  of  the  objects  of  this  world,  they  thought 
of  them  not  only  naturally,  but  also  spiritually,  thus  in  conjunction 
with  the  angels  of  heaven.  I  have  been  further  informed  that  Enoch, 
who  is  mentioned  in  Genesis  v.  21,  24,  together  with  his  associates, 
collected  correspondences  from  the  lips  of  the  celestial  men,  and 
transmitted  the  science  of  them  to  posterity ;  in  consequence  of  which, 
the  science  of  correspondences  was  not  only  known  in  many  king- 
doms of  Asia,  but  also  much  cultivated,  particularly  in  the  land  of 
Canaan,  Egypt,  Assyria,  Chaldea,  Syria,  and  Arabia,  and  in  Tyre, 
Sidon,  and  Nineveh,  and  that  thence  it  was  conveyed  into  Greece, 
where  it  was  changed  into  fable,  as  is  evident  from  the  works  of  the 
oldest  writers  of  that  country." — D.  S.  S.  21. 

"  How  much  the  ancients,"  he  remarks,  "  excelled  the  moderns  in 
intelligence,  is  manifest  from  this,  that  they  knew  to  what  things  in 
heaven  many  things  in  the  world  corresponded,  and  hence  what  they 
signified ;  and  this  was  known  not  only  to  those  who  were  of  the 
church,  but  also  to  those  who  were  out  of  the  church, — as,  for  in- 
stance, to  the  inhabitants  of  Greece,  the  most  ancient  of  whom  de- 
scribe things  by  significatives  which  at  this  day  are  called  fabulous 
simply  because  they  are  altogether  unknown.  That  the  ancient 
sophi  possessed  the  knowledge  of  such  things  is  evident  from  this, 
that  they  described  the  origin  of  intelligence  and  wisdom  by  a 
winged  horse  which  they  called  Pegasus,  and  his  breaking  open  with 
his  hoof  a  fountain  at  which  were  nine  virgins,  and  this  upon  a 
hill ;  for  they  knew  that  by  a  horse  was  signified  the  intellectual 
principle,  by  the  wings  the  spiritual,  by  hoofs  truth  in  the  lowest 
degree,  which  is  the  basis  of  intelligence,  by  virgins  the  sciences, 
by  hill  unanimity,  and  in  the  spiritual  sense,  charity ;  and  so  on. 
But  such  things  at  this  day  are  among  those  that  are  lost." — A.  C. 
7729. 

Here,  then,  is  the  source  of  that  Grecian  mythology  which  has 
been  a  matter  of  such  mystery  to  modern  scholars.   So  also  in  regard 


568 


CORRESPONDENCE  FURTHER  ELUCIDATED. 


to  the  Avisdom  of  the  ancient  Greek  philosophers,  so  often  referred  to 
by  the  opponents  of  the  sufficiency  of  the  "  light  of  nature."  We 
now  learn  that  that  ■wisdom  -was  not  derived  merely  from  hutaan 
reasonings,  as  commonly  supposed,  but  was  derived  from  that  Ancient 
Word  before  mentioned, — thus  from  Revelation. 

"  It  is  believed  in  the  world,"  says  Swedenborg,  "  that  man  from 
the  light  of  nature,  thus  without  Revelation,  can  know  many  things 
relating  to  religion, — as  that  there  is  a  God,  that  He  is  to  be  wor- 
shiped, and  also  that  man  is  to  live  after  death,  Avith  many  other 
truths  that  depend  on  these,  and  that  this  knowledge  is  from  his  own 
intelligence.  But  I  have  been  instructed  from  much  experience,  that 
man  of  himself  and  without  Revelation,  knows  nothing  at  all  con- 
cerning divine  things  ;  for  man  is  born  into  the  evils  of  self-love  and 
the  love  of  the  world,  which  are  such  as  to  shut  out  influx  from 
heaven,  and  open  influx  from  hell,  and  which  thus  make  man  blind, 
and  disposed  to  deny  the  existence  of  the  Divine  Being,  of  heaven 
and  hell,  and  of  the  life  after  death.  This  is  very  manifest  from  the 
learned  of  the  world,  who  by  means  of  science  have  perfected  the 
light  of  nature  to  a  higher  degree  than  others.  That  these,  oftener 
than  others,  deny  a  Divine  Being,  and  acknowledge  only  nature,  is 
well  known ;  and  also  that  when  they  speak  from  their  hearts  and 
not  from  mere  doctrine,  they  are  inclined  to  deny  the  life  after  death, 
also  heaven  and  hell,  and  consequently  all  things  which  pertain  to 
faith,  which  they  call  merely  restraints  upon  the  vulgar.  Hence  it 
is  evident  what  is  the  quality  of  nature  without  Revelation.  Neither 
do  writers  on  Natural  Theology  draw  their  ideas  from  themselves ; 
but  they  merely  confirm  by  rational  arguments  the  things  which  they 
have  learned  from  the  church  which  possesses  the  Word. 

"  There  are  two  considerations,  however,"  he  continues,  "  which 
put  the  mind  in  doubt  on  this  subject ;  first,  that  the  ancients  who 
were  Gentiles,  were  nevertheless  acquainted  with  the  existence  of  a 
Divine  Being,  and  knew  that  worship  was  due  to  Him,  and  also  that 
man's  soul  was  immortal ;  and  secondly,  that  these  things  are  known, 
also,  to  many  nations  at  this  day  with  whom  there  is  no  Revelation. 
In  regard  to  the  ancients,  it  is  to  be  observed  that  they  did  not  know 
these  things  from  the  light  of  their  own  nature,  but  from  Revelation 
which  flowed  down  to  them  from  the  Ancient  Church ;  for  the 
church  of  the  Lord  had  existed  from  the  most  ancient  times  m  the 
land  of  Canaan,  and  thence  such  things  as  pertained  to  Divine  wor- 
ship passed  to  the  surrounding  nations,  and  also  to  the  neighboring 
Greeks,  and  from  these  to  the  Italians  or  Romans.  From  this  source 
both  the  latter  and  the  former  had  knowledge  respecting  the  Su- 
preme Deity,  and  concerning  the  immortality  of  the  soul,  on  which 
subjects  their  learned  men  wrote.  The  ancient  philosophers,  as  Aris- 
totle, Cicero,  Seneca,  and  others,  who  have  written  concerning  God 
and  the  immortality  of  the  soul,  did  not  derive  these  things  origi- 
nally from  their  own  understandings,  but  from  tradition,  and  from 


THE  WORD  AND  ITS  INSPIRATION. 


569 


those  Avho  received  that  knowledge  from  the  Ancient  "Word.  From 
that  Ancient  Word,  and  al::o  from  the  Israelitish  Word,  religion 
emanated  from  the  Indies  and  their  islands,  and  through  Egypt  and 
Ethiopia  into  the  kingdoms  of  Africa,  and  from  the  maritime  parts 
of  Asia  into  Greece,  and  thence  into  Italy.  But  as  the  Word  could 
not  be  written  otherwise  than  by  representatives,  which  are  such 
things  in  the  world  as  correspond  to  heavenly  things,  and  thence 
signify  them,  therefore  the  religious  ideas  of  the  Gentile  nations  were 
changed  into  idolatries,  and  in  Greece  into  fables,  and  the  Divine 
properties  and  attributes  into  as  many  Gods,  over  whom  they  had 
one  Supreme  Deity,  whom  they  called  Jove,  perhaps  from  Jehovah. 
It  is  known,  also,  that  they  had  knowledge  concerning  paradise,  the 
deluge,  the  sacred  fire,  and  the  four  ages,  from  the  golden  to  the  iron 
age.* 

"  In  regard  to  the  Gentile  nations  of  the  present  day,  who  are 
also  acquainted  with  the  existence  of  a  Divine  Being,  and  of  a  life 
after  death,  they  have  not  derived  this  knowledge  from  the  light  of 
nature,  but  from  the  religion  handed  down  to  them  from  ancient 
times ;  and  this  was  founded  on  such  knowledge  as  had  emanated 
in  vai-ious  wavs  from  the  church  where  there  was  a  Revelation ;  and 
this  was  of  the  Divine  Providence  of  the  Lord."— A.  C.  8944 ;  T.  C. 
R.  273-5. 

Here  we  have  very  important  information  ;  we  learn  that  all  the 
religious  light  of  the  ancient  world,  equally  as  of  the  modern,  was 
derived  from  Divine  Revelation.  Thus  the  wisdom  of  Socrates  so 
often  adduced  as  an  argument  in  favor  of  the  light  of  nature,  was 
not — so  far  as  related  to  the  being  of  a  God  and  the  immortality  of 
the  soul — drawn  from  his  own  meditations  solely,  but  was  based  on 
knowledges  handed  down  by  tradition,  and  derived  originally  from  a 
written  Word. 

No.  11. 

In  like  manner  the  religions  of  the  modern  Orientals — the  Hin- 
doos, Chinese,  Japanese— so  far  as  those  religions  contain  any  truth, 
are  traceable  to  the  same  source.  It  was  from  the  Ancient  Word, 
and  afterward^  from  that  of  INIoses,  that  religion  emanated  into  the 
Indies  and  neighboring  islands,  and  also  into  Afi-ica.  And  there  are 
some  striking  facts  which  might  be  adduced  in  confirmation  of  this 


*  From  this  statement  it  appears  how  the 
tradition  of  &  flood  came  to  exist  among  tlie 
Greeks  and  other  ancient  nations,  namely, 
that  it  was  derived  from  the  narrative  in  the 
Ancient  Word.  In  this  view  the  existence 
of  such  tradition  is  not,  as  has  been  com- 
monly held,  a  proof  that  a  literal  flood  had 
once  existed  upon  the  earth,  but  only  that  a 
48* 


Scripture  account  of  a  flood  had  been  widely 
circulated  among  men,  which  account,  how- 
ever, as  we  now  know,  is  to  be  regarded  as 
purely  allegorical,  and  as  describing  a  mor- 
al, not  a  material,  inundation. — See  Josephus 
against  Apion.  n.  22,  where  he  shows  how" 
many  ideas  the  Grecian  philosophers  and 
other  writers  had  derived  from  the  Jews. 


570 


CORRESPONDENCE  FURTHER  ELUCIDATED. 


statement.  Among  the  Buddhists,  for  instance,  in  Thibet,  China  and 
Japan,  there  are  found,  it  is  said,  the  commandments  of  the  Deca- 
logue, ahnost  word  for  word  as  they  stand  in  our  Bible : — "  Thou  shalt 
not  kill ;  thou  shalt  not  steal ;  thou  shalt  not  commit  adultery,"  etc. 
The  peculiar  form  in  which  these  commandments  are  laid  down  shows 
plainly  the  source  whence  they  were  originally  derived.  The  truth 
of  this  view  is  confirmed  by  Swedenborg  in  the  following  passage : — 

"  No  one  has  religion  from  himself,  but  through  another,  who, 
either  himself,  or  by  transmission  from  others,  knew  from  the  Word 
that  there  is  a  God,  a  life  after  death,  a  heaven  and  a  hell,  and  that 
God  is  to  be  worshiped  in  order  that  man  may  be  blessed.  The  Lord 
provides  that  in  every  religion  there  should  be  precepts  such  as  are 
in  the  Decalogue :  as  that  God  is  to  be  worshiped,  his  name  not  to 
be  profaned,  a  solemn  day  to  be  kept,  parents  to  be  honored ;  that 
one  must  not  kill,  nor  commit  adultery,  nor  steal,  nor  testify  falsely. 
The  nation  which  regards  these  precepts  as  divine,  and  lives  accord- 
ing to  them  from  religion,  is  saved ;  and  most  of  the  nations,  remote 
from  the  Christian  world,  look  upon  these  laws,  not  merely  as  civil 
ordinances,  but  as  divine,  and  esteem  them  holy." — Divine  Provi- 
dence, n.  254. 

It  may  be  added,  that  the  ^lahometan  religion,  which  prevails 
over  so  large  a  part  of  the  Eastern  world,  though  based  professedly 
on  the  Koran,  yet  derives  what  truth  it  possesses  indirectly  from  the 
Divine  Word ;  for  the  moral  teachings  of  the  Koran  are  drawn  in 
great  part  from  the  Word  both  of  the  Old  and  New  Testament.  On 
this  point  Swedenborg  remarks : 

"  The  Mahometan  religion  was  raised  up  by  the  divine  provideqce 
of  the  Lord,  for  the  purpose  of  destroying  the  idolatries  of  many 
nations.  Befoi-e  the  existence  of  that  religion,  the  worship  of  idols 
prevailed  throughout  the  world.  The  reason  of  such  a  general  prev- 
alence of  idolatry  was  this : — The  churches  before  the  coming  of  the 
Lord  were  all  representative  churches ;  such,  for  instance,  was  the 
Israelitish  church;  there  the  tabernacle,  the'garments  of  Aaron,  the 
sacrifices,  everything  in  the  temple  at  Jerusalem,  as  also  their  stat- 
utes, were  all  representative.  Among  the  ancients  existed  the  Science 
of  Correspondences,  which  is  also  that  of  representatives.  Tiiis  was 
the  science  of  sciences,  and  was  especially  cultivated  in  Egypt, — 
hence  their  hieroglyphics.  From  this  science  they  knew  what  was 
signified  by  animals  of  every  kind  ;  also  what  by  trees  of  every  kind; 
what  by  mountains,  hills,  rivers,  fountains;  and  also  what  by  the 
sun,  moon,  and  stars.  And  Ji.s  all  their  worship  was  representative, 
consisting  of  mere  coiTespondcnces,  therefore  they  celebrated  worship 
on  mountains  and  hills,  and  also  in  groves  and  gardens ;  hence,  also, 
they  consecrated  fountains,  and  in  their  adorations  of  God,  turned 


TUE  WORD  AND  ITS  INSPIRATION: 


571 


their  faces  to  the  rising  sun.  IMoreover,  they  sculptured  horses, 
oxen,  calves,  lambs,  and  also  birds,  fishes,  and  serpents,  and  these 
they  placed  in  their  houses  and  elsewhere,  in  a  certain  order,  accord- 
ing to  the  spiritual  things  which  they  represented,  or,  what  is  the 
same,  to  which  they  corresponded.  Similar  images  they  placed  also 
in  their  temples,  in  order  to  call  to  their  remembrance  the  holy 
things  which  they  signified.*  In  process  of  time,  when  the  knowl- 
edge of  the  science  of  correspondences  had  perished,  their  posterity 
began  to  worship  those  sculptures  as  holy  in  themselves,  not  knowing 
that  the  ancients,  their  ancestors,  saw  nothing  holy  in  the  images 
themselves  but  only  by  means  of  them  called  to  mind  the  holy  things 
which  they  represented.  From  this  source,  now,  arose  the  idolatries 
which  filled  the  whole  world,  as  well  as  Asia  and  its  islands,  as  Africa 
and  Europe.  To  the  end  that  these  idolatries  might  be  extirpated, 
it  was  brought  about  by  the  Lords  divine  providence,  that  a  new 
religion,  accommodated  to  the  genius  of  the  Orientals,  should  be 
raised  up,  in  which  there  should  be  something  fi-om  both  Testaments 
of  the  Word,  and  which  should  teach  that  the  Lord  came  into  the 
W'Orld,  and  that  He  was  the  greatest  prophet,  the  wisest  of  all,  and 
the  Son  of  God.  This  was  done  by  means  of  Mahomet,  from  whom 
that  religion  is  called  the  Mahometan.  This  religion  was  raised  up 
through  the  Lord's  providence,  and  accommodated,  as  remarked,  to 
the  genius  of  the  Orientals,  to  the  end  that  it  might  destroy  the  idol- 
atries of  so  many  nations,  and  give  them  some  knowledge  concerning 
the  Lord,  before  they  came  into  the  spiritual  world ;  which  religion 
would  not  have  been  received  by  so  many  kingdoms,  and  thus  could 
not  have  extirpated  their  idolatries,  unless  it  had  been  accommodated 
in  a  measure  to  their  ideas  and  character." — Divine  Providence,  n. 
255. 

From  the  above  statements,  then,  we  learn  that  the  ancients,  the 


*  In  this  statement  of  Swedenborg,  we  have 
a  complete  explanation  of  the  strange  idol- 
atries of  the  Egyptian  and  other  ancient  na- 
tions. We  can  now  understand  how  the 
former  came  to  worship  calves,  serpents  and 
other  animals,  viz.,  through  finding  in  their 
honses  and  temples  the  forms  of  those  ani- 
mals, placed  there  by  their  forefathers,  who 
were  acquainted  with  the  science  of  corre- 
spondences. For  a  calf  corresponds  to  the 
affection  of  knowing ;  a  serpent  to  the  sensual 
principle,  hence  to  circumspection,  which  ex- 
plains what  is  meant  by  the  wisdom  (or  ra- 
ther prudence)  of  the  serpent.  From  the 
same  source,  also,  is  derived  an  explanation 
of  the  existence  of  strange  compound  forms 
of  animal.s,  as  the  sphynx  of  Egypt,  and  the 
winged  bull  of  Nineveh.  The  science  of 
correspondences  will  enable  us  to  interpret 
these.  The  sphinx  is  compounded  of  a  wo- 
man's face  and  a  lion's  form ;  a  woman  is 


the  emblem  of  affection  and  love,  and  a  lion 
of  the  power  of  truth  ;  hence  the  two  united 
represent  probably  the  union  of  goodne.ss 
and  truth.  The  winged  bull  of  Nineveh — 
found  by  Mr.  Layard,  and  now  placed  in 
the  British  Museum — is  compounded  of  the 
head  of  a  man  with  the  form  of  a  bull,  and 
winged.  Man  represents  wisdom,  a  bull 
natural  aflection,  and  wings  spiritual  truth. 
Ilence  the  whole  figure  is  a  representation 
of  wisdom  sustained  by  spiritual  truths,  and 
completed  by  natural  affections, — thus  the 
three  principles  of  the  mind  in  their  order, 
the  celestial,  the  spiritual,  and  the  natural. 
By  the  same  key,  doubtless  (the  science  of 
correspondences),  may  all  or  most  of  the 
symbolic  hieroglyphics  be  interpreted;  the 
Rosetta  stone  is  a  key  merely  to  the  pho- 
netic or  alphabetic  hieroglyphics,  which  are 
wholly  a  distinct  and  inferior  class. 


572  CORRESPONDENCE  FURTHER  ELUCIDATED. 


moderns,  the  Pagans,  the  Mahometans,  all  nations  and  peoples,  in- 
deed, throughout  the  world,  are  indebted  for  their  religious  knowl- 
edge more  or  less  directly  to  the  written  Word.  Thus  the  fountain 
of  all  religious  light  is  Divine  Revelation.  In  what  has  been  said, 
this  may  be  seen  from  a  historical  point  of  view  ;  but  there  is  a  spir- 
itual point  of  view  from  which  it  appears  still  more  strikingly ;  for 
the  whole  Gentile  world  is  at  this  moment  influenced  by  the  exist- 
ence of  the  written  Word  in  Christendom,  even  though  the  fact  of 
its  existence  may  be  quite  unknown  to  them.  This  truth,  as  Sweden- 
borg  presents  it,  is  very  curious  and  interesting,  and  something  en- 
tirely new.    The  following  is  the  view  he  presents  of  it : — 

"There  cannot  be  conjunction  with  heaven,  unless  there  be  some- 
where on  the  earth  a  church  which  is  in  possession  of  the  Word,  and 
whicli  has  thus  a  knowledge  of  the  Lord ;  because  the  Lord  is  the 
God  of  heaven  and  earth,  and  without  the  Lord  there  is  no  salvation. 
It  is  sufficient  that  there  be  a  church  which  is  in  possession  of  the 
Word,  even  though  it  consists  of  comjiaratively  few ;  for  still,  by 
means  of  the  Word  so  possessed,  the  Lord  is  present  throughout  the 
whole  world,  since  by  that  ineans  heaven  is  in  conjunction  with  man- 
kind. In  what  manner  the  presence  and  conjunction  of  the  Lord 
and  heaven  are  effected  in  all  countries  by  means  of  the  Word,  shall 
be  sliown.  The  whole  heaven  in  the  Lord's  sight,  is  as  one  man ; 
sucli  also  is  the  church.  In  tliis  man  the  church  where  the  Word  is 
read  and  Mhere  the  Lord  is  thereby  known,  is  as  the  heart  and  lungs. 
Now,  as  from  these  two  fountains  of  life  in  the  human  body  all  the 
other  organs,  members  and  viscera  subsist  and  live,  so  also  all  those  in 
every  part  of  tlie  earth  wlio  have  any  religion,  who  worship  one  God, 
and  live  good  lives,  and  thus  nuike  a  part  of  this  (collective)  man, 
subsist  and  live  from  the  conjunction  of  the  Lord  with  heaven  and 
the  church  by  means  of  the  Word.  For  the  Word  in  the  church, 
even  though  that  church  consist  of  but  few  respectively,  is  yet  life  to 
the  rest  from  the  Lord  tlirougli  heaven, — just  as  the  members  and 
viscera  of  tlie  whole  body  receive  life  through  the  heart  and  lungs. 
The  comnuuiication  also  is  similar.  For  this  reason  the  Christians 
among  wliom  the  Word  is  read,  constitute  the  breast,  as  it  were, 
of  the  before-mentioned  man.  They  are  also  in  the  centre  of  all ; 
around  them  fspiritually  vie\ved)  are  the  Roman  Catholics;  around 
these  are  the  Mahometans  who  acknowledge  the  Lord  as  the  great- 
est prophet,  and  as  the  Son  of  God  ;  after  these  are  the  Africans ; 
and  the  furthest  circumference  is  constituted  by  the  nations  and  peo- 
j)les  of  Asia  and  the  Indies.  In  the  centre  where  the  Christians  are, 
tlic  light  is  brightest ;  for  light  in  the  heavens  is  divine  truth  pro- 
ce*dnig  from  the  Lord  as  a  Sun  there ;  and  since  the  Word  is  divine 
truth,  the  greatest  light  is  with  tliose  who  are  in  possession  of  the 
Word ;  light  thence,  as  from  a  centre,  diffuses  itself  through  all  the 


THE  WORD  AND  ITS  INSPIRATIOX. 


573 


surrounding  parts,  even  to  the  extremities ;  and  hence  the  ilUiniina- 
tion  of  the  nations  and  peoples  out  of  the  churcli  by  means  of  tlie 
Word.  This  may  be  ilhistrated  by  comparison  with  the  heat  and 
liglit  proceeding  from  the  natural  sun,  which  cause  vegetation  in 
trees  and  shrubs,  even  such  as  are  not  exposed  to  their  direct  influ- 
ence, but  are  planted  in  shady  places,  which,  nevertheless,  do  not  fail 
to  grow  if  the  sun  be  only  risen  above  the  horizon." — D.  S.  S.  104- 
109. 

This  is  a  striking  and  beautiful  passage,  containing  truth  as  im- 
portant and  interesting  as  it  b  novel.  And  how  does  it  enhance  the 
value  of  the  Holy  AVord,  to  know  that  our  possession  and  pious 
perusal  of  it  is,  unconsciously  to  us,  influencing  the  most  distant 
nations  by  spiritual  communication !  We  are  apt,  with  our  merely 
natural  ideas,  to  think  that  the  only  means  of  communication  be- 
tween ourselves  and  the  Indies  or  Africans,  is  by  crossing  vast  con- 
tinents and  seas.  We  forget  that  there  is  a  world  of  mind  in  which 
there  is  no  space,  but  in  which  all  are  allied  by  a  spiritual  connec- 
tion, M'hich,  though  unseen  and  unknown  to  us,  is  yet  plainly  seen 
by  the  Omniscient  Ruler  of  the  universe.    Our  author  proceeds : — 

"  It  may  thus  be  plainly  seen  that  the  Word  which  is  read  in  the 
Protestant  Church,  enlightens  all  nations  and  peoples  by  spiritual 
communication.  Hence  it  is  provided  by  the  Lord  that  there  should 
always  be  a  church  on  the  earth  in  which  the  Word  is  read,  and 
where  consequently  the  Lord  is  known.  When,  therefore,  the  Word 
was  well-nigh  cast  aside  by  the  Romish  Church,  then,  by  the  Lord's 
divine  providence,  the  Reformation  was  brought  about  and  the  Word 
was  again  received.  So,  likewise,  when  the  Word  was  entirely  folsi- 
fied  and  adulterated  by  the  Jewish  nation,  and  thus  rendered  in  a 
manner  null,  it  pleased  the  Lord  himself  to  descend  from  heaven 
and  come  into  the  world  to  fulfil  the  Word,  and  thus  renew  and 
restore  it,  and  again  give  light  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth,  ac- 
cording to  these  words  of  the  Lord — '  The  people  that  sat  in  dark- 
ness saw  a  great  light ;  to  them  that  sat  in  the  region  and  shadow 
of  death,  hath  light  sprung  up.'  (Matt.  iv.  16.)  And  it  having 
been  foretold  that  at  the  end  of  the  present  church,  also,  darkness 
would  arise  in  consequence  of  its  members  not  knowing  and  acknowl- 
edging the  Lord  as  the  God  of  heaven  and  earth,  and  separatmg 
faith  from  charity,  therefore,  lest  the  genuine  understanding  of  the 
Word,  and  consequently  the  church,  should  perish,  it  has  jileased  the 
Lord  now  to  reveal  the  spiritual  sense  of  the  Word,  and  to  show  that 
the  Word  in  that  sense,  and  from  that  in  the  natural  sense,  treats  of 
the  Lord  and  the  church,  and  of  them  alone,  with  many  other  dis- 
coveries, by  which  the  light  of  truth,  which  was  well-nigh  extin- 
guished, might  be  restored."— D.  S.  S.  110-112. 

Having  thus  far  shown  that  the  written  Word,  even  though  pos- 


574 


CORRESPONDENCE  FURTHER  ELUCIDATED. 


sessed  by  comparatively  few,  yet  is  and  has  in  all  time  been  a  light  to 
all  nations,  it  is  now  to  be  shown  that  the  Word  is  also  the  great 
medium  of  communication  with  heaven,  and  that  without  such  a 
medium  men  would  be  in  mental  darkness,  and  Avould  at  length 
perish.    On  this  point  Swedenborg  thus  speaks : — 

"  Since  man  has  broken  his  connection  with  heaven  by  turning 
his  interiors  away  from  heaven,  and  turning  them  to  the  world  and 
himself  by  means  of  his  love  of  self  and  love  of  the  world,  and  thus 
withdrawing  himself  so  as  no  longer  to  serve  heaven  as  a  basis  and  foun- 
dation,  therefore  a  medium  was  promised  b)"  the  Lord,  which  might 
be  to  heaven  in  the  place  of  a  basis  and  foundation,  and  also  a  me- 
dium for  the  conjunction  of  heaven  with  man.  That  medium  is  the 
Word.  Unless  such  a  Word  had  been  given  on  this  earth,  the  man 
of  this  earth  would  have  been  separated  from  heaven ;  and  if  sepa- 
rated from  heaven,  he  would  no  longer  have  been  rational,  for  the 
human  rational  exists  from  the  influx  of  the  light  of  heaven.  I 
have  been  informed  from  heaven  that  the  Most  Ancient  people  had 
immediate  revelation,  since  their  iuterioi's  were  turned  to  heaven ; 
and  that  hence  there  was  at  that  time  conjunction  of  heaven  with 
the  human  race.  But  after  their  times  there  was  not  such  immediate 
revelation,  but  mediate  by  correspondences ;  for  all  their  divine  wor- 
ship consisted  of  correspondences,  whence  the  churches  of  that  time 
were  called  representative  churches.  For  they  at  that  time  knew 
what  correspondence  was,  and  what  representation  was,  and  that  all 
things  on  earth  correspond  to  spiritual  things  which  are  in  heaven 
and  in  the  church  ;  wherefore  the  natural  things  which  were  the  ex- 
ternals of  their  worship,  served  them  as  mediums  for  thinking  spirit- 
ually, thus  with  the  angels.  After  the  science  of  correspondences 
and  re]n-esentatives  was  obliterated,  then  the  Word  was  written,  in 
which  all  the  woi'ds  and  .senses  of  the  words  arc  correspondences: 
thus  they  contain  a  spiritual  or  internal  sense  in  Mhicli  the  angels 
are.  AYherefore,  when  man  reads  the  Word  and  perceives  it  accord- 
ing to  the  sense  of  the  letter,  the  angels  perceive  it  according  to  the 
internal  or  spiritual  sense.  In  tliis  way  it  is,  that  after  nuiu  removed 
himself  from  heaven  and  broke  the  bond  of  connection,  there  was 
provided  l)y  the  Lord  a  medium  for  the  conjunction  of  man  with 
heaven,  namely,  the  Word.  In  Mhat  manner  heaven  is  conjoined 
witli  man  by  means  of  the  Word,  may  be  seen  from  the  following  ex- 
ample : — In  Isaiah  it  is  written — '  In  that  day  there  shall  be  a  high- 
way from  Egypt  to  Assyria,  and  the  Assyrian  shall  come  into  Egypt, 
and  the  Egyptian  into  Assyria,  and  the  Egyi)tians  shall  serve  with 
the  Assyrians :  in  that  day  Israel  shall  be  a  third  to  Egypt  and  As- 
syria, a  blessing  in  the  midst  of  the  land '  (xix.  23,  24).  How  man 
thinl<s,  and  on  the  other  hand  how  the  angels  think,  when  these 
words  are  read,  will  appear  by  comparing  tiie  sense  of  the  letter 
witii  the  internal  sense.  From  the  literal  sense,  man  thinks  that  the 
Egyptians  and  Assyrians  are  to  be  converted  to  God,  and  accepted, 


THE  WORD  AND  ITS  INSPIRATION. 


575 


and  that  they  are  to  make  one  with  the  Israelitish  nation  ;  but  from 
the  internal  sense  angels  think  of  the  man  oi"  the  spiritual  church, 
who  is  there  described ;  whose  spiritual  jjrinciple  is  represented  by 
Israel,  his  natural  principle  by  the  Egyptian,  and  his  rational  priu- 
cii)le  by  the  Assyrian.  \_A.  highway  from  Egypt  to  Assyria  signifies 
an  orderly  communication  and  connection  between  the  natural  and 
rational  principles  of  the  mind  ;  and  Israel  '  a  blessing  in  the  midst 
of  the  land,'  signifies  that  the  spiritual  principle  within  will  be 
a  source  of  blessing  and  peace  to  the  whole  mind.]  Here  the  natu- 
ral and  spiritual  senses  still  make  one,  because  they  correspond : 
wherefore  when  the  angels  thus  speak  spiritually,  and  man  thinks 
naturally,  they  are  conjoined  almost  like  soul  and  body.  The  inter- 
nal sense  of  the  Word,  indeed,  is  its  soul,  and  the  letter  its  body. 
Such  is  the  Word  throughout ;  hence  it  is  evident,  that  it  is  the  me- 
dium of  conjoining  man  with  heaven." — H.  H.  306-309. 

In  confirmation  of  the  truth  that  the  Word  is  a  medium  of  com- 
munication with  heaven,  Swedenborg  adduces  his  own  experience : — 

"  That  the  spiritual  angels  are  in  the  spiritual  sense  of  the  Word, 
and  the  celestial  angels  in  its  celestial  sense,  has  been  proved  to  me 
by  much  experience.  AVhile  I  was  reading  the  AVord  in  its  literal 
sense,  it  was  given  me  to  perceive  that  communication  was  opened 
with  the  heavens,  sometimes  with  one  society,  sometimes  with  an- 
other. What  I  understood  according  to  the  natural  sense,  the  spirit- 
ual angels  understood  according  to  the  spiritual  sense,  and  the  celes- 
tial angels  according  to  the  celestial  sense,  and  this  in  an  instant. 
As  this  communication  has  been  perceived  by  me  many  thousand 
times,  I  have  not  the  least  doubt  remaining  as  to  its  reality.  There 
are  spirits,  also,  below  the  heavens  who  abuse  this  communication ; 
for  they  read  over  particular  passages  in  the  literal  sense  of  the 
Word,  and  immediately  observe  and  note  the  society  with  which 
communication  is  effected.  From  these  circumstances  it  has  been 
given  me  to  know  by  sensible  experience,  that  the  Woi'd  in  its  literal 
sense  is  a  divine  medium  of  conjunction  with  the  Lord  and  with 
heaven."— D.  S.  S.  6-1. 

He  adds,  in  another  place : — 

"  While  I  read  through  the  Word,  from  the  first  chapter  of  Isaiah 
even  to  the  last  of  Malachi,  and  the  Psalms  of  David,  and  kept  the 
thought  on  the  spiritual  sense,  it  was  given  me  clearly  to  perceive 
that  every  verse  communicated  with  some  society  of  heaven,  and 
thus  the  whole  Word  with  the  universal  heaven." — T.  C.  R.  292. 

In  the  following  statement,  there  is  presented  a  striking  and  beau- 
tiful instance  of  the  spiritual  effect  produced,  not  only  by  reading, 
but  also  by  singing  the  Word  in  a  church  on  earth : — 

"  There  were  certain  African  spirits  from  Abyssinia  with  me,  whose 


576 


CORRESPONDENCE  FURTHER  ELUCIDATED. 


ears  on  a  cei-tain  occasion  were  opened,  that  they  might  hear  singing 
in  a  church  in  the  world  from  the  Psalms  of  David.  By  this  they 
were  affected  with  such  delight  that  they  joined  in  the  singing.  Pres- 
ently, however,  their  eai'S  were  closed,  so  that  they  could  not  hear 
anything  thence ;  but  they  were  then  affected  Avith  a  still  greater 
degree  of  delight,  because  it  was  spiritual,  and  they  were  at  the  same 
time  filled  with  intelligence,  for  that  Psalm  treated  of  the  Lord  and 
of  redemption.  The  cause  of  this  increase  of  delight  was,  that  there 
was  then  granted  them  a  communication  with  that  society  in  heaven 
which  was  in  conjunction  with  those  who  were  singing  that  Psalm  in 
the  world." — Sacred  Scripture,  n.  108. 

Does  not  this  interesting  circumstance  teach  us  the  importance  of 
chanting  the  Word  in  our  public  worship?  Hymns  of  human  com- 
position, may  also,  no  doubt,  be  properly  and  jjrofitably  used ;  but 
we  should  never  omit  the  other.  And  how  much  it  M  ill  add  to  the 
elevation  of  our  spirits  on  such  occasions,  to  reflect  that  while  chant- 
ing a  Psalm,  or  indeed  any  part  of  the  Divine  Word,  we  are  for  the 
time  in  spiritual  consociation  with  the  angels  of  heaven !  In  our 
private  singing  or  reading  of  the  Word,  also,  it  will  tend  greatly  to 
increase  our  interest  in  the  sacred  duty,  to  reflect  that  every  verse  we 
read  aloud  communicates  with  some  angelic  society ;  and  that  if  we 
are  reading  in  a  reverential  frame  of  mind,  our  spirits  are  thereby 
brought  into  consociation  with  its  blessed  inhabitants. 

"  The  Word  in  the  letter,"  says  Swedenborg,  "  is  like  a  cabinet,  in 
which  lie  in  order  precious  stones,  pearls,  and  diadems ;  and  when 
man  accounts  the  Word  holy,  and  reads  it  for  the  sake  of  uses  of 
life,  the  thoughts  of  his  mind  are  comparatively  like  one  who  holds 
such  a  cabinet  in  his  hand,  and  sends  it  up  to  heaven ;  and  in  its 
ascent  it  is  ojjened,  and  the  ])recious  things  therein  come  to  the  an- 
gels, who  are  inwardly  delighted  with  seeing  and  examining  them." 
— True  Christian  lieligion,  238. 

It  is  a  curious  and  interesting  fact,  that,  as  stated  by  our  author, 
the  angels  are  more  particularly  affected  when  the  Word  is  read  by 
children. 

"  It  may  seem  a  paradox,"  says  he,  "  but  nevertheless  it  is  most 
true,  that  the  angels  have  a  clearer  and  fuller  understanding  of  the 
internal  sense  of  the  Word  when  it  is  read  by  little  boys  and  girls, 
than  when  it  is  read  by  grown  up  persons  Avho  are  not  in  a  state  of 
faith  grounded  in  charity.  The  reason  is,  because  little  children  are 
in  a  state  of  mutual  love  and  innocence,  and  ccmsequently  the  recep- 
tive vessels  of  their  minds  are  extremely  tender  and  almost  of  a  ce- 
lestial nature,  so  as  to  be  pure  faculties  of  reception,  which  therefore 
are  capable  of  being  disposed  by  the  Lord  for  the  purpose,  although 


THE  WORD  AND  ITS  INSPIRATION 


577 


this  does  not  come  to  the  cliildren's  perception,  except  by  a  certain 
sensation  of  delight,  suitable  to  their  state  and  genius." — Arcana  Cc&- 
lediu,  n.  1776. 

AVe  may  now  see  the  reason  why  the  Word,  especially  of  the  Old 
Testament,  is  so  full  of  stories,  as  the  account  of  the  Garden  of  Eden, 
the  story  of  Joseph,  the  history  of  Samson,  and  numerous  others. 
It  is  for  the  sake  of  children  in  particular,  that  the  Word  is  thus 
written.  Were  it  a  book  merely  of  profound  philosophy  and  theol- 
ogy— as  some  would  wish  it  to  be — is  it  not  evident  that  none  but 
philosophers  and  theologians  would  read  it  ?  Children  and  simple 
people  would  be  driven  from  its  pages ;  and  thus  not  only  would 
these  lose  the  delight  and  benefit  derived  from  its  literal  sense,  and 
still  more  from  the  interior  communication  thereby  opened  with 
heaven,  but  the  angels,  also,  would  be  deprived  of  a  portion  of  their 
delight,  which,  as  just  shown,  they  receive  from  the  reading  of  the 
Word  by  children  and  simple  good  people.  And  yet,  underneath 
these  simple  stories  is  a  miue  of  truth  infinite  in  depth,  capable  of 
instructing  not  only  philosophers  and  theologians,  but  even  the 
angels  of  heaven,  for  ever.  So  wonderfully  constituted  is  the  Divine 
Word! 

No.  III. 

But  now  the  question  may  be  asked,  Are  angels  entirely  depend- 
ent on  man  for  the  reading  of  the  Word  ?  Do  they  not  j^ossess  it 
themselves  in  the  heavens  ?  Swedenborg  answers  this  question.  Cer- 
tainly they  do  possess  the  Word,  and  read  it  just  as  men  do.  But 
their  Word  difiers  from  ours :  they  have  it  not  there  in  the  literal 
sense,  but  in  the  spiritual  sense ;  the  internal  sense  of  our  Word,  or 
that  which  is  within  the  letter,  is  what  constitutes  the  W^ord  as  it 
appears  in  heaven. 

"  The  Word  in  heaven  is  written  in  a  spiritual  style,  which  differs 
entirely  from  a  natural  style.  A  spiritual  style  consists  of  mere 
letters,  each  involving  some  particular  sense ;  and  there  are  marks 
above  the  letters  which  exalt  the  sense.  As  their  writing  is  of  such 
a  nature,  there  are  not  any  names  of  persons  and  places  in  their 
Word  as  in  ours ;  but  instead  of  names  are  the  things  which  they 
signify.  Thus,  instead  of  INIoses,  is  mentioned  the  historical  word ; 
instead  of  Elias,  the  prophetical  word ;  instead  of  Abraham,  Isaac, 
and  Jacob,  the  Lord  with  respect  to  his  divine-celestial,  his  divine- 
sjiiritual,  and  his  divine-natural  principles ;  instead  of  Aaron,  the 
priestly  office ;  instead  of  David,  the  kingly  office,  each  in  relation 
to  the  Lord ;  instead  of  the  names  of  the  twelve  sous  of  Jacob,  or 
49  2M; 


678  CORRESPONDENCE  FURTHER  ELUCIDATED. 


the  tribes  of  Israel,  and  instead  of  the  names  of  the  Lord's  twelve 
disciples,  various  things  respecting  heaven  and  the  church ;  instead 
of  Zion  and  Jerusalem,  the  church  as  to  doctrine  derived  from  the 
Word ;  instead  of  the  land  of  Canaan,  the  church  itself ;  instead  of 
the  places  and  cities  in  that  land,  both  on  this  side  and  beyond  Jor- 
dan, various  things  relating  to  the  church  and  to  doctrine.  So  also 
■with  numbers.  These  do  not  occur  in  the  copies  of  the  Word  writ- 
ten in  heaven  ;  but  instead  of  them,  the  things  to  which  the  numbers 
correspond.  It  may  hence  be  seen  that  the  Word  in  heaven  corre- 
sponds to  our  Word,  and  that  consequently  they  are  one,  for  corre- 
spondence makes  things  one." 

He  adds : — 

"  What  is  wonderful,  the  Word  in  heaven  is  so  written  that  the 
simple  understand  it  in  simplicity,  and  the  wise  in  wisdom ;  for,  as 
above  observed,  there  are  various  points  and  marks  over  the  letters, 
which  exalt  the  sense,  but  to  which  the  simple  do  not  attend,  nor  do 
they  understand  their  meaning ;  whereas  the  wise  take  note  of  them, 
every  one  in  projjortion  to  his  wisdom,  even  to  its  highest  degree. 
A  copy  of  the  Word,  written  by  angels  inspired  by  the  Lord,  is  kept 
in  every  considerable  society  in  its  sacred  repository,  in  order  to  pre- 
serve it  from  alteration  in  any  of  its  points  or  marks.  In  the  sacred 
repository  where  tlie  copy  of  the  Word  is  kept,  the  light  is  bright 
and  flaming,  exceeding  every  degree  of  light  that  shines  in  the  other 
parts  of  heaven.  The  reason  is,  that  the  Lord  is  in  the  Word." — 
D.  S.  S.  71-73. 

Having  thus  presented  from  the  writings  of  Swedenborg,  many 
new  and  elevating  views  of  the  Divine  Word,  I  wish  now  to  set  forth 
in  a  clear  light  the  nature  of  its  inspiration, — a  subject  which  has 
been  much  discussed,  but  which  is  not  in  general  clearly  understood. 
In  the  first  place,  let  us  define  the  word  insjnration.  Inspiration, 
proper  or  plenary,  means  being  filled  with  the  Divine.  When  we  say, 
then,  that  the  Word  is  inspired,  we  mean  that  it  is  filled  with  Divin- 
ity, so  as  to  be  purely  Divine ;  and  since  whatever  is  Divine  is  infi^ 
nite,  therefore  the  Holy  Word  contains  infinite  truth, — truth  inex- 
haustible by  men  or  angels.  This  is  taught  by  Swedenborg  in  the 
followmg  passage : — 

"  It  is  a  divine  truth  that  there  are  indefinite  things  in  each  ex- 
pression of  the  Word,  which  appears  to  man  so  simple  and  rude ; 
yea,  that  there  is  contained  therein  more  than  the  universal  heaven  ; 
and  that  its  arcana  may  be  presented  by  the  Lord  before  the  angels, 
with  perpetual  varietv,  to  eternity." — A.  C.  1936. 

"  The  world,  even  the  learned  part  of  it,  has  heretofore  imagined 
that  the  historicals  of  the  Word  are  merely  historicals,  and  infold 
nothing  deeper.    And  although  they  have  said  that  every  iota  is 


THE  WORD  AND  ITS  INSPIRATION: 


579 


divinely  inspired,  still  by  this  they  meant  nothing  more  than  that  such 
historicals  were  made  known  by  revelation,  and  that  certam  tenets 
may  be  deduced  from  them  applicable  to  the  doctrine  of  faith,  and 
profitable  to  those  who  teach  and  to  those  who  are  taught ;  as  also 
that,  in  consequence  of  being  divinely  inspired,  those  narratives  have 
a  divine  force  on  men's  minds,  and  are  effective  of  good  above  all 
other  histories.  But  historicals,  considered  in  themselves,  effect  little 
toward  man's  amendment,  and  nothing  towards  eternal  life,  for  in  the 
other  life  they  are  sunk  in  oblivion.  Of  what  use,  for  instance,  could 
it  be  to  know  concerning  Hagar,  a  maitl-servant,  that  she  Avas  given 
to  Abram  by  kSarai?  or  to  know  the  history  of  Ishmael,  or  even  that 
of  Abram  ?  Nothing  is  necessary  for  souls  in  order  to  their  entering 
into  heaven  and  enjoying  bliss,  that  is,  eternal  life,  but  what  has 
reference  to  the  Lord  and  is  from  the  Lord.  These  are  the  things, 
to  communicate  which  the  Word  was  given,  and  which  are  contained 
in  its  interiors.  Inspiration  implies  that  in  all  ])arts  of  the  Word, 
even  the  most  minute,  are  contained  celestial  things  which  have 
reference  to  love  or  goodness,  and  spiritual  things,  which  have  refer- 
ence to  faith  or  truth,  consequently  things  divine,  i'or  what  is  in- 
spired by  the  Lord,  descends  from  Him  through  the  angelic  heaven, 
and  so  through  the  world  of  spirits,  till  it  reaches  man,  before  whom 
it  presents  itself  such  as  the  Word  is  in  its  letter." — A.  C.  1886-7. 

This  being  the  character  of  the  Divine  Word,  namely,  that  besides 
the  literal  Sense,  it  contains  an  internal  sense  which  is  exhaustless  in 
depth  and  wisdom,  it  will  be  at  once  evident  that  man  had  nothing 
to  do  with  its  composition,  for  in  its  interiors  it  is  infinitely  above 
man's  range  of  thought.  Had  it  passed  through  [or  proceeded  from] 
any  human  mind,  it  would  be  merely  finite  and  human,  not  infinite 
and  Divine.  The  persons,  therefore,  who  Avere  employed  as  instru- 
ments for  writing  the  Divine  Word,  as  Moses,  David,  and  the  rest, 
did  not,  as  some  have  supposed,  first  receive  the  truth  into  their 
minds,  and  then  express  it  in  their  OAvn  way — not  at  all ;  that  Avould 
have  destroyed  its  plenary  inspiration  altogether:  the  weak  and 
finite  medium  could  not  but  have  perverted,  or  at  least  modified, 
•what  it  received,  so  that  what  was  written  would  not  have  been  a 
Divine  but  a  human  composition.  The  writers  of  the  Scripture  were 
in  truth  mere  penmen, — they  wrote  simply  by  dictation ;  oftentimes, 
doubtless,  having  little  or  no  understanding  of  what  they  were  writ- 
ing. They  heard  a  voice,  and  wrote  down  what  the  voice  uttered. 
Thus  it  was  not  properly  the  men  that  were  inspired,  but  the  writing. 
That  this  w^as  the  case  is  thus  plainly  taught  by  Swedenborg : — 

"  I  have  been  informed  how  the  Lord  spoke  with  the  prophets  by 
whom  the  Word  was  written.    He  did  not  speak  with  them,  as  with 


680 


CORRESPONDENCE  FURTHER  ^ELVCWATED. 


the  ancients,  by  an  influx  into  their  interiors,  but  by  spirits  who  were 
sent  to  them,  whom  the  Lord  filled  with  his  aspect,  and  thus  inspired 
words  which  they  dictated  to  the  prophets ;  so  that  it  was  not  influx 
but  dictation.  And  since  the  words  came  forth  immediately  from  the 
Lord,  therefore,  each  of  them  ivas  filled  ivith  the  Divine,  and  contains 
in  it  an  internal  sense  which  is  such  that  the  angels  of  heaven  jjer- 
ceive  them  in  a  celestial  and  spiritual  sense,  when  men  perceive  them 
in  a  natural  sense.  Tluis  the  Lord  by  the  Word  has  conjoined  the 
world  to  heaven."— H.  H.  254. 

Again,  he  says : — 

"  In  regard  to  the  prophets,  by  whom  the  Word  was  written,  they 
wrote  as  the  spirit  from  the  Divine  dictated  ;  for  the  verywords  which 
they  wrote  ivere  uttered  in  their  ears." — A.  C.  7055. 

He  also  states  who  it  was  that  uttered  the  voice  Mhich  they 
heard : — 

"  There  were  angels  who  were  sent  to  men,  and  who  also  spake  by 
the  prophets ;  but  what  they  spake  was  not  from,  the  angels  but  by 
them.  For  the  state  of  the  angels  at  that  time  was  such  that  they 
knew  no  otherwise  than  that  they  were  Jehovah, — that  is,  the  Lord ; 
nevertheless,  when  they  had  done  speaking  they  presently  returned 
into  their  former  state.  This  was  the  case  with  the  angels  who  spake 
the  Word  of  the  Lord,  as  has  been  given  me  to  know  by  much  expe- 
rience. Tliis  is  the  reason  that  the  angels  Avere  sometimes  called 
Jehovah,  as  was  evidently  the  case  with  the  angel  who  appeared  to 
Moses  in  the  bush,  of  whom  it  is  thus  written : — '  And  the  auf/el  of 
Jehovah  appeared  to  him  in  a  flame  of  fire  out  of  the  midst  of  the 
bush.  And  when  Jehovah  saw  that  he  turned  aside  to  see,  God  called 
to  him  out  of  the  midst  of  the  bush. —  God  said  to  Moses,  I  Am  that 
I  Am.'  Ex.  iii.  2,  4,  14.  From  which  words  it  is  evident  that  it 
was  an  angel  that  appeared  to  JNIoses  as  a  flame  in  the  bush,  and  that 
he  sjiake  as  Jehovah,  because  the  Lord  as  Jehovah  spake  by  him. 
For  in  order  that  man  may  be  spoken  to  by  vocal  expressions,  which 
are  articulate  sounds  in  the  ultimates  of  nature,  the  Lord  makes  use 
of  the  ministry  of  angels  by  filling  them  with  the  Divine,  and  by 
laying  asleep  what  is  of  their  own  projirium,  so  that  they  know  no 
otherwise  tlian  tliat  they  are  Jehovah  ;  thus  the  Divine  of  Jehovah 
whicli  is  in  the  Supreme,  descends  into  the  lowest  principles  of  nature 
in  which  man  is." — A.  C.  1925. 

• 

From  this  passage  we  learn  with  distinctness  the  nature  of  the  in- 
spiration of  the  Divine  Word,  and  the  manner  in  which  the  Word 
w  jis  written.  We  see  that  it  did  not  come  from  any  man's  mind, 
nor  even  from  any  angel's  mind,  but  directly  from  the  Divine,  angels 
and  men  being  made  use  of  merely  as  instruments — the  former  to 
speak  it,  and  the  latter  to  write  it  down.    Nay,  in  regard  to  the 


THE  WORD  AND  ITS  INSPIRATION: 


581 


Decalogue  or  Ten  Commandments  which  were  the  germ,  and  wliich 
contain,  as  it  were,  the  very  essence  of  the  Word,  not  even  the  min- 
istry of  either  men  or  angels  was  used ;  but,  as  declared,  they  were 
Avritteu  on  tables  of  stone  by  the  very  finger  of  God  himself.* 

AVc  thus  perceive  that  the  Word  of  the  Lord  is  purely  divine,  and 
that  man  had  nothing  to  do  with  its  composition,  but  acted  merely  as 
its  scribe  or  penman.  This  must  have  been  the  case  even  in  regard 
to  those  narratives  of  facts  in  which  the  writer  himself  was  con- 
cerned. That  part  of  the  Divine  word,  for  instance,  which  describes 
the  deliverance  of  the  Israelites  jfrom  Egypt,  their  journey  through 
the  desert,  and  the  attendant  circumstances,  though  written  by 
Moses,  yet  was  not  composed  out  of  Moses'  OAvn  mind  and  memory,  as 
an  ordinary  historian  would  narrate  facts  which  he  had  witnessed. 
For  had  this  been  the  case,  it  would  have  been  not  the  Word  of  God 
but  the  word  of  man ;  for  though  the  subject  of  the  narrative  may 
have  been  a  history  of  God's  doings,  j^et  that  would  not  have  made 
it  the  Word  of  God,  but  it  would  still  have  been  a  mere  human  nar- 
rative of  God's  doings,  and  thus  the  word  of  man,  with  all  the  imper- 
fections to  which  every  human  composition  is  liable.  Nor  would  it 
have  contained  any  internal  or  angelic  sense;  nor,  consequently, 
would  it  have  been  able  to  effect  communication  with  heaven,  which, 
as  before  shown,  the  Divine  Word  does.  Consequently  the  case  must 
have  been,  that  in  writing  those  naratives  Moses'  own  memory  was 
for  the  time  quiescent ;  he  was  not  allowed  to  use  it,  but  Avrote  by 
simple  dictation. 

To  be  satisfied  that  this  must  have  been  the  case,  we  have  only  to 
read  what  is  stated  by  Swedenborg  in  regard  to  the  wondrous  sub- 
limity and  beauty  of  the  internal  sense  of  those  narratives : — 

"  The  Word  of  the  Lord,"  says  he,  "  when  read  by  a  man  who 
loves  it  and  who  lives  in  charity,  is  displayed  by  the  Lord  to  the 
angels  with  such  beauty  and  pleasantness,  accompanied  also  with 
representatives,  that  every  particular  is  perceived  as  if  it  had  life. 
That  the  Word  of  the  Lord  is  thus  displayed  to  good  spirits  and 
angels,  it  has  been  granted  me  both  to  see  and  hear.  A  certain  spirit 
came  to  me  not  long  after  his  decease,  as  I  concluded  from  the  cir- 
cumstance that  as  yet  he  did  not  know  that  he  was  in  the  other  life, 
imagining  that  he  still  lived  in  the  world.  It  was  perceived  that  he 
was  devoted  to  studious  pursuits,  concerning  which  I  conversed  with 
him.  But  suddenly  he  was  taken  up  on  high,  which  surprised  me, 
and  led  me  to  suspect  that  he  was  of  an  aspiring  temper,  for  such 


49* 


*  Ex.  xxxi.  18. 


582 


CORRESPONDENCE  FURTHER  ELUCIDATED. 


are  wont  to  be  carried  up  on  high.  Presently,  however,  I  perceived 
that  he  was  taken  up  amongst  those  angelic  spirits  who  are  just  at  the 
entrance  into  heaven.  From  this  situation  he  discoursed  with  me, 
saying  that  he  saw  things  of  such  sublimity  as  no  human  imagination 
could  conceive.  I  was  reading  at  the  time  the  first  chapter  of  Deu- 
teronomy concerning  the  Jewish  people,  and  concerning  the  spies 
who  were  sent  to  explore  the  land  of  Canaan.  As  I  read,  he  said 
that  he  perceived  none  of  the  things  contained  in  the  literal  sense, 
but  only  those  in  the  sjjiritual  sense,  and  that  tliey  were  wonderful 
bevond  description.  Certain  spirits  who  were  with  me  at  the  time, 
and  who  before  could  not  believe  that  the  Word  of  the  Lord  was  of 
such  a  nature,  began  now  to  repent  of  their  incredulity,  and  said,  in 
that  state,  that  they  believed,  because  they  heard  the  other  spirit  say 
that  he  heard  and  saw  that  the  Word  was  so  full  of  wonders.  But 
other  spirits  still  persisted  in  their  unbelief,  saying  that  it  was  not  so, 
but  that  it  was  all  mere  fancy ;  wherefore  these  were  suddenly  taken 
up  also,  and  from  their  elevation  discoursed  Avith  me,  confessing  that 
it  was  very  far  from  faucy,  for  that  they  really  perceived  it  to  be  so, 
and  this  with  a  more  exquisite  perception  than  that  of  any  of  the 
senses  which  they  had  in  the  life  of  the  body.  Presently  othei-s 
also  Avere  taken  up  into  the  same  heaven,  and  amongst  them  one 
with  whom  I  had  been  acquainted  in  the  world,  who  bore  the  same 
testimonv,  saying  tliat  he  was  too  much  astonished  at  the  glory  of 
the  Word  in  its  internal  sense  to  be  able  to  describe  it.  Being  melted 
with  compassion  at  man's  unbelief,  he  added,  that  it  was  wonderful 
that  they  could  remain  so  totally  ignorant  of  the  internal  things  of 
the  Word."— A.  C.  1769. 

Now,  the  wonderful  things  here  referred  to  are  contained  in  the 
interiors  of  a  chapter  which  in  the  letter  seems  a  very  ordinary  nar- 
rative from  the  lips  of  Moses,  in  which  he  is  recapitulating  to  the 
Israelites  a  portion  of  the  adventures  which  they  had  passed  through. 
In  the  literal  sense,  it  is  a  mere  recounting  of  certain  external  cir- 
cumstances and  facts  recalled  by  the  leader  to  the  minds  of  his  fol- 
lowers, and  such  as  we  should  certainly  have  presumed  Moses  spoke 
from  his  own  memory.  And  yet  we  learn  that  this  simple  narrative 
contains  such  a  wonderful  internal  sense  as  to  move  and  delight 
spirits  and  angels,  and  to  bring  magnificent  scenes  before  their  view. 
Is  not  this  suflicient  to  satisfy  us  that  no  part  of  that  narrative,  not 
even  the  most  insignificant,  which  passes  under  the  name  of  the  IMo- 
saic  record,  was  composed  in  IMoses'  own  mind  at  all,  but  was  written 
entirely  by  dictation  from  the  Divine  ? — for  how  else  could  it  contain 
an  internal  sense  far  above  the  comprehension  of  Moses  himself,  or 
of  any  man?  Thus  is  the  whole  Word  truly  a  dictation  from  God, 
and  it  is  this  which  gives  it  its  inspiration,  that  is,  its  divinity. 


THE  WORD  AND  ITS  INSPIRATION. 


583 


No.  IV. 

But  we  have  now  to  make  clear  the  distinction  that  exists  between 
verbal  and  personal  inspiration, — between  the  plenary  inspiration,  or 
full  Divinity  that  belongs  to  a  writing  dictated  from  God,  and  .that 
partial  inspiration,  or,  as  it  should  more  properly  be  termed,  illumi- 
nation, which  has  occasionally  been  bestowed  upon  men.  This  dis- 
tinction, which  is  most  important,  has  in  general  been  overlooked,  or 
rather  not  understood,  by  commentators  on  Scripture.  They  have 
spoken  of  the  inspired  writers,  rather  than  of  the  inspired  writings; 
they  speak  of  Moses,  David  and  Isaiah  as  men  whose  minds  were  in 
a  certain  manner  acted  upon  by  the  sj^irit  of  God,  and  yet  who  re- 
tained their  own  proper  characters,  and  who  wrote  from  their  own 
thoughts.  Now,  this  we  have  shown  to  be  an  error.  The  persons 
who  were  made  use  of  as  instruments  for  uttering  and  writing  down 
the  Divine  Word,  and  whose  names  are  attached  to  the  various  books 
of  Scripture,  were,  as  we  have  shown,  mere  penmen,  writing  by  sim- 
ple dictation, — merely  putting  down  what  they  heard  a  voice  utter. 
So  far  as  the  mere  writing  was  concerned,  a  child  could  have  done  it 
as  well  as  they.  The  reason  that  men  were  selected — men,  too,  of 
power  and  character — was  because  most  of  them,  as  Isaiah  and  Jere- 
miah as  well  as  the  Evangelists,  had  to  be  preachers  and  apostles  as 
well  as  penmen,  and  were  compelled  to  utter  the  Divine  testimony 
in  the  midst  of  a  wicked  and  violent  people.  Yet  it  is  to  be  under- 
stood that  the  state  of  their  own  minds  and  individual  characters 
was  entirely  distinguished  from  the  nature  of  the  message  which  they 
were  sent  to  utter  and  to  write  down.  In  proof  of  this,  men  were 
sometimes  selected  whose  personal  characters  were  not  good,  Avho 
were  wilful  and  disobedient.  Look  at  the  case  of  the  prophet  Jonah, 
for  instance.  No  one  could  call  him  a  "  holy  projAet,"  in  view  of 
his  personal  character ;  yet  what  he  was  commissioned  to  write  is'  as 
fully  and  truly  the  Word  of  God  as  any  other  part  of  the  Sacred 
Writings,  and  has  its  Divine  and  internal  sense.  From  this  single 
case,  it  may  be  perceived  how  entirely  the  inspiration  of  the  j^roph- 
ecy  or  writing  is  to  be  distinguished  from  the  character  of  the  man 
who  was  its  writer. 

With  the  writers  of  the  Divine  Word,  then,  there  was  not,  prop- 
erly speaking,  mny  personal  inspiration  at  all.  And  this  fact,  as  be- 
fore shown,  is  the  very  thing  that  makes  the  Word  Divine,  namely, 
that  it  passed  through  no  human  mind,  but  merely  was  uttered  by  a 


584 


CORRESPONDENCE  FURTHER  ELUCIDATED. 


human  tongue,  or  written  down  by  a  human  hand,  in  obedience  to  an 
audible  dictation.  This  is  expressly  declared  in  these  words  uttered 
by  David  in  his  character  as  the  "  Sweet  Psalmist  of  Israel :" — "  The 
Si^irit  of  the  Lord,"  says  he,  "  spake  by  me,  and  His  Word  was  in 
my  tongue,"  2  Sam.  xxiii.  1,  2, — in  his  tongue,  be  it  observed,  not 
in  his  7nind.  But  personal  inspiration,  or  illumination  as  it  should 
rather  be  termed,  is  an  enlightenment  of  the  man's  own  faculties.  It 
is  a  greater  thing  for  the  writer,  but  infinitely  less  for  the  writing ; 
for  it  causes  what  he  utters  to  be  still  the  word  of  man,  not  the  Word 
of  God ;  and  between  these  there  is  an  infinite  distance,  as  between 
what  is  human  and  what  is  Divine.  What  is  uttered  or  written  from 
mere  personal  inspiration  or  illumination  contains  no  internal  sense 
capable  of  being  opened  to  spirits  and  angels ;  hence  it  is  not  a  me- 
dium of  connection  with  heaven  as  the  Divine  Word  is.  It  may  be 
truth,  even  truth  w'ithout  error  ;  but  still  it  is  finite  truth,  not  infinite. 
All  that  it  contains  appears  on  the  face  of  it ;  it  may  teach  lofty  wis- 
dom, yet  still  finite  and  human.  Whereas  the  Divine  Word,  that 
which  comes  by  dictation  directly  from  the  Lord,  is  in  every  sentence 
infinite  and  inexhaustible,  capable  of  being  opened  more  and  more, 
and  of  sending  forth  deeper  and  deejDcr  truth  for  ever.  Hence,  not 
a  jot  or  tittle,  as  is  declared,  of  the  Divine  Word  can  fail  or  pass 
away ;  for  it  is  eternal  as  the  God  from  whom  it  comes. 

It  may  here  be  remarked,  that  what  Swedenborg  claims  for  him- 
self is  not  inspiration,  but  illumination ; — a  peculiar  illumination  and 
illustration  of  his  own  rational  faculties,  giving  him  an  interior  dis- 
cernment and  perception  of  spiritual  truth,  and  particularly  of  the 
internal  or  spiritual  sense  of  the  Divine  Word.  This  mental  illumi- 
nation, however,  was  a  distinct  thing  from  the  opening  of  his  sjiirit- 
ual  sight,  by  which  he  was  enabled  to  look  into  the  spiritual  world. 
Both  of  these  gifts  were  necessary  to  the  accomplishment  of  his  mis- 
sion, which  was  both  to  lay  open  and  expound  the  internal  sense  of 
the  AVord,  and  at  the  same  time  to  make  known  to  man  the  nature 
and  condition  of  the  world  of  spirits,  heaven,  and  hell.  This  being 
the  character  of  Swedeuborg's  writings, — human,  i-ational  expositions 
of  the  Scriptures,  and  explanatory  accounts  of  the  state  of  man  after 
death, — though  containing  essential  and  most  interior  truth,  they  are 
still  human  writings,  because  they  jjroceeded  from  or  through  a  hu- 
man mind.  They  therefore  have  no  resemblance  to,  and  bear  no 
comparison  with,  the  Holy  Word  Avhich,  having  passed  througli  no 
human  mind,  but  being  given  by  direct  dictation  fi-om  the  Lord,  is 


THE  WORD  AND  ITS  INSPIRATION. 


585 


purely  Divine  and  infinite,  not  only  in  the  matter,  but  in  the  man- 
ner, and  in  every  word  and  letter. 

Among  the  writings  contained  in  tlie  Book  which  we  call  "  The 
Bible,"  there  are  examples  of  both  kinds  of  inspiration,  the  verbal 
and  the  personal,  or,  as  they  should  rather  be  termed,  of  plenary 
iu.<piration  and  of  mental  illumination.  The  book  of  Proverbs,  for 
instance,  belongs  to  the  latter  class  ;  the  Psalms  to  the  former.  And 
the  difference  may  be  at  once  perceived  from  the  style  alone.  In 
reading  the  Proverbs  of  Solomon,  you  perceive  yourself  to  be  jierus- 
ing  a  book  of  profound  practical  wisdom,  the  composition  of  a  mind 
enlightened  and  elevated  to  a  high  degree  ;  but  when  you  understand 
the  meaning  of  the  literal  sense  before  you,  you  know  all  that  is 
there.  The  sense  is  plain,  because  the  writing  is  human  ;  it  is  from 
a  mind  like  our  own,  only  more  profoundly  enlightened.  The  water 
is  clear,  because  comparatively  shallow.  But  in  reading  the  Psalms, 
you  feel  yourself  sailing  over  an  ocean ;  your  eye  may  penetrate  a 
little  way  beneath  the  surface,  but  you  do  not  see  to  the  bottom, — 
you  cannot,  for  it  is  fathomless ;  the  waters  seem  less  trans2iarent  on 
account  of  their  very  depth.  Every  part  of  the  Proverbs  can  be 
understood  by  any  person  of  ordinary  mind  ;  but  much  of  the  Psalms 
is,  in  the  letter  alone,  nearly  or  quite  unintelligible. 

A  similar  distinction  may  be  observed  in  the  New  Testament  be- 
tween the  style  of  the  Epistles  and  that  of  the  Gospels.  The  Epis- 
tles are  simple  and  intelligible,  though  containing  deep  truth  and 
great  knowledge  of  the  human  heart,  abounding  in  excellent  practi- 
cal lessons,  and  sometimes  glowing  with  apostolic  fervor, — as  is  the 
case,  for  instance,  with  the  famous  chapter  on  charity,  in  the  Epistle 
to  the  Corinthians.  (1  Cor.  xiii.)  Still  you  feel  them  to  be  human 
compositions,  exjiressed  in  ordinary  language,  such  as  is  common  be- 
tween man  and  man.  (And  it  is,  no  doubt,  in  consequence  of  this 
greater  plainness,  that  the  Epistles  are  the  favorite  resort  of  preach- 
ers at  the  present  day.)  But  open  the  Gospels,  and  at  once  you  find 
yourself  in  another  region  of  thought  and  feeling  altogether.  The 
lofty,  solemn  style  at  once  impresses  the  reader  with  a  perception  of 
their  superhuman  character.  "  And  the  high  priest  answered  and 
said,  I  adjure  thee  by  the  living  God,  that  thou  tell  us  whether  thou 
be  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  God.  Jesus  saith  unto  him.  Thou  hast 
said ;  nevertheless,  I  say  unto  you,  Hereafter  ye  shall  see  the  Son  of 
Man  sitting  on  the  right  hand  of  power,  and  coming  in  the  clouds  of 
heaven."   (Matt.  xxvi.  63,  64.)    On  reading  such  words  as  these,  you 


586 


CORRESPONDENCE  FURTHER  ELUCIDATED. 


feel  yourself  in  a  Divine  presence ;  tliere  cannot  be  familiarity  here ; 
this  is  not  the  style  and  language  of  man ; — you  are  again  sailing 
over  an  ocean ;  you  are  gazing  into  the  blue  depths  of  heaven ! 

That  the  Gospels  were  not  ■written  by  the  Evangelists  from  their 
own  mind  or  memory,  a  very  little  reflection  will  shoM'.  Those  books, 
be  it  observed,  are  not  mere  statements  of  historical  facts,  such  as 
might  have  been  seen  and  remembered ;  but  they  contain,  also,  long 
discourses,  such  as  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount,  in  Matthew,  and  de- 
tailed conversations,  such  as  occurred  between  the  Lord  and  the 
Jews,  as  recorded  in  John.  Now  these,  it  will  be  at  once  seen,  could 
never  have  been  remembered  with  any  accuracy,  as  any  one  may 
satisfy  himself  by  trying  to  recollect  the  language  of  a  discourse 
which  he  may  have  heard  but  a  week  or  a  month  ago.  And  this 
will  be  the  more  evident  when  we  consider  that  the  Gosi^els  were  not 
written  till  some  thirty  years  after  the  Lord's  crucifixion  (the  Gospel 
of  John  not  till  sixty  years  after).  How  could  the  writers  have  pos- 
sibly remembered  the  Lord's  exact  words  after  that  length  of  time  ? 
And  no  one  will  for  a  moment  sujipose,  that  these  unlettered  fisher- 
men ever  thought  of  such  a  thing  as  taking  notes  of  these  discourses 
and  conversations,  after  the  custom  of  modern  times.  Moreover, 
two  out  of  the  four  Evangelists,  namely,  Mark  and  Luke,  were  not 
of  the  number  of  the  twelve  Apostles,  and  themselves  probably  never 
saw  or  heard  the  Lord  at  all.  It  is  evident,  therefore,  that  if  the 
Gospels  are  accurate  and  reliable  statements  of  what  the  Lord  did, 
and  especially  of  what  He  said,  they  could  never  have  been  drawn 
from  the  writers'  own  minds  or  memories,  but  must  have  been  written 
by  instruction  from  above,  that  is,  by  insjiiration.  But  this  could  not 
have  been  mere  personal  inspiration  or  illumination ;  for  this  being 
merely  an  enlightenment  of  man's  own  fiiculties,  cannot  introduce 
anything  into  the  memory,  but  merely  illustrates  what  is  already 
there.  The  Gospels,  then,  must  have  been  written  by  plenary  inspi- 
ration, that  is,  by  dictation,  in  wliich  process  the  very  words  are  uttered 
in  tlie  writer's  ears,  and  he  acts  merely  as  a  penman.  All  parts  of 
the  Scripture  that  have  an  internal  sense  must  be  of  this  character ; 
and  the  Gospels  have  such  an  internal  sense,  and  thus,  like  the  books 
of  Moses,  cfi'cct  communication  with  heaven. 

In  our  English  Bible  the  important  distinction  which  exists  be- 
tween those  books  which  are  plenarily  inspired,  and  thus  have  an 
internal  sense,  and  those  Avhich  have  no  such  sense,  does  not  appear 
in  the  arrangement ;  they  are  mingled  promiscuously  together.  Kot 


THE  WORD  AND  ITS  INSPIRATION. 


587 


SO  with  the  Hebrew  Bible;  this  distinction  is  there  carefully  observed. 
The  books  that  are  not  plenarily  inspired  are  thrown  together  into 
an  Appendix  at  the  end,  and  are  entitled  Ilrujiographu.  This  dis- 
tinction must  have  been  of  Divine  appointment  and  in-ovideuce ;  for 
the  Jews,  who  knew  nothing  of  an  internal  sense  in  any  of  the  books, 
could  not  have  made  this  distinction  themselves.  It  is  to  be  observed, 
moreover,  that  from  some  cause  they  have  classed  two  of  the  plen- 
arily inspired  books  with  the  Hagiographa,  namely,  the  Psalms  and 
the  Prophecy  of  Daniel ;  but  they  have  been  careful  to  admit  none 
of  the  uninspired  books  into  the  higher  division.  When,  however, 
the  first  Greek  translation  was  made,  commonly  called  the  Septuagint 
(which  was  done  at  Alexandria,  in  Egypt,  about  two  centuries  before 
the  Christian  era),  the  distinction  between  the  two  classes  of  writings 
was  not  preserved,  as  it  ought  to  have  been ;  but  they  were  mingled 
together, — reference  being  had,  in  their  arrangement,  merely  to 
chronological  order.  Thus,  for  instance,  the  Book  of  Ruth,  which 
is  one  of  the  Hagiographa,  was  thrown  in  next  after  Judges,  because 
the  facts  mentioned  in  Ruth  belong  to  that  period  in  the  Jewish  his- 
tory. So,  also,  the  Proverbs  of  Solomon  were  arranged  next  after 
the  Psalms  of  his  father  David ;  and  so  on.  Thus  the  infinitely  more 
important  distinction  of  character  and  class  was  sacrificed  to  the 
comparatively  trifling  matter  of  chronological  order.  And  in  this 
arrangement  our  English  translators  have  followed,  not  the  Hebrew 
original,  as  they  should  have  done,  but  the  Se^rtuagint  translation. 

The  books  which,  as  Swedenborg  shows,  have  an  internal  sense, 
and  which,  therefore,  properly  constitute  the  Divine  Word,  are  the 
following : — the  five  books  of  Moses,  J oshua.  Judges,  the  two  books 
of  Samuel,  the  two  books  of  Kings,  the  Psalms  of  David,  the  Proph- 
ets Isaiah,  Jeremiah,  Lamentations,  Ezekiel,  Daniel,  Hosea,  Joel, 
Amos,  Obadiah,  Jonah,  Micah,  Nahum,  Habakkuk,  Zephaniah,  Hag- 
gai,  Zechariah,  Malachi ;  and  in  the  Kew  Testament,  the  four  gos- 
pels, Matthew,  Mark,  Luke  and  John,  and  the  Apocalypse.  (A.  C. 
10,3"25.)  The  books  which  constitute  the  Hagiographa,  and  have  not 
an  internal  sense,  are  the  following : — Ruth,  first  and  second  Chron- 
icles, Ezra,  Nehemiah,  Esther,  Job,  Proverbs,  Ecclesiastes,  and  Song 
of  Solomon  ;  of  a  similar  character,  in  the  New  Testament,  are  the 
book  of  Acts,  and  the  Epistles. 

It  is  an  interesting  fact  that,  as  stated  by  Swedenborg,  our  own 
earth  is  the  only  one  in  which  there  is  a  written  Word, — the  truths 
of  revelation  being  made  known  in  all  other  earths  by  Avord  of 
mouth,  through  spirits  and  angels.    On  this  earth,  too,  and  on  no 


688 


CORRESPONDENCE  FURTHER  ELUCIDATED. 


other,  the  Lord  was  pleased  to  be  born,  that  is,  Jehovah  was  made 
mau.  The  reason,  however,  for  our  being  thus  distinguished  is  not 
of  a  character  to  elevate  but  rather  to  lower  us  in  our  own  estima- 
tion. It  is  because  the  people  of  this  earth  are  the  lowest  or  most 
external  of  all.  Swedenborg  shows  that  all  the  earths  or  worlds  in 
the  universe  compose  one  grand  system,  the  inhabitants  of  each  earth 
having  relation  to  some  part  or  principle  in  man, — the  whole  being 
derived  from  Him  who  is  essential  man,  God  himself.  The  part 
which  our  earth  corresponds  to,  is  the  external  or  sensual  princijile, 
which  is  the  ultimate  principle  of  humanity.  On  this  account  it  was 
that  the  Divine  chose  to  assume  an  external  or  ultimate  human  prin- 
ciple on  this  earth,  rather  than  on  any  other.  And  for  the  same  reason 
the  Word  was  written  here,  that  is,  Divine  Truth  which  in  itself  is 
mental  and  spiritual,  was  here  expressed  in  a  visible  material  form, 
namely,  by  characters  or  letters  written  or  printed  on  material  sub- 
stances. Such  a  thing  exists  in  no  other  earth.  Nevertheless, 
through  the  Word  thus  written  here,  the  great  truth  which  it  records 
of  the  Divine  Incarnation,  is  made  known  to  the  spirits  and  angels 
who  come  into  heaven  from  all  other  earths.  On  these  interesting 
points  Swedenborg  thus  speaks : — 

"  In  every  other  earth,  Truth  Divine  is  manifested  by  word  of 
moutli  through  spirits  and  angels,  but  this  is  done  within  families ; 
for  tlie  human  race,  in  most  eartlis,  dwell  apart  in  families.  Where- 
fore, Divine  Truth,  thus  revealed  by  spirits  and  angels,  is  not  conveyed 
far  beyond  families,  and  unless  a  new  revelation  constantly  succeeds, 
it  is  cither  perverted  or  perishes.  It  is  otherwise  on  our  earth,  where 
Trutli  Divine,  which  is  the  Word,  remains  in  its  integrity  for  ever. 

"  The  principal  reason  why  it  pleased  the  Lord  to  be  born  and  as- 
sume humanity  on  our  earth,  and  not  on  another,  was  for  the  sake  of 
the  Word, — that  this  niiglit  be  written  on  our  earth,  and  when  written, 
be  published  through  the  whole  world,  and,  once  published,  might  be 
preserved  io  all  posterity ;  and  thus  it  might  be  manifested  that  God 
was  made  man,  even  to  all  in  the  other  life.  That  the  principal  reason 
was  for  the  sake  of  the  Word,  is  because  the  Word  is  Divine  Truth 
itself,  which  teaches  man  that  there  is  a  God, — that  there  is  a  life  after 
death, — that  there  is  a  heaven, — that  there  is  a  hell ;  and,  moreover, 
teaches  how  man  ought  to  live  and  to  believe  in  order  that  he  may 
come  into  heaven,  and  so  be  happy  to  eternity.  All  these  things  with- 
out revelation — thus,  in  this  earth,  Avithout  the  Word — would  have 
been  altogether  unknown ;  yet  man  is  so  created  that  he  can  never  die. 

"  Tluit  the  Word  could  be  written  on  our  earth,  is  because  the  art 
of  writing  ha.s  existed  here  from  the  most  ancient  times, — ^first,  on 
the  rind  or  bark  of  trees,  next  on  skins  or  parchment,  afterwards  on 
paper,  and  histly  by  types,  as  in  jirinting.  This  was  provided  by  the 
Lord  for  the  sake  of  the  Word.    That  the  Word,  also,  might  be 


THE  WORD  AND  ITS  INSPIRATION. 


589 


published  through  the  whole  earth,  is  because  a  communication  of 
all  nations  is  here  given,  both  by  land  and  water,  to  all  i)arts  of  the 
globe ;  hence,  the  Word,  once  written,  could  be  passed  from  one  na- 
tion to  another,  and  be  everywhere  taught.  Such  communication 
was  also  provided  by  the  Lord  for  the  sake  of  the  Word.  That  the 
Word  once  written  could  be  preserved  to  all  posterity,  thus  to  thou- 
sands and  thousands  of  years ;  and  that  it  has  been  so  preserved,  is 
a  known  thing.  That  thus  it  might  be  manifested  that  God  has  been 
made  INIan  ;  for  this  is  the  first  and  most  essential  thing,  on  account 
of  which  the  Word  was  given.  For  no  one  can  believe  in  a  God 
and  love  a  God  whom  he  cannot  comprehend  under  some  appear- 
ance ;  wherefore,  they  who  acknowledge  only  what  is  incomprehen- 
sible, sink  in  thought  into  nature,  and  thus  believe  in  no  God. 
Wherefore  it  pleased  the  Lord  to  be  born  here,  and  to  make  this 
manifest  by  the  Word,  so  that  it  might  be  known  not  only  on  this 
globe,  but  also  that,  through  that  Word,  it  might  be  made  manifest 
to  all  in  the  universe  who  come  into  heaven  from  any  earth  whatso- 
ever;  for  in  heaven  there  is  inter-communication  of  all  knowledges. 

"  It  is  to  be  known  that  the  Word  in  our  earth  is  the  medium  of 
union  between  the  world  and  heaven  ;  for  Avhich  end  there  is  a  cor- 
respondence of  all  things  in  the  letter  of  the  Word  with  Divine 
things  in  heaven.  The  Word,  also,  in  its  supreme  and  inmost  sense 
treats  solely  of  the  Lord,  of  his  kingdom  in  the  heavens  and  in  the 
earths,  and  of  love  and  faith  from  and  in  Him,  and,  consequently, 
of  life  from  and  in  Him.  Such  things  are  represented  to  the  angels 
in  heaven  from  whatsoever  earth  they  come,  when  the  Word  of  our 
earth  is  read  and  preached.  It  is  to  be  known  that  the  Lord  ac- 
knowledges and  receives  all,  from  whatsoever  earth  they  are,  who 
acknowledge  and  worship  God  under  a  human  form,  since  God 
under  a  human  form  is  the  Lord.  And  as  the  Lord  appears  to  the 
inhabitants  of  these  earths  under  an  angelic  form  which  is  the  hu- 
man form,  therefore,  when  spirits  and  angels  from  these  earths  hear 
from  the  spirits  and  angels  of  our  earth  that  God  actually  is  ]Man, 
they  receive  that  Word,  acknowledge  it,  and  rejoice  that  it  is  so. 

"  To  the  reasons  which  have  been  adduced  why  the  Lord  was  born 
on  this  earth,  and  not  on  another,  this  may  be  added, — that  the  in- 
habitants, spirits,  and  angels  of  our  earth  have  reference  in  the 
Grand  jNIan,  to  the  external  and  corporeal  sense ;  and  the  external 
and  corporeal  sense  is  the  ultimate,  in  vhich  the  interiors  of  life 
close,  and  in  which  they  rest  as  on  their  common  basis.  The  case  is 
similar  with  Truth  Divine  in  the  letter  which  is  called  the  Word, 
and  which,  for  this  reason,  also,  was  given  in  this  earth  and  not  in 
another.  And  whereas  the  Lord  is  the  Word,  and  its  first  and  last, 
therefore,  that  all  things  might  exist  according  to  order,  He  was 
pleased  to  be  born  on  this  earth,  and  be  made  the  Word,  according 
to  these  words  in  John — '  In  the  beginning  was  the  Word,  and  the 
Word  was  M'ith  God,  and  the  Word  was  God ;  and  the  Word  was 
made  flesh,  and  dwelt  amongst  us.' " — A.  C.  9350-60. 
50 


CHAPTER  XIL 


The  Doctrine  of  Correspondence  Applied  as  a  Key  to  the  Spirit- 
ual AND  True  Meaning  of  Matthew  xvi.  18,  19 — The  Eock  on 
WHICH  the  Church  is  Built — The  Keys  of  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven, 

ETC.* 

THE  Lord  said  to  Peter,  after  he  had  confessed  that  He  was  "  the 
Christ,  the  Son  of  the  living  God," — "  Blessed  art  thou,  Simon 
Bar-jona ;  for  flesh  and  blood  hath  not  revealed  it  unto  thee,  but  my 
Father  Avhich  is  in  heaven.  And  I  say  also  unto  thee,  that  thou  art 
Peter,  and  upon  this  rock  I  will  build  my  church,  and  the  gates  of 
hell  shall  not  prevail  against  it ;  and  I  will  give  unto  thee  the  keys 
of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  and  whatsoever  thou  shalt  bind  on  earth 
shall  be  bound  in  heaven,  and  whatsoever  thou  shalt  loose  on  earth 
shall  be  loosed  in  heaven."    (Matt.  xvi.  18,  19.) 

The  true  doctrine  of  this  passage  is  of  immense  importance,  since 
it  determines  the  validity  or  the  futility  of  the  claims  assumed  by 
the  Roman  Catholic  Church  to  supremacy  and  infallibility,  as  being 
founded  upon  the  rock  against  which  the  gates  of  hell  sliall  never 
prevail ;  and  also  as  possessing  the  keys  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven, 
and  consequently  the  power  of  opening  and  shutting  heaven,  or  of 
exercising  dominion  over  the  invisible  world.  It  must  be  admitted 
by  all  that  the  proper  understanding  of  the  Word  is  of  the  greatest 
importance,  since  the  Word  is  divine  truth  which  cannot  enter  into 
the  mind  as  a  living  principle  but  in  proportion  as  it  is  understood  ; 
no  more  than  light  can  enter  into  the  eye  except  the  eye  be  ojioned 
to  receive  it.  Hence  the  Lord  "  opened  the  undei-standings  of  his 
disciples,  that  they  might  understand  the  Scriptures."  It  is  also  well 
known  that  if  a  principle  be  assumed  as  true  when  it  is  not  true,  that 
principle  will  vitiate  and  falsify  an  entire  system.  Nothing,  tlicre- 
fore,  can  be  more  important  to  the  human  mind  and  to  the  church 
than  the  right  understanding  of  revealed  truth.    All  the  errors,  ))er- 


*  From  tlie  InCeUeclual  Repository  for  Jan.,  1818,  pp.  3G6-370. 

(^90 


MATT.  XVI.  18,  19  EXPLAINED  BY  CORRESPONDENCE.  591 

versions  and  falsifications  of  the  Pharisees  and  the  Sadducees  arose 
from  their  not  "  knoiving  {or  underdanding)  the  Scriptures  and  the 
ponder  of  God."  (IMatt.  xxii.  29.)  The  divine  truth  understood  and 
applied  to  the  life  is  the  "  power  of  God."  Now,  from  a  false  inter- 
pretation of  the  passage  in  question,  a  direfully  false  pnnc'i])le  has 
arisen,  which  has  perverted  and  destroyed  nearly  every  vestige  of 
Christianity  among  those  where  this  principle  operates. 

All  these  things  were  said  of  Peter  on  account  of  the  confession  he 
made  that  Jesus  was  "the  Christ,  the  Son  of  the  living  God;"  upon 
which  the  Lord  pronounced  him  blessed,  with  the  surname  Bar-jona, 
or  "  son  of  a  dove,"  in  order  to  teach  us  that  the  primary,  fundamen- 
tal, and  blessed  principle  of  the  church,  is  the  acknowledgment  of 
Jesus  Christ  as  "  the  Son  of  the  living  God."  This  confession  and 
this  faith  is  indeed  the  rock  and  foundation  of  the  church,  and  the 
source  of  all  blessing  to  man.  For  Jesus  Christ,  as  the  "  Son  of  the 
living  God,"  is  not  a  mere  man,  however  highly  gifted  with  wisdom, 
benevolence,  and  power ;  nor  is  He  the  supposed  second  person  in 
the  Trinity, — but  God  Himself  "  manifest  in  the  flesh," — or,  as  the 
prophet  says, — "  The  Mighty  God,  the  everlasting  Father, 
THE  Prince  of  Peace."  This  confession,  therefore,  of  Peter,  in- 
volves the  great  fundamental  doctrine  upon  which  the  church  must 
be  built ;  for  it  acknowledges  the  Lord  in  his  "  glorious  Body,"  or 
in  his  Divine  Humanity,  as  the  embodiment  of  all  "  the  fulness  of 
the  Godhead."  This  acknowledgment  and  faith,  as  the  rock  upon 
Avhich  the  church  is  built,  is  thus  denoted  by  Peter,  when  pronounced 
"  blessed,"  and  called  "  Simon  Bar-jona,"  or  son  of  a  dove ;  because 
Simon,  as  signifying,  in  Syriac,  hearing  and  obedience,  denotes  faith 
in  the  heart  or  will,  and  not  merely  in  the  intellect ;  and  faith,  as  a 
living  principle  in  the  heart  and  life,  is  the  source  from  the  Lord  of 
all  blessing  and  happiness  to  man  and  to  the  church.  Jona,  or  the 
dove,  is  an  emblem  of  that  harmlcssness,  innocence,  gentleness,  meek- 
ness, purity  and  love  which  constitute  the  life  of  a  genuine  faith, — or 
of  that  faith  which,  as  the  apostle  says,  "  worketh  by  love." 

Thus  the  Christian  Church  is  built  upon  this  faith  in  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  as  "  its  Author  and  Finisher,"  as  the  sole  Object  to 
AVhom  it  should  be  directed,  and  from  Whom  it  must  derive  all  its 
saving  efficacy  and  blessedness.  Against  the  church  founded  upon 
this  rock  of  a  genuine  faith,  verily,  "  the  gates  of  hell  shall  never 
prevail !"  A  rock,  when  mentioned  in  Scripture,  is  an  emblem  of  the 
Lord  as  to  Divine  Truth.    Hence  the  Lord  is  called  a  "Bock " — 


592 


CORRESPONDENCE  FURTHER  ELUCIDATED. 


(Psalm  xviii.  2,  31) — the  "Bock  of  Salvation" — (Deut.  xxxii.  15) — 
and  the  apostle  says,  "  they  drank  of  that  spiritual  Bock  whidi  fol- 
lowed them,  and  that  Bock  was  Christ."  (1  Cor.  x.  4.)  The  Rock, 
therefore,  upon  Avhich  the  church  is  founded,  is  the  divine  truth 
coming  from  Him  who  is  the  Truth  itself  (  John  xiv.  6)  ;  and  the 
man  who  hears  the  Lord's  sayings  and  doeth  them,  builds  his  house 
upon  a  Bock.  (Matt.  vii.  24.)  Because  "  to  hear  the  Lord's  sayings 
and  do  them,"  is  to  acknowledge  Him  as  the  great  Object  of  foith 
and  love, — as  the  Author  and  Finisher  of  our  faith, — and  to  live 
according  to  his  divine  precepts.  Hence  the  man's  house,  or  the 
church  in  him,  is  built  upon  a  Rock  ;  and  "  however  the  rains  may 
descend  and  the  floods  come,  and  the  winds  blow  and  beat  against 
that  house,"  it  will  not  fall ;  thus  "  the  gates  of  hell  shall  not  prevail 
against  it,"  because  it  is  founded  upon  a  rock. 

"  The  keys  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  "  are  given  to  this  faith. 
For  keys  denote  the  power  of  opening  and  shutting ;  thus  the  Lord 
"  has  the  keys  of  hell  and  of  death  ; "  because  "  He  alone  openeth  and 
no  man  shutteth,  and  shutteth  and  no  man  openeth."  (Rev.  iii.  7.) 
Here  it  is  divinely  and  expressly  declared,  that  the  Lord  alone  hath 
the  keys,  or  the  power  to  open  and  to  shut,  and  that  no  man  hath 
that  power.  How  false  and  profane,  therefore,  it  is  to  suppose  that 
any  man,  or  any  multitude  of  men,  whether  they  call  themselves  a 
church,  a  council  or  a  synod,  can  open  and  shut  heaven  or  hell,  or 
that  they  can  have  any  power  over  the  invisible  world.  This  power, 
therefore,  belongs  exclusively  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  nor  can  it, 
because  it  is  infinite,  be  possibly  transferred  or  given  to  any  man. 
But  the  faith  described  above,  inasmuch  as  it  is  from  the  Lord,  and 
is,  properly  regarded,  the  Lord  himself  in  his  disciples  and  in  his 
Church,  therefore  the  keys  are  said  to  be  given  to  Peter  in  order  to 
teach  us  that  the  Lord,  through  a  genuine  faith  founded  upon  Him- 
selt  as  the  Rock,  can  close  the  gates  of  hell  and  open  the  portals  of 
heaven  to  his  Church  ;  and  that  whatsoever  that  faith  "  shall  bind 
uj)on  earth,  shall  be  bound  in  heaven,  and  whatsoever  it  shall  loose 
upon  earth,  shall  be  loosed  in  heaven."  Thus  the  keys  or  this  power 
were  not  given  to  Peter  as  a  man,  but  to  the  living  faith  which 
Peter  then  represented.  For  Peter  was  evidently  a  type,  sometimes 
of  a  lining  faith,  and  sometimes  of  a  faith  perverted  and  destroyed, 
as  in  this  very  chapter  (ver.ses  22,  23),  where  he  opposes  the  Lord 
on  account  of  Avhat  He  said  respecting  his  temptations  and  sufferings, 
w  hen  the  Lord  calls  him  Satan,  saying :  "  Get  thee  behind  me,  iSatan, 


.}fATT.  XVI.  IS,  19  EXPLAINED  BY  CORRESPONDENCE.  593 


thou  art  an  offence  uuto  me ;  for  thou  savorest  not  the  things  that 
be  of  God,  but  those  that  be  of  men." 

Now  every  one  can  see  that  Peter  as  "  Simon  Bar-jona,"  and  Peter 
as  "  Satan  "  and  an  "  offence "  to  the  Lord,  are  two  very  different 
characters,  although  comprised  in  the  same  man.  Those,  therefore, 
who  take  Peter  as  the  founder  of  their  church,  and  as  having  trans- 
ferred the  keys  to  his  supposed  successors,  must  beware  lest  by  so 
doing  they  appear  as  "  Satan "  and  as  an  "  offence "  in  the  Lord's 
sight,  because  "  they  savor  (or  seek  after)  not  the  things  which  be  of 
God,  but  those  Avhich  be  of  men."  Peter,  also,  when  he  thrice  denied 
the  Lord,  was  evidently  a  type  of  the  faith  of  the  church  utterly 
falsified,  perverted  and  destroyed  ; — of  that  faith,  and  of  that  church 
connected  therewith,  which  claims  universal  power  over  the  minds 
and  bodies  of  men,  and  over  the  invisible  world  ;  which  withholds 
the  Word  of  God  from  the  people ;  which  divides  the  bread  from  the 
wine  in  the  sacrament  of  the  Holy  Supper ;  Avhich  forbids  marriage 
to  the  priesthood,  although  the  apostle  declares,  "  that  a  bisho])  should 
be  the  husband  of  one  wife"  (1  Tim.  iii.  2,  12;  Titus  i.  6),  and  that 
"to  forbid  to  marry  is  a  doctrine  of  devils"  (1  Tim.  iii.  1-3);  and 
which  opens  the  door  to  innumerable  other  abominations,  the  off- 
spring of  the  teaching  and  doctrines  of  a  perverse,  falsified,  anti- 
Christian  faith, — a  faith  which  thrice  or  utterly  denies  the  Lord, 
and  which  entirely  perverts  and  destroys  every  vestige  of  genuine 
Christianity. 

The  Lord  says  of  those  whose  province  and  duty  it  was  in  the 
Jewish  Church  to  teach  the  people,  and  likewise  of  those  who  occupy 
the  same  province  in  the  Christian  Church — "  Woe  unto  you  lawyers! 
for  ye  have  taken  away  the  key  of  knowledge ;  ye  entered  not  in 
yourselves,  and  them  that  were  entering  in,  ye  hindered."  (Luke  xi. 
52.)  The  key  of  knowledge  is  evidently  the  power  of  unlocking  or  of 
interpreting  the  Scriptures,  that  we  may  come  to  a  knowledge  of  the 
truth.  This  key  of  knowledge  is  therefore  the  genuine  doctrine  by 
which  the  truths  of  the  Word  are  interpreted  and  explained.  Now, 
if  this  key  had  been  applied  to  the  interpretation  of  the  passage 
quoted  at  the  beginning  of  this  article,  no  such  state  of  things  as 
the  history  of  the  church  records,  could  have  been  witnessed.  It 
would  have  been  seen  that  every  man  becomes  a  member  of  the 
church  in  proportion  as  a  living  faith  through  hearing  the  Lord's 
words  and  doing  them,  is  planted  in  his  mind  ;  upon  which  faith,  as 
upon  a  rock,  the  church  is  built ;  and  when  this  is  the  case  with  the 
50*  2N 


594  CORRESPONDENCE  FURTHER  ELUCIDATED. 


members  of  the  churcli  in  the  aggregate,  the  Lord's  kingdom  is 
established. 

The  necessity  of  a  key  to  the  proper  interpretation  of  Scripture  is 
abundantly  obvious.  This  necessity  has  been  at  all  times  seen  and 
felt ;  and  in  the  early  period  of  the  Christian  church  they  endeavored 
to  apply  a  key  to  the  interpretation  of  this  as  well  as  of  other  pas- 
sages of  the  Word.  But  the  true  key  is  the  doctrine  of  correspondence 
between  things  spiritual  and  natural, — between  the  spirit  and  the 
letter.  This  key  plainly  teaches  us  what  is  meant  by  Peter,  by 
Simon  Bar-jona,  by  the  rock,  by  the  building  of  the  church  upon  the 
rock,  and  by  the  gates  of  hell,  etc.  There  is  probably  no  passage  in 
which  the  declaration  of  the  apostle,  "  that  the  letter  killeth,  but  the 
spirit  giveth  life,"  has  been  more  fully  verified  than  in  this.  For  a 
merely  literal  interpretation  has  killed  or  destroyed  nearly  every 
principle  of  an  enlightened  and  living  faith  in  the  Lord. 

But  to  show  that,  as  stated,  in  the  earlier  ages  the  most  intelligent 
fathers  interpreted  the  passage  as  denoting  the  church  built  upon  an 
enlightened  and  living  faith  in  the  Lord,  we  will  adduce  what  Chry- 
sostom  says  in  his  14th  Homily  on  the  passage,  viz : — "  On  the  rock, 
that  is,  on  the  faith  which  he  confessed."  Again,  in  his  163d  Homily, 
he  says — "  The  Lord  does  not  say  that  he  founds  his  Churcli  upon 
Peter,  for  it  is  not  founded  upon  any  man,  but  upon  the  faith."  And 
Augustin,  in  Tract  X.  on  the  first  Epistle  of  John,  says,  "  What  is 
meant  when  the  Lord  says,  Upon  this  rock  I  will  build  my  Church  ? 
He  means,  upon  this  faith, — upon  that  which  Peter  declared  when 
he  said,  Thou  art  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  the  liviug  God."  Thus  the 
primitive  writers  plainly  show  to  us,  that  they  understood  the  passage 
as  relating  to  the  church  founded  upon  the  rock  of  a  living  faith  in 
the  Lord  Himself.  Minus. 


CHAPTEE  XIIL 


Correspondence  Applied  to  the  Interpretation  of  Isaiah  vii.  15. 
— "  Butter  and  Honev  siiall  he  Eat,  that  he  may  know  to  re- 
fuse THE  Evil  and  choose  the  Good."* 

THE  entire  prophecy  of  which  these  words  form  a  part,  relates  to 
the  Lord  Avhen  He  came  into  the  world,  and  which  was  then 
especially  fulfilled  by  Him.  Commentators  of  every  age  have  been 
not  a  little  perplexed  as  to  the  meaning  of  this  prophecy.  The  re- 
lation between  eating  butter  and  honey,  and  refusing  evil  and  choos- 
ing good,  is  the  difficulty  which  they  could  not  surmount.  It  would 
be  curious  to  examine  what  the  most  learned  commentators  down  to 
Hitzig  and  Ewald  have  written  upon  this  passage,  in  order  to  make 
some  sense  which  the  natural  mind  could  comprehend  and  approve. 
But  as  this  examination  would  not  be  profitable,  we  shall  refrain. 

That  one  of  the  divine  names  of  the  Lord  in  his  Humanity  is 
Imimanuel  or  God-with-us,  is,  from  this  prophecy,  abundantly 
evident,  especially  as  it  is  quoted  and  confirmed  by  Matthew  i.  23. 
That  the  Lord  in  his  Humanity  is  God-with-us,  is  the  divine  basis 
of  Christianity.  Ujjon  this  great  truth,  this  precious  corner-stone, 
rests  the  entire  structure  of  the  Christian  religion.  "  God  manifest 
in  the  flesh," — "  God  in  Christ,"  are  declarations  of  the  Apostle 
which  are  equivalent  to  the  appellation  Immanuel.  And  when  we 
further  see  it  declared  that  "  in  Him  dwelleth  all  the  fulness  of  the 
Godhead  bodily,"  we  need  no  further  proof  that  it  was  Jehovah  God 
Himself,  as  declared  by  Zacharias,  who  visited  and  redeemed  His 
people.    (Luke  i.  68.) 

The  great  error  of  the  old  theology  destroys  the  truth  that  Im- 
manuel is  Jehovah  in  the  Humanity,  or  that  God  is  manifest  in  the 
flesh.  Instead  of  which,  as  the  sole  foundation  of  Christianity,  it  as- 
sumes the  incarnation  of  a  supposed  second  person  in  the  Trinit)%  or 
a  Son  of  God  born  from  eternity ;  and  by  substituting  this  unscrip- 
tural  and  irrational  idea  in  the  place  of  Immanuel,  or  God  Himself, 


*  From  the  Inlelledual  Repository,  for  Feb.,  1848. 


595 


596  CORRESPONDENCE  FURTHER  ELVCIDATED. 


as  becoming  incarnate  for  the  redemption  of  mankind,  the  entire 
foundation  of  the  church  is  erroneous,  and  every  doctrine  is,  in  con- 
sequence, darkened  with  error.  Build  upon  a  false  principle,  and 
every  thing  you  erect  will  partake  of  the  falsity.  Hence  the  great 
importance  of  a  true  foundation. 

The  Lord,  as  to  the  human  nature  He  assumed  from  the  virgin 
Maiy,  was  laden  with  our  infirmities,  was  in  the  "  likeness  of  sinful 
flesh,"  and  "  was  a  man  of  sorrows  and  acquainted  with  grief."  But 
He  "  sanctified  Himself  for  our  sakes,  and  became  perfect  through 
suffering ;"  that  is.  He  glorified  his  Humanity.  Noav  the  first  thing 
required  in  the  divine  process  of  glorification,  as  also  in  the  process 
of  regeneration,  is  the  hioioledge  of  evil,  that  we  may  cease  to  do  it, 
and  as  a  consequence,  learn  to  choose  and  to  do  good.  The  entire 
process  of  regeneration  consists  in  refusing  evil  and  choosing  good  as  a 
principle  of  life.  And  as  the  regeneration  of  man  is  an  image  of  the 
Lord's  glorification,  it  may  also  be  said  that  his  glorification  also  con- 
sisted in  knowing  and  refusing  evil  and  in  choosing  good.  Not  that 
evil,  in  the  sense  of  sin,  ever  adhered  to  Him  "  who  was  without  sin," 
but  only  as  infirmity,  and  as  hereditary  tendency  to  evil.  To  sup- 
plant and  utterly  to  reject  these  hereditary  tendencies,  is  to  refuse  the 
evil,  and,  as  a  consequence,  to  choose  what  is  good.  But  how  the  eat- 
ing of  butter  and  honey  is  connected  with  this  process,  remains  to 
be  seen. 

And  here  we  cannot  be  sufficiently  thankful  to  the  Father  of  mer- 
cies for  the  discovery,  in  these  latter  days,  of  the  spiritual  sense  of 
the  Holy  Word  ;  for  it  is  from  this  sense  alone  that  we  can,  in  a  satis- 
factory manner,  see  the  relation  between  eating  butter  and  honey  and 
refusing  evil  and  choosing  good. 

It  must  be  evident,  even  to  the  natural  mind  when  once  awakened 
to  perception  and  thought  concerning  the  nature  of  God's  Word,  that 
butter  and  honey  in  this  pa.«sage  and  elsewhere  in  the  Scriptures,  are 
used  in  a  symbolic  or  emblematic  sense.  Thus,  when  we  so  often 
read  of  "  a  land  flowing  with  milk  and  honey,"  we  never  think  that 
this  is  to  be  taken  in  a  merely  literal  sense.  We  well  know  that  there 
is  something  implied  in  the  description,  and  that  inilk  and  honey  de- 
note something  spiritual  and  heavenly.  Now  to  eat  butter,  when 
mentioned  in  the  Word,  signifies  to  appropriate  heavenly  good  from 
the  Lord  in  the  internal  or  spiritual  mind  ;  and  to  eat  honey  signifies 
to  delight  in  that  good  in  our  external  or  natural  man ;  for  the 
sweetness  of  honey  corresponds  to  delight,  especially  in  our  external 


ISAIAH  VII.  15  EXPLAINED  BY  CORRESPONDENCE.  597 


man,  where  all  delights  and  pleasures  are  sensibly  enjoyed.  It  is  a 
perception  and  taste  of  heavenly  good  from  the  Lord,  which  enables 
us  to  know  and  to  perceive  how  noxious  and  deadly  evil  is,  and  which 
consequently  leads  us  to  refuse  it,  and  to  choose  what  is  good.  AVe 
may  know  what  evil  is  from  a  perception  of  what  is  good,  and  we 
may  see  what  is  false  from  a  knowledge  of  what  is  true;  but  not  con- 
trariwise. Moreover,  evil  can  only  be  cast  out  by  the  power  of  truth 
from  good.  It  is  in  vain  to  try  to  extirpate  an  affection  or  a  motive 
but  from  a  contrary  principle  and  impulse.  True  it  is,  that  evil  must 
first  be  cast  out  before  good  can  be  received  and  enjoyed,  but  the  re- 
jection can  only  be  effected  by  the  power  of  good  from  the  Lord. 
"  We  must  first  taste  and  see  that  the  Lord  is  good  "  (Psalm  xxxiv. 
8),  before  we  can  know  truly  what  evil  is,  and  refuse  and  reject  it. 
Now  when  this  important  fact  in  spiritual  development,  or  in  the 
regenerate  life,  is  expressed  in  the  language  of  correspondence,  it  falls 
into  the  terms  : — "  Butter  and  honey  shall  he  eat,  that  he  may  know 
to  refuse  the  evil  and  choose  the  good." 

Abraham  brought  butter  and  milk,  and  set  them  before  the  angels 
who  appeared  to  him  in  Mamre  (Gen.  xviii.),  to  denote  the  means  by 
which  communication  and  conjunction  are  effected  with  the  Lord. 
These  means  are  celestial  and  spiritual  good,  to  Avhich  butter  and  milk 
correspond,  and  which  must  be  eaten,  that  is,  appropriated  by  faith 
and  love,  as  the  great  principles  of  life,  before  we  can  become  spiritual 
and  be  saved.  The  wicked,  it  is  said,  "  shall  not  see  the  rivei-s,  the 
floods,  the  brooks  of  honey  and  butter"  (Job  xx.  17);  Avhere  it  is 
evident,  that  butter  and  honey  are  correspondent  emblems  of  some- 
thing spiritual  and  heavenly  which  the  Avicked  cannot  see.  Again, 
"  butter  and  honey  shall  every  one  eat  that  is  left  in  the  land " 
(Isaiah  vii.  22),  plainly  denoting  that  those  who  are  in  the  church  as 
its  real,  spiritual  members,  shall  feed  on  spiritual  and  heavenly  things, 
which  are  the  pure  affections  of  good  from  the  Lord,  and  their  cor- 
respondent delight  and  happiness  in  the  natural  man  denoted  by  the 
sweetness  of  honey. 

That  honey  corresponds  to  the  delight  of  heavenly  good  as  experi- 
enced in  the  natural  mind,  may  be  easily  seen  when  the  passages  in 
the  AVord  where  honey  is  mentioned  are  properly  considered.  In  1 
Samuel  xiv.  27,  we  read  that  "  Jonathan  put  forth  the  end  of  his  rod, 
and  dipped  it  in  a  honey-comb,  and  put  his  hand  to  his  mouth,  and 
his  eyes  were  enlightened ;"  and  again  in  verse  29 — "See,  I  pray  you, 
how  vwie  eyes  have  been  enlightened,  because  I  tasted  a  little  of  this 


598 


CORRESPONDENCE  FURTHER  ELUCIDATED. 


lioney."  Here  the  tasting  of  honey  and  the  enlightening  of  the  eyes 
seem  to  be  jjlaced  in  a  natural  connection  as  cause  and  effect,  but  no 
such  connection  can  be  seen  between  them.  When,  however,  it  is 
seen  that  delight  which  is  the  activity  of  affection,  opens  the  under- 
standing and  causes  it  to  see  and  to  relish  truths,  then  the  eyes  (or 
the  understanding)  are  enlightened  by  the  light  of  truth.  For  the 
understanding  receives  but  little  light  on  any  subject  in  which  the 
will  is  not  interested ;  but  so  soon  as  the  affections  become  delighted 
with  the  subject  on  which  the  mind  meditates,  the  understanding, — 
the  eyes — become  enlightened.  (See  H.  H.  603.)  Again,  the  "  honey 
in  the  carcass  of  the  lion  which  Samson  took  and  ate  "  (Judges  xiv. 
9  j,  denotes  the  sweetness,  serenity  and  happiness  of  mind  which  en- 
sues when  evil  (the  lion)  or  rather  the  falsity  of  evil,  is  slain  ; — that 
is,  when  by  acts  of  self-denial  and  combat, — "  fighting  the  good  fight," 
as  the  apostle  says, — the  evils  to  which  we  are  prone  have  been  over- 
come and  removed ;  hence  arise  all  sweetness  and  happiness  to  the 
soul. 

We  learn  from  this  brief  exposition  of  the  projihecy,  how  exceed- 
ingly precious  the  knowledge  of  the  internal  sense  of  Scripture  is, 
and  how,  by  the  science  of  coi'respondences,  that  sense  may  be  inter- 
preted and  understood.  It  is  in  this  way  that  the  Word  shows  its 
"  spirit  and  its  life,"  and  how  every  verse  is  full  of  efficacy  in  its 
application  to  our  states.  For,  if  we  desire  to  become  regenerate  and 
fitted  for  heaven,  we  must  daily  endeavor,  through  divine  mercy,  to 
live  in  the  fulfilment  of  this  prophecy,  and  spiritually  to  eat  butter 
and  honey,  that  we  may  know  to  refuse  evil  and  choose  good. 

FiDELIS. 


CHAPTEE  XIY. 


The  Correspondence  of  Salt— Some  Illustrative  Examples  from 
THE  Word — The  Preserving  Principle  of  Salt,  and  its  Corres- 
pondence— Its  Fructifying  Principle,  and  its  Correspondence — 
Its  Conjoining  Principle,  and  its  Correspondence.* 

The  Correspondence  of  Salt. 

rpHERE  is  great  reason  for  believing  that  the  correspondence  of 
the  objects  in  the  material  world,  is  to  be  seen  both  in  the  quality 
of  their  substance  and  their  resjiective  uses.  Salt  is  a  substance 
which  enters  very  largely  into  the  composition  of  this  terrestrial 
globe.  The  sea  affords  such  large  quantities  of  common  salt  (about 
one-thirtieth  part  of  its  own  weight)  that  all  mankind  might  be 
thence  supplied  with  sufficient  for  their  use.  Mines  of  salt  have  long 
been  known  in  England,  Spain,  Italy,  Germany,  Hungary,  Poland, 
and  other  countries  of  Europe.  In  different  parts  of  the  world  there 
are  also  huge  mountains  of  salt.  Of  this  kind  there  are  two  near 
Astracan  in  Russia ;  several  in  the  kingdoms  of  Tunis  and  Algiers 
in  Africa,  several  in  Asia  and  America ;  and  the  whole  island  of 
Ormus  in  the  Persian  Gulf,  consists  almost  entirely  of  fossil  salt. 
Salt  in  a  chemical  sense,  also,  either  as  crystallizable  acids,  alkalies, 
and  earths,  or  as  combinations  of  acids  with  alkalies,  earths,  or  metal- 
lic oxides,  enters  very  largely  into  the  composition  of  all  things  in 
the  mineral,  vegetable,  and  animal  kingdom. 

All  things  which  exist  in  the  material  world,  exist  also  in  their 
correspondences  in  man's  microcosm ;  and  as  salt  enters  so  largely 
into  all  things  of  outward  nature,  its  correspondence  must  form  some 
important  ingredient  in  the  human  mind.  In  the  writings  of  the 
illustrious  Swedenborg,  we  are  taught  that  ^alt  corresponds  to  desire, 
and  that  the  terra  salt  when  it  occurs  in  the  Word  (and  it  occurs 
there  frequently)  has  in  every  instance  this  signification.  As  before 
observed  there  are  many  different  kinds  of  salt :  not  only  are  there 
the  varieties  of  common  salt,  but  also  the  numerous  crystallizable 


*  From  the  Intellectual  ReposUoi-y  for  Jan.,  1842. 


599 


600  CORRESPONDENCE  FURTHER  ELUCIDATED. 


acids  and  alkalies,  sulphates,  sulphites,  nitrates,  nitrites,  muriates,  and 
phosphates.  So  also,  there  are  various  kinds  of  desires  in  the  human 
mind :  thus  there  are  the  desires  of  the  natural  mind — corporeal  de- 
sires, sensual  desires  :  then  again  there  are  the  desires  of  the  spiritual 
mind — desires  for  spiritual  good  and  spiritual  truth  ;  and  there  are 
also  the  desires  of  the  celestial  mind — desires  for  celestial  good  and 
celestial  truth ;  and  of  each  of  these  desires  there  is  a  great  variety. 
All  desires  may,  however,  be  considered  under  two  great  divisions ; 
desires  for  good  and  truth,  and  desires  for  evil  and  falsity.  Thus 
Solomon  says :  "  The  desire  of  the  righteous  is  only  good ;  the  soul 
of  the  wicked  desires  evil."  So  the  term  salt  in  some  passages  of  the 
Word  signifies  good  desires,  and  in  other  passages,  evil  desires. 

Some  Illustrative  Examples  from  tJie  Word. 

In  Lev.  chap.  2,  ver.  13,  we  read,  "  Every  offering  of  thy  cake 
shall  be  salted  with  salt ;  neither  shalt  thou  make  to  cease  the  salt  of 
the  covenant  of  thy  God  upon  thy  meat-offering.  Upon  all  thy  offer- 
ings thou  shalt  offer  salt;"  and  in  Leviticus  we  read  that  the  incense 
should  be  salted.  These  divine  words  teach  us  that  in  all  our  acts  of 
worship,  the  good-which  is  in  us  must  continually  desire  truth — the 
truth  which  is  in  us  must  continually  desire  good :  the  heavenly  mar- 
riage, the  covenant,  is  the  union  of  good  and  truth,  and  the  desire  of 
this  conjunction  is  "  the  salt  of  the  covenant  of  thy  God ; "  and  the 
man  who  obeys  these  divine  commands  can  adopt  the  words  of  the 
Psalmist,  "  I  have  longed  for  thy  salvation,"  and  of  Isaiah,  "  The 
desire  of  my  soul  is  to  thy  name  and  to  the  remembrance  of  Thee." 
"  As  a  new-born  babe  he  desires  the  sincere  milk  of  the  Word  that 
he  may  grow  thereby."  Tiie  Lord  tlesus  says,  "  Every  one  shall  be 
salted  witli  fire,  and  every  sacrifice  shall  be  salted  with  salt.  Salt  is 
good,  but  if  the  salt  have  lost  its  saltness,  wherewith  will  you  season 
it."  To  be  "  salted  with  fire,"  denotes  the  desire  of  good  for  truth, 
for  desire  is  tlie  very  fire  of  love.  And  "  salt  that  has  lost  its  salt- 
ness," signifies  a  negation  of  all  desire  of  good  and  of  truth. 

A  man  whose  mind  is  enlightened  by  truth,  but  who,  at  the  same 
time,  does  not  seek  after  purity  of  affection  and  of  life,  hiis  salt ;  he 
has  desires,  but  they  are  not  genuine — they  are  mere  lust,  and  he  is 
"good  for  nothing."  Thus  there  are  many  passages  in  the  holy 
Scriptures  in  which  tlie  term  saU  bears  an  evil  signification.  As  in 
Jeremiah,  "  Cursed  be  the  man  who  maketli  flcj^h  his  arm ;  he  shall 
not  see  when  good  cometh,  but  sliall  dwell  in  parched  places  in  a  salt 


THE  CORRESPONDENCE  OF  SALT. 


601 


land;"  he  whose  trust  is  in  his  self-derived  intelligence,  and  whose 
delight  is  in  evil  loves,  dwells  in  a  "  salt  land ;"  all  good  and  all  truth 
in  him  is  destroyed  by  his  filthy  desii'es.  So  also  in  Zeplianiah,  "  It 
shall  be  as  Gomorrah,  a  place  left  to  the  nettle,  and  a  pit  of  salt  and 
a  waste  to  eternity."  "  The  nettle,"  denotes  the  ardor  and  the  burn- 
ing of  the  life  of  a  man  who  is  in  the  love  of  self,  and  "  a  pit  of  salt," 
denotes  the  same  burning  love  desiring  what  is  false.  Such  a  man  is 
a  Sodom,  "  as  Gomorrah  ; "  for  these  cities  represent  the  evil,  direful, 
fiery,  filthy  affections,  burning  with  desires  of  self-love.  In  Genesis 
we  read  of  Lot's  wife  being  turned  into  a  pillar  of  salt ;  and  this 
teaches  us  that  when  truth  in  the  mind  (signified  by  Lot's  wife)  no 
longer  looks  to  good  (denoted  by  Lot),  but  turns  to  the  love  of  self 
— to  Sodom ;  then  the  mind  becomes  "  a  pillar  of  salt," — all  spiritual 
life  is  destroyed.  AVith  this  view  of  the  subject,  how  solemn  is  the 
Lord's  exhortation,  "  Remember  Lot's  wife ! "  . 

These  explanations  of  the  sacred  text  are  gathered  from  the  works 
of  Swedenborg.  As,  however,  in  the  New  Church  we  are  not  allowed 
to  follow  blindly  the  teachings  of  any  man,  but  are  permitted  to  ob- 
tain for  ourselves  a  rational  perception  of  the  meaning  of  the  sacred 
page,  in  order  that,  having  learned  the  truth  we  may  live  it,  we  shall 
consider  some  of  the  peculiar  properties  of  salt ;  by  this  means  we 
may  see  for  ourselves,  that  salt  corresponds  to  desire. 

The  Preserving  Principle  of  Salt,  and  its  Correspondence. 

It  has  the  peculiar  property  of  preserving  substances  from  putre- 
faction, and  is,  for  this  very  purpose,  extensively  used  in  articles  of 
food.  It  is  also  well  known  that  the  economy  of  the  human  body 
requires  that  we  should  take  salt  with  our  food.  If  the  most  healthy 
person  were  to  abstain  for  any  length  of  time  from  taking  his  accus- 
tomed portion  of  salt,  his  body  would  become  diseased  ;  health  and 
strength  would  give  way  to  disease  and  languor,  followed  with  death 
as  a  certain  result.  The  same  observation  is  true  in  reference  to 
cattle.  Graziers  know  that  by  liberally  scattering  salt  with  their  feed, 
they  are  using  one  of  the  most  effective  means  for  preserving  them 
from  many  fatal  diseases :  and  in  those  parts  of  the  world  where  cattle 
are  not  under  the  direction  of  man.  Providence  has  placed  within 
them  a  strong  instinct  to  seek  a  supply  of  salt.  In  America,  .sheep 
and  cattle  resort  in  herds  innumerable  to  the  different  clay  salt  pits, 
and  that  with  the  greatest  eagerness :  and  in  Africa  large  herds  of 
cattle  travel  to  great  distances,  at  stated  seasons,  to  enjoy  the  marine 
51 


602 


CORRESPONDEXCE  FURTHER  ELUCIDATED. 


plants  whicli  are  saturated  with  salt.  By  this  lirovision  their  health 
is  preserved. 

As  it  is  in  the  animal  economy,  so  also  it  is  in  the  mental  constitu- 
tion :  if  the  good  we  have  received  does  not  desire  truth, — if  the  men- 
tal food  w  e  have  received  be  not  mixed  with  salt,  then  good  corrupts, 
decays,  perishes ;  so  also  if  the  truths  we  have  taken  do  not  desire 
good,  then  truth  perishes.  How  forcibly  is  this  exhibited  in  the  state 
of  the  former  church !  In  consequence  of  separating  faith  from  char- 
ity, of  teaching  that  faith  alone  is  saving,  of  losing  all  affection  for 
good,  of  having  no  salt  in  itself,  the  church  of  a  hundred  years  ago 
had  become  corrupt,  a  loathsome  corpse,  a  putrid  carcass,  about  which 
the  birds  of  desolation  gathered  together :  its  truths  had  become  falsi- 
ties, and  all  charity  had  been  destroyed.  And  from  this  we  may  learn 
of  what  will  most  assuredly  be  our  condition,  if,  as  individuals,  we  have 
not  salt  Avithin  ourselves.  If  we  do  not  cherish  a  desii-e  for  good,  if  our 
faith  be  without  charity,  if  our  knowledge  be  not  attended  with  a 
life  in  accordance  with  the  divine  commands,  if  our  profession  of  re- 
ligion be  without  the  possession  of  piety  and  virtue,  then,  though  our 
knowledge  should  appear  to  us  as  splendid,  glittering  from  the  light 
of  our  own  intelligence,  it  is  in  reality  but  the  cold  light  of  the  glow- 
worm, the  phosphoric  lumen  of  a  decayed  fish  shining  in  the  dark. 
Notwithstanding  our  abundance  of  knowledges,  our  souls  are  in  a 
state  of  decay,  having  no  health  or  soundness.  Without  this  spiritual 
preservative,  even  our  knowledges  of  truth  will  be  taken  away  from 
us ;  they  will  wither  like  flowers  cut  off  from  their  root ;  they  will 
sink  from  our  mental  hemisphere  like  fallen  stars.  Our  "  knowledge 
will  vanish  away,"  and  there  will  be  nothing  left  in  our  minds  but 
such  errors  as  will  unite  with  the  evils  of  our  hearts.  But  if  we  have 
salt  in  oui'selves,  then  this  holy  desire  will  preserve  us  in  spiritual 
health  and  vigor ;  and  of  our  own  souls  it  may  be  said,  "  Xow  abkleth 
faith,  hope,  and  charity."  The  salt  of  holy  desire  will  give  fixity  to 
everything  within  us  that  is  good  and  true,  and  preserve  them  for  ever. 

Its  Fructifying  Principle,  and  its  Correspondence. 

It  is  well  known  by  farmers  and  graziers  that  cattle  fatten  upon 
feed  in  which  there  is  an  abundance  of  salt.  Cows  give  a  greater 
quantity  of  milk,  causing  the  fluids  to  become  more  readily  converted 
into  chyle,  and  giving  an  increased  energy  to  these  juices  secreted  by 
the  digestive  organs.  To  the  fructifying  principle  of  salt  is  also 
attributed  the  superior  quality  of  the  Merino  wool ;  and  the  wool  of 


THE  CORRESPONDENCE  OF  SALT. 


603 


flocks  in  our  own  country,  fed  ■within  a  few  miles  of  the  sea-coast,  or 
with  plenty  of  salt,  possesses  a  longer  staple  and  a  more  pliant  text- 
ure. Another  proof  of  the  fructifying  properties  of  salt  is  seen  in 
the  extraordinary  fertility  of  the  cultivated  land  of  China,  its  fruit- 
fulness  arising  from  the  constant  practice  of  the  Chinese  applying 
salt  as  manure, — a  practice  which  is  coming  into  general  use  in  our 
own  country.  So  also  the  spiritual  salt  has  a  fructifying  principle : 
by  it  a  man  becomes  a  living  man,  fruitful  in  good  works.  Truth  is 
seed  ;  good  is  ground.  Truths  merely  from  thought  will  lie  alone 
and  rot.  We  may  have  knowledge  in  abundance,  but  if  we  have 
not  a  holy  desire  of  good,  our  souls  will  be  evil  and  barren  :  whereas 
if  good  salt  be  plentifully  cast  upon  the  ground — if  we  desire  to  do 
the  truth,  then  these  knowledges  will  take  root,  spring  up  luxuriantly, 
and  bring  forth  an  abundant  harvest. 

The  frlictifying  principle  of  mental  salt  is  plainly  taught  us  in 
many  passages  of  the  holy  Word.  We  select  one  from  2  Kings,  chap. 
2,  verse  19  to  21 :  "  The  men  of  Jericho  said  to  Elisha,  Behold,  the 
situation  of  the  city  is  good ;  but  the  watei's  are  evil  and  the  ground 
barren.  And  he  said  unto  them.  Bring  a  new  cruse  and  put  salt 
therein  ;  and  they  brought  it  to  him,  and  he  went  forth  to  the  spring 
of  the  waters,  and  cast  the  salt  in  there,  and  said,  Thus  saith  the 
Lord,  I  have  healed  these  waters  ;  there  shall  not  be  from  thence  any 
more  death  or  barren  land."  The  prophet  Elisha  rejiresents  the  Lord 
in  reference  to  the  Word.  Jericho,  being  near  to  Jordan,  which  was 
the  boundary  of  the  land  of  Canaan,  represents  the  boundary  of  the 
human  mind, — the  external,  the  natural  man.  Water  denotes  truth  ; 
earth  represents  good  ;  a  new  cruse,  or  vessel,  the  knowledges  of  good 
and  truth  ;  and  salt  a  love  of  good, — a  desire  to  live  the  truth.  From 
this  short  explanation  we  may  see  that  spiritual  salt  has  a  fructifying 
principle.  Our  first  knowledges  of  good  and  truth  are  received  into 
our  external  mind, — our  natural  princijile.  These  knowledges,,  ac- 
quired in  the  first  stages  of  regeneration,  as  also  the  good  acts  Avhich 
we  at  that  time  perform,  are  not  in  reality  good  or  true ;  they  are 
lifeless  and  barren ;  merely  natural ;  they  arise  from  our  own  love  of 
self  "  These  waters  of  Jericho  are  bitter ;  "  neither  is  there  in  us  any 
living  spiritual  good  productive  of  living  faith — of  genuine  charity ; 
but  "  the  land  is  barren."  If  any  reader  of  this  work  should  be 
mourning  this  his  unproductive  and  evil  state,  saying  to  himself,  "the 
■waters  are  bitter  and  the  land  is  barren," — "  O,  wretched  man  that  I 
am;  who  shall  deliver  me  from  the  body  of  death?"  let  him  go  to 


604 


CORRESPONDENCE  FURTHER  ELUCIDATED. 


the  jirophet  Elisha — the  "Word  of  God — the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and 
supplicate  counsel  of  Him.  Listen  to  his  words  :  "  Bring  a  new  cruse, 
and  put  salt  therein  ; "  "  Have  salt  in  yourselves  ; "  "  Cast  forth  the 
salt  at  the  spring,  the  going  forth  of  the  waters ;  "  then  you  shall  be 
saved  from  this  bitterness  and  barrenness.  Exercise  a  desire  to  live 
the  truth  you  have  received  in  your  external  mind ;  then  you  will 
drink  of  the  waters  of  Jericho — the  literal  truths  of  the  Word,  and 
become  fruitful  in  works  really  good.  By  means  of  this  spiritual  salt 
your  works  will  be  acts  of  true  living  charity  ;  your  knowledges  of 
truth  will  be  saving,  and  you  will  bring  forth  fruit  to  perfection. 

Its  Conjoining  Principle,  and  its  Correspondence. 

It  is  by  virtue  of  this  its  uniting  property,  that  the  uses  we  have 
referred  to  are  effected.  Salt  conjoins  all  things.  In  the  arts  and 
manufactures  it  is  extensively  employed  as  a  uniting  medium,  con- 
necting bodies  which  otherwise  could  never  be  joined  together. 

Thousands  of  men  in  this  town  [Birmingham],  employed  in  mak- 
ing silver-plated  articles  of  jcAvelry,  and  in  what  is  here  called  the 
gilt  toy  trade,  are  in  the  daily  practice  of  using  salt  for  the  purpose 
of  uniting  metals.  A  lump  of  copper  has  to  be  plated  with  silver. 
By  covering  the  copper  with  a  medium,  a  salt,  a  flux  of  borax,  it 
will,  when  placed  in  a  suitable  degree  of  heat,  readily  take  the  silver; 
salt  being  the  conjoining  medium.  In  this  instance,  as  also  in  a 
thousand  other  cases,  we  may  see  how  the  science  of  correspondence  is 
adapted  to  raise  the  mind's  contemplation  from  natural  and  worldly 
objects  to  things  spiritual  and  heavenly.  Every  thing  in  our  daily 
occupation,  in  our  recreations,  imparts  a  blessing  when  it  is  made 
useful ;  and  every  thing  around  us  can  be  made  to  aid  us  in  working 
out  our  salvation,  if  God  be  in  our  thoughts, — if  we  are  spiritually- 
minded. 

The  science  of  correspondence  teaches  us  that  copper  represents 
natural  good — that  good  which  is  obtained  through  our  connections 
in  civil  society,  such  as  obedience  to  parents  and  masters,  attendance 
to  the  external  ceremonies  of  religion, — all  that  is  commonly  termed 
morality.  Silver  represents  spiritual  truth — truth  obtained  not 
through  the  external  mind,  but  from  within — from  God, — truth  that 
is  living,  saving.  The  Lord  in  his  merciful  providence  has  so  or- 
dered outward  circumstances,  that  every  one  of  us  has  more  or  less 
of  this  natural  goodness — this  copper,  which  is  the  foundation  upon 
which  the  holy  influences  of  heaven  can  operate :  but  this  natural 


THE  CORRESPONDENCE  OF  SALT. 


605 


good — this  copper,  if  it  be  not  united  with  spiritual  truth,  can  never 
prepare  us  for  heaven.  How  can  our  minds  be  made  spiritual  ? 
What  means  are  to  be  used  in  order  that  they  may  be  covered  over 
with  spiritual  good  and  truth — the  gold  and  silver  of  heaven  ?  The 
answer  is :  Let  the  copper — natural  good — be  coated  with  a  flux  of 
salt — holy  desire  ;  then  the  two  principles  will  readily  unite ;  then  we 
shall  be  adorned  with  silver — decorated  with  the  beautiful  ornaments 
of  spiritual  truth  and  good ;  with  bracelets  on  our  hands,  that  is,  the 
power  derived  from  divine  truth ;  a  chain  of  gold  on  our  necks — the 
conjunction  of  all  things  in  our  internal  and  external  minds ;  ear- 
rings in  our  ears — practical  obedience  to  the  laws  of  heaven  ;  and  a 
beautiful  crown  upon  our  heads — wisdom  from  the  Lord  ruling  and 
blessing  our  whole  soul. 

Take  another  instance  of  the  conjoining  property  of  salt.  In  the 
manufacture  of  soap,  the  two  principal  ingi-edients  employed  are  fat 
or  oil,  and  water.  Now  oil  and  water  of  themselves  cannot  be  made 
to  unite  ;  it  is  impossible.  Introduce  *a  salt — potash,  and  they  will 
mix  with  the  greatest  readiness,  and  form  soap,  an  article  so  essential 
to  cleanliness  and  comfort.  In  this  case  as  in  the  former,  salt  is  the 
conjoining  medium.  Fat  and  oil  correspond  to  good,  and  water  to 
truth.  And  as  oil  and  water  cannot  be  united  without  a  medium 
(salt),  so  also  good  and  truth  cannot  form  a  one,  so  as  to  be  the 
means  of  purifying  our  hearts,  unless  they  be  united  Avith  a  heavenly 
salt — a  holy  desire.  We  may  have  what  the  world  calls  goodness ; 
we  may  have  truths  in  abundance ;  but  unless  we  have  this  spiritual 
desire — this  desire  for  good  and  truth,  and  thus  unite  truth  in  the 
understanding  with  good  in  the  will,  we  shall  remain  unwashed  and 
unprepared  for  heaven  :  while  on  the  other  hand,  if  good  and  truth 
be  united  by  the  salt  of  desire,  then  we  shall  stand  at  last  with  those 
who  have  washed  their  robes — who  have  purified  their  hearts. 

Again ;  the  salt  of  holy  desire  not  only  conjoins  the  principles  of 
good  and  truth  in  the  minds  of  individuals,  but  it  is  also  the  grand 
connecting  medium  by  tvJiich  Christians  are  tmited  in  church-felloivship. 
Without  this  salt  we  may  assemble  together  in  the  same  place,  join 
externally  in  the  same  prayers  and  praises,  hear  the  same  sermons,  be 
called  by  the  same  name,  profess  the  same  faith,  and  still  be  internally 
disunited.  We  may  profess  to  believe  that  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is 
the  only  God  of  heaven  and  earth,  see  the  errors  of  the  former 
Church,  and  be  able  to  vindicate  the  doctrines  of  the  New  Dispensa- 
tion ;  but  if  we  have  no  desire  to  live  the  life  of  truth — to  put  on  the 
51* 


606 


CORRESPONDENCE  FURTHER  ELUCIDATED. 


beautiful  garments  of  Jerusalem,  by  uniting  the  acknowledgment 
of  truth  in  the  mind  with  the  love  of  God  and  our  neighbor  in  the 
heart,  how  can  we  be  truly  members  of  the  New  Jerusalem  ? 

A  mere  profession  of  truth  will  never  unite  a  man  with  his  brother : 
there  must  be  the  desire  of  truth  for  the  sake  of  use ;  especially 
should  this  affection  be  in  activity  when  assembled  in  holy  worship. 
The  Word  of  the  Lord  is  imperative, — "  Every  oblation  of  thy  meat- 
offering shalt  thou  season  with  salt ;  neither  shalt  thou  suffer  the  salt 
of  the  covenant  of  thy  God  to  be  lacking  from  thy  meat-offering. 
With  all  thy  offerings  thou  shalt  offer  salt."  And  if  Ave  obey  this 
command,  there  will  then  be  no  separations,  no  divisions,  no  conten- 
tion, no  ill-feeling,  no  party-spirit,  no  jealousy ;  but  the  "  brethren 
will  dwell  together  in  unity : "  having  "  salt  in  ourselves,"  we  shall  be 
at  peace  one  with  another. 

Again.  The  existence  of  this  spiritual  salt  in  our  minds,  tcill  give 
efficiency  to  all  our  aims  at  usefulness.  Certain  metals, — copper,  zinc, 
for  instance,  and  leather,  placed  in  water,  will  produce  a  galvanic 
effect ;  but  it  will  be  very  feeble.  Dissolve  a  salt  in  the  water ;  in- 
troduce nitric  acid,  or  the  acetous  acid,  and  the  effect  will  be  poAver- 
ful.  So  is  it  in  spiritual  things.  If  we  have  salt  in  ourselves, 
although  our  numbers  may  be  few  and  our  means  limited,  we  shall 
produce  the  best  of  results.  Our  works  will  be  labors  of  charity, 
deeds  of  love,  and  we  shall  operate  powerfully  on  all  "  whose  hearts 
God  hath  stirred  up."  Again :  By  this  holy  medium  all  the  i)ihabitants 
of  all  the  heavens  foim  a  one ;  the  inhabitants  of  heaven  are  all  closely 
united  together.  What  is  it  that  conjoins  them  ?  It  is  the  salt  of 
pure  desire.  One  heart,  one  soul  pervades  all  the  angelic  host.  There 
no  one  lives  to  himself ;  there  separate  interests  are  unknown ;  but  each 
believes  and  acts  upon  the  principle  that  'it  is  more  blessed  to  give 
than  to  receive.'    Thus  desire,  like  salt,  has  a  conjoining  principle. 

Renders  Food  Savory. 

Salt  excites  the  appetite  by  making  food  savory.  If  food  be  eaten 
Avithout  salt,  Avithout  a  relish  or  an  appetite  for  it,  it  does  not  so  fully 
give  its  nutritious  properties,  or  incorporate  Avith  the  body.  The 
same  is  true  spiritually.  If  the  good  and  truth  of  the  holy  Word  be 
received  without  relish  or  saA'or — Avithout  the  salt  of  desire,  it  cannot 
be  incorporated  Avith  the  life ;  because  nothing  can  live  in  a  man  but 
Avhat  he  loves — nothing  but  Avhat  he  receives  Avith  affection,  Avith 
spiritual  relish  and  savor. 


THE  CORRESPONDENCE  OF  SALT. 


607 


Thus  it  is  evident  that  salt  corresponds  to  desire.  By  desire  the 
truth  and  good  in  our  minds  are  preserved  from  corruption  ;  avc  are 
fruitful  in  every  good  work ;  the  heavenly  marriage  of  good  and 
truth  is  celebrated  ;  and  we  are  adorned  with  the  rings,  the  jewels, 
the  beautiful  crown  of  wisdom,  love  and  use.  We  enjoy  the  pleasant 
siglit  of  brethren  dwelling  together  in  unity ;  we  extend  the  sphere 
of  the  New  Jerusalem  ;  the  truths  of  the  holy  Word  become  incor- 
porated in  our  life ;  we  are  refined  from  all  unholy  loves ;  we  are 
saved  from  lukewarmness,  and  burn  with  holy  heavenly  love.  "  Have 
salt  in  yourselves." 


CHAPTEE  XY. 


Correspondence  applied  to  the  Interpretation  of  Matt.  xxiv.  20 : 
"Pray  ye  that  your  flight  be  not  in  the  Winter,  neither  on 
THE  Sabbath  day."* 

IN  this  chapter  the  Lord  foretells  the  entire  destruction  of  the 
church  He  came  to  establish.  As  the  Jewish  church  had  come 
to  its  consummation,  so  that  the  Lord  as  the  Son  of  Man, — as  the 
Divine  Truth  itself  from  which  the  church  exists, — "  had  not  where 
to  lay  his  head;"  so,  at  consummation  of  the  Christian  church,  the 
Son  of  IMan,  when  He  should  come,  "  would  not  find  faith  upon  the 
earth."  (Luke  xviii.  8.)  Many  suppose  that  these  predictions  of 
the  Lord  have  reference  only  to  the  literal  destruction  of  Jerusalem  by 
the  armies  of  Titus ;  but  although  there  are  some  things  in  the  letter 
which  appear  coincident  with  that  destruction,  yet  there  are  very 
many,  as  all  commentators  have  acknowledged,  which  cannot  be  con- 
strued into  a  reference  to  that  event ;  and  therefore  it  has  been  ad- 
mitted by  many  that  the  entire  series  of  divine  predictions  contained 
in  this  chapter,  have  relation  to  the  decline,  fall  and  consummation 
of  the  first  Christian  church  which  the  Lord  established;  after  which 
He  would  come  again  to  establish  a  New  Church,  signified  by  the 
New  Jerusalem  in  the  Revelation,  in  which  He,  in  his  Divine  Hu- 
manity, would  be  acknowledged  as  all  in  all. 

A  church  does  not  arrive  at  its  consummation  until  "  not  one  stone 
in  the  buildings  of  the  temi)le  is  left  standing  upon  another,"  or  un- 
til there  is  an  utter  desolation  of  those  divine  principles  of  love  and 
faith  which  constitute  the  church.  The  temple  about  which  the  dis- 
ciples inquired,  represents  the  Lord  in  his  Humanity.  This  is  abun- 
dantly evident  from  what  the  Lord  said  of  the  temple  in  John  ii.  21, 
where  it  is  expressly  declared  that  He  spake  of  the  temple  of  his  body. 
There  being  "  not  one  stone  loft  upon  another  which  should  not  be 
thrown  down,"  denotes  the  utter  destruction  of  all  faith  in  the  Lord's 
Humanity  as  being  Divine, — in  which  all  the  fulness  of  the  God- 


•  From  the  Jnkllectual  Repository,  for  January,  1849. 


608 


MATTHEW  JTA'IV.  20  EXPLAINED  BY  CORRESPONDENCE.  609 


head  dwells  bodily, — who  hath  ascended  far  above  all  heavens  that 
He  might  till  all  things ; — who  hath  all  power  in  heaven  and  on 
earth, — who  hath  the  keys  of  hell  and  of  death, — who  openeth  and 
no  man  shuttcth,  and  shutteth  and  no  man  openeth,  and  who  alone 
giveth  the  blessings  and  felicities  of  eternal  life.  (Rev.  ii.  7,  11,  17, 
28.) 

The  slightest  elevation  of  thought  as  to  the  object  and  tendency  of 
revealed  truth,  might  teach  us  that  the  events  of  mere  history  relat- 
ing only  to  the  affairs  of  this  life,  are,  as  primary  objects,  far  beneath 
the  dignity  of  revealed  wisdom  which  can  only  contemplate  eternal 
objects  and  ends,  and  "not  those  which  are  temporal,  except  so  far  as 
they  can  be  made  conducive  to  the  attainment  of  heavenly  and  eter- 
nal ends,  or  to  the  salvation  of  mankind.  The  Word  of  the  Lord 
relates  primarily  to  his  kingdom ;  and  as  "  his  kingdom  is  not  of  this 
world,"  so  it  may  be  said  in  like  manner,  that  his  Word  is  not  of 
this  world ;  hence  it  does  not  relate,  in  its  primary  or  spiritual  sense, 
to  the  revolutions  of  earthly  polities,  or  the  subversion  of  earthly 
governments,  or  the  destruction  of  earthly  cities ;  although  these 
events  may  serve,  according  to  the  laws  of  correspondence  between 
things  natural  and  spiritual,  as  the  visible  types  of  the  destruction 
of  churches,  and  of  those  judgments  in  the  spiritual  world  by  which 
that  destruction  is  accomplished.  Thus  by  the  destruction  of  Jeru- 
salem, and  the  abrogation  of  the  Jewish  system  of  worship  and  the 
dispersion  of  the  Jews,  the  total  destruction  of  the  Jewish  dispensa- 
tion was  effected,  and  thereby  was  likewise  represented,  in  the  divine 
predictions  of  the  Lord  in  Matt,  xxiv.,  the  entire  consummation  of 
the  first  Christian  church. 

Although,  as  stated  above,  some  things  in  the  destruction  of  Jeru- 
salem by  the  armies  of  Titus  appear  to  coincide  with  the  Lord's  pre- 
dictions, there  are,  nevertheless,  many  particulars  in  the  divine  record 
which  do  not  coincide,  and  which  have  constrained  all  commentators 
to  admit  that  these  divine  predictions  have  an  ulterior  object  not  yet 
accomplished.  This  ulterior  object  can  only  be  understood  by  a 
knowledge  of  the  spiritual  sense  of  the  Word,  which  in  these  latter 
days  has  been  mercifully  vouchsafed  to  the  church,  and  by  which  we 
can  clearly  see  the  object,  scope  and  end  of  the  Lord's  predictions. 
Thus  the  true  nature  of  these  predictions  being  only  understood  from 
the  spiritual  sense,  Ave  may  readily  see  how  immensely  important  a 
knowledge  of  the  spiritual  sense  is ;  inasmuch  as  little  or  no  practi- 
cal profit  can  arise  unless  we  understand  the  Scriptures,  and  see  their 

20 


610 


CORRESPONDENCE  FURTHER  ELUCIDATED. 


application  to  our  own  states  as  well  as  to  the  states  of  the  church  in 
general.  For  the  Word  of  God  is  infinite  and  universal,  comjjrising 
all  states  of  the  church  in  the  aggregate,  and  all  states  of  the 
human  mind  in  particular.  Thus  the  utter  desolation  of  the 
church  in  the  unregenerate  mind,  especially  at  the  time  of  death 
and  judgment,  which  we  know  is  one  of  the  immediate  consequences 
of  death,  is  especially  described  in  these  predictions  of  the  Lord. 
The  inestimable  value  of  the  spiritual  sense  of  the  Word  is  espe- 
cially seen  in  the  fact,  that  it  brings  every  prophecy  as  well  as 
every  precept  home  to  the  heart  and  life  of  the  individual,  so  that  he 
there  sees  the  history  either  of  his  regenerate  or  of  his  unregenerate 
state ;  his  regenerate  state  being  portrayed  in  those  prophecies  which 
describe  the  church  in  states  of  faithfulness  and  obedience,  and  in 
consequent  glory  and  happiness ;  and  his  unregenerate  state  depicted 
in  those  prophecies  which  describe  the  church  in  ruin  and  desolation. 
Thus  the  Word  spiritually  understood,  is  a  constant  source  of  life 
and  light  to  the  mind, — "  a  fountain  of  living  waters." 

When,  therefore,  the  Lord,  in  the  series  of  prophecies  relating  to 
the  fall  and  consummation  of  the  church,  says,  "  Pray  ye  that  your 
flight  be  not  in  the  winter,  neither  on  the  Sabbath  day,"  we  may  be  cer- 
tain that  there  is  some  important  instruction  conveyed,  which  it  is 
of  the  utmost  consequence  to  know.  The  merelj'  literal  sense  of  the 
passage,  that  the  disciples  were  to  pray  that  when  the  siege  took 
place  it  might  not  be  in  the  winter,  must  appear  to  the  devout  and 
reflecting  mind  too  insignificant  an  exposition  to  be  worthy  of  Divine 
Wisdom,  which  ever  contemplates  eternal  ends.  There  is  a  Avinter 
of  the  soul  as  well  as  of  the  body;  and  the  ulterior  or  rather  the 
primary  object  of  which  commentators  speak,  as  being  involved  in 
these  predictions,  is  to  warn  us  against  taking  our  departure  from 
this  life  in  the  winter  of  the  soul, — in  that  state  in  which  all  the  affec- 
tions of  the  heart  are  cold  and  dead  to  everything  spiritual  and 
heavenly, — when  the  chill  of  spiritual  death  has  benumbed  and 
frozen  every  emotion  of  love  and  charity  in  the  soul  (Matt.  xxiv. 
12) — when  a  cold-hearted  selfishness  has  taken  possession  of  the 
mind,  and  congealed  and  contracted  all  its  sensibilities  for  good,  and 
all  its  disinterested  love  of  truth.  This  indeed  is  a  dreadful  winter, 
and  we  should  earnestly  pray  that  our  flight, — our  departure  out  of 
this  world  into  the  eternal  world,  may  not  be  in  this  wintry  state. 
Thus  it  is  that  the  Lord's  words  are  of  universal  application.  All 
his  disciples,  all  the  members  of  his  church,  have  now  and  at  all 


MATTHEW  XT/F.  20  EXPLAINED  BY  CORRESPONDENCE.  611 


times  most  earnestly  to  pray  that  death  and  judgment  may  not  over- 
take them  in  tliis  winter  state. 

As  to  our  departure  out  of  this  world,  it  is  obvious  that  we  have 
no  control  over  the  time  when  it  is  to  take  place ;  whether  it  be  in 
summer  or  in  winter  is  not  of  our  appointment.  But  we  have,  through 
Divine  Mercy  and  Power,  a  control  over  our  states,  so  that  by  earn- 
est prayer,  self-denial,  and  sincere  repentance,  we  can  cultivate  the 
states  represented  by  the  beautiful  spring,  the  glowing  summer,  and 
the  fruitful  autumn,  and  avoid  the  cold,  dismal,  death-like  states  of 
■winter.  We  all,  indeed,  have  to  pass  through  these  winter  states 
during  the  process  of  regeneration,  when  states  of  coldness  as  to 
things  spiritual  and  heavenly  will  come  upon  us ;  when  temptations 
and  trials  will  assail  us ;  when  "  we  should  hasten  our  escape  from 
the  windy  storm  and  tempest."  (Ps.  Iv.  8.)  As  the  people  of  Israel 
had  to  pass  through  the  desert  before  they  could  arrive  at  the  "  land 
flowing  with  milk  and  honey," — as  the  Lord  himself  had  to  be 
tempted  of  the  devil,  and  to  be  assailed  by  wild  beasts  in  the  desert 
(Mark  i.  13)  before  "  He  could  enter  into  his  glory,"  so  we  all  have 
to  pass  through  a  desert,  and  a  state  of  winter  which  is  analogous  to 
a  desert,  before  we  can  receive  the  "  crown  of  life."  But  to  fall  in 
the  desert,  or  to  remain  in  that  spiritual  state  denoted  by  winter,  is 
to  incur  spiritual  death,  and  to  take  up  our  abode  in  the  "  laud  of 
darkness,  of  trouble,  and  of  anguish,  whence  come  the  young  and 
the  old  lion,  the  viper,  and  the  fiery  flying  serpent ;"  (Isaiah  xxx.  6,) — 
Avhere  evils  and  falsities  of  every  kind  prevail.  How  different  is  this 
land  from  that  Avhose  skies  are  never  darkened,  whose  clouds  drop 
fatness,  whose  hills  are  covered  with  flocks,  whose  plains  are  adorned 
with  golden  harvests,  and  where  each  can  sit  under  his  vine  and  fig- 
tree,  and  none  shall  make  him  afraid ! 

Nature  is  a  theatre  representative  of  the  Lord's  kingdom  in  the 
spiritual  world.  "The  invisible  things  of  God  (says  the  Apostle) 
from  the  creation  of  the  world  are  clearly  seen,  being  understood  by 
the  things  that  are  made."  Not  only  are  the  things  of  heaven  rep- 
resented to  us,  but  the  sad  states  and  dismal  objects  of  hell  are  also 
portrayed  to  our  senses  in  the  world  of  nature.  The  wolf  and  the 
lamb,  the  owl  and  the  dove,  the  nettle  and  the  rose,  winter  and  sum- 
mer, night  and  day,  are  not  correlatives,  but  opposites,  which  read 
us  valuable  lessons  when  seen  in  the  light  of  correspondence,  and 
especially  when  understood  as  mentioned  in  the  Scriptures.  Nature 
has  yet  to  be  studied  aud  viewed  from  a  higher  point  than  our 


612 


CORRESPONDENCE  FURTHER  ELUCIDATED. 


sciences  have  hitherto  coutemp!;;ted.  We  are  still  grovelling  in  the 
dust  as  to  the  high  uses  which  the  study  of  nature  should  aim  to 
realize  and  accomplish. 

Kiglit  is  to  day  what  winter  is  to  the  year.  The  four  states  of  the 
day  denoted  by  morning,  noon,  evening,  and  night,  are  analogous  to 
the  four  seasons  of  the  year — spring,  summer,  autumn,  and  winter. 
Spring  is  the  morning  of  the  year,  summer  its  noon,  autumn  its  even- 
ing, and  winter  its  night.  But  in  heaven  it  is  declared  that  there  is 
"  no  night "  (Rev.  xxi.  25) ;  there,  says  ^Milton,  is — 

 "  Grateful  twilight ; 

Night  doth  not  there  assume  a  darker  veil." 

And  we  may  rest  assured  that,  as  there  is  "  no  night  in  heaven,"  so 
there  is  no  winter.  These  are  representative  of  mental  states  of  dark- 
ness, cold  and  barrenness,  which  are  opposed  to  the  light,  the  warmth, 
and  the  fruitfulness  of  heavenly  states,  and  therefore  can  have  no 
place  in  heaven. 

The  spring  of  the  year  is  emblematic  of  that  state  in  which,  under 
the  Lord's  guidance,  man  enters  upon  the  childhood  of  his  second 
birth ;  hence  the  spring  of  the  day  is  called  the  "  u'omh  of  the  morn- 
ing" (Psalm  ex.  3),  to  denote  the  nascent  states  of  regeneration  in 
the  new  birth,  when  "  the  day  of  the  Lord's  power  "  is  acknowledged, 
and  "  the  beauties  of  holiness  "  begin  to  appear.  In  this  state,  the 
germs  of  heavenly  intelligence  and  wisdom  begin  to  grow  and  ex- 
pand. The  *'  first-fruits,  being  green  ears  of  corn  dried  by  the  fire  " 
(Lev.  ii.  14),  and  the  firstlings  of  the  flock,  were  to  be  oflfered  to  the 
Lord  in  worship  as  emblems  of  this  spring  state  of  heavenly  inno- 
cence and  good  in  the  human  soul. 

The  summer  is  representative  of  that  state  when  the  afl!ection  of 
truth  glows  with  ardor,  and  when  everything  intellectual  is,  in  con- 
sequence, more  fully  developed  and  expanded ; — when  faith  is  not 
only  enlightened  by  truth,  but  actuated  by  love.  This  spiritual  sum- 
mer is  splendid  and  glorious  in  proportion  as  the  "  sun  of  righteous- 
ness "  rises  to  a  higher  and  higher  altitude  in  the  mind.  When  the 
prophet  says,  "  The  harvest  is  past  and  the  summer  is  ended  and  ice 
are  not  saved"  (Jer.  viii.  20),  the  true  meaning  can  only  be  seen  from 
the  spiritual  sense.  For  our  salvation  is  irrespective  of  earthly  sum- 
mers and  harvests,  but  by  no  means  of  spiritual  harvests  and  sum- 
mers. For  the  harvest  and  summer  denote  the  means  of  love  and 
truth  in  all  fulness,  provided  by  Him  who,  in  his  Divine  Humanity, 


MATTHEW  XXIV.  20  EXPLAINED  BY  CORRESPONDENCE.  613 


is  the  "  Lord  of  the  harvest  "  by  -which  man  can  be  saved, — by  which 
he  can  "  reap  life  everlasting."  This  harvest  and  the  light  and 
Avarrath  of  this  summer  are  abundantly  provided  for  us  in  the  Holy 
Word,  and  in  the  church — especially  in  the  Lord's  New  Church ; 
and  if  we  refuse  to  become  laborers  in  this  harvest,  it  must  needs 
pass  away,  or  rather  we  shall  pass  away  from  it,  and  shall  not  be 
saved.    This  is  the  ground  of  the  prophet's  lamentation. 

The  autumn  is  an  emblem  of  that  state  when  the  fruits  of  heavenly 
wisdom  and  love  come  to  maturity  and  perfection,  and  are  seen  in 
the  conduct  and  the  life.  The  feast  of  harvest  represented,  in  the 
Jewish  dispensation,  this  joyful  and  happy  state  of  the  regenerate 
mind  and  of  the  church. 

But  the  iviiiter  corresponds  to  the  unregenerate  and  sinful  state  of 
man,  and  also  to  states  of  temptation  through  which,  as  we  have 
seen,  man  must  pass  in  order  to  be  prepared  for  heaven.  Hence,  as 
in  nature  the  winter  is  made  subservient  to  a  fuller  and  more  vigorous 
development  and  manifestation  of  vegetable  and  animal  life  in  the 
spring,  summer  and  autumn ;  so  the  winter,  in  a  spiritual  sense,  is 
made  subservient  to  a  more  vigorous  growth  in  the  spring,  summer 
and  autumn  states  of  the  soul,  of  the  fruits  of  righteousness  and  of 
the  blessings  of  salvation  ;  and  also  as  a  means  by  ^^•hich  the  enjoy- 
ment of  those  states  can  be  enhanced.  And  inasmuch  as  these  alter- 
nations and  vicissitudes  denoted  by  the  four  times  of  the  day  and  the 
four  seasons  of  the  year,  are  as  necessary  for  the  growth  and  maturity 
of  all  spiritual  states  of  goodness  and  truth  as  for  the  growth  and 
perfection  of  all  things  in  nature,  it  is  therefore  said  that  "  while  the 
earth  remaineth  "  or  (more  literally  translated)  "  during  all  the  days 
of  the  earth,  seed-time  and  harvest,  and  cold  and  heat,  and  summer  and 
winter,  and  day  and  night,  shall  not  cease  "  (Gen.  viii.  22),  to  denote 
that  in  the  process  of  regeneration  these  alternations  and  vicissitudes 
of  states  are  indispensable  to  the  growth  of  things  spiritual  and 
heavenly  in  the  mind. 

As  the  human  mind  is  spiritual  in  its  constitution,  it  often  thinks 
from  laws  operative  in  the  spiritual  world,  and  consequently  ex- 
presses its  perceptions  and  feelings  in  the  language  of  correspond- 
ences betAveen  things  natural  and  spiritual.  Thus  it  is  common  to 
talk  of  a  benighted  mind,  to  denote  ignorance ;  of  a  cold  heart,  to 
signify  the  lack  of  warm  friendship  and  love.  But  the  Word  of 
God  uniformly  speaks  to  us  according  to  these  emblems  and  corre- 
spondences ;  and  we  cannot  come  to  the  true  meaning  of  the  Word 
52 


614  CORRESPONDENCE  FURTHER  ELUCIDATED. 

until  we  thus  spiritually  discern,  as  the  Apostle  says  (1  Cor.  ii.  14), 
what  is  revealed  to  us. 

This,  then,  is  the  reason  why  the  Lord  commands  us  "  to  pray  that 
our  flight  be  not  in  the  winter."  When  the  Lord  was  betrayed,  and 
when  He  was  brought  to  his  final  temptations,  it  was  winter  (John 
xviii.  18),  to  denote  the  entire  consummation  of  the  church,  when 
nothing  but  self-love  prevailed,  signified  by  the  "fire  of  coals"  at 
which  the  servants  and  officers  were  standing ;  and  at  which  also 
Peter  was  "  warming  himself"  when  he  denied  the  Lord.  For  all 
denial  of  the  Lord  comes  from  those  impure  afiections  which  arise 
from  the  coal  fire  of  inordinate  self-love ;  whereas  all  acknowledg- 
ment and  love  of  the  Lord  come  from  the  heavenly  warmth  of  the 
"  sun  of  righteousness,"  as  a  living  principle  in  the  soul. 

The  Sabbath  day,  on  which  also  our  flight  should  not  take  place, 
is  extremely  important  to  be  known.  We  are  aware  of  the  merely 
literal  idea  which  commentators  in  general  attach  to  this  injunction 
of  the  Lord,  namely,  that  as  the  Sabbath  was  so  holy  in  the  Jewish 
church,  they  should  pray  that  their  flight  from  the  siege  of  Jerusa- 
lem might  not  be  on  that  day,  lest  they  should  be  guilty  of  breaking 
the  holy  laws  of  the  Sabbath.  Such  commentators,  however,  do  not 
remember  that  the  Lord  himself,  as  the  Lord  of  the  Sabbath,  abro- 
gated those  ritual  laws,  in  consequence  of  which  He  was  so  often 
accused  by  the  Pharisees.  No ;  such  comments  as  these  can  never 
bring  out  the  "  spirit  and  life  "  of  the  Word.  This  injunction  is  as 
applicable  to  us  as  to  those  to  Avhom  it  was  first  addressed.  The 
Word,  like  its  Divine  Author,  is  "  the  same  yesterday,  to-day,  and 
for  ever,"  and  never  loses  its  especial  application  to  every  individual 
member  of  the  church.  Besides,  the  Lord's  injunction  in  the  text 
was  given  to  his  disciples — to  Christians,  and  not  to  the  Jews — and 
therefore  it  could  not  be  in  the  Jewish  sense  of  the  Sabbath  that  it 
should  be  understood. 

The  Sabbath  day  was  the  most  holy  institution  of  the  Jewish 
church.  Its  observance  was  guarded  by  the  strictest  laws,  the  viola- 
tion of  which  was  followed  by  the  severest  penalties.  The  Sabbath 
was  thus  considered  to  be  most  holy  on  account  of  its  high  represen- 
tative character.  It  signified  the  union  of  the  Divine  and  Human 
natures  in  the  Lord ;  hence  it  denoted,  in  the  supreme  sense,  his 
glorification,  and  also  his  work  of  redemption  when  accomplished, 
— when,  after  his  temptations  and  labors.  He  entered  into  his  Sab- 
bath of  rest ;  it  also  signified  the  regeneration  of  man,  and  his  con- 


MATTHEW  XXIV.  20  EXPLAINED  BY  CORRESPONDENCE.  615 


sequent  salvation,  when  he  enters  into  his  heavenl}'  state  of  rest  and 
peace  which  is  involved  in  the  term  Sabbath.  This  institution,  there- 
fore, was  most  holy  in  its  representative  character,  because  it  de- 
noted the  consummation  of  all  the  divine  purposes  of  redemption 
and  salvation. 

But  a  merely  external  representative  state  of  holiness,  such  as 
then  existed  among  the  Jews,  when  there  was  no  internal  vital  prin- 
ciples of  holiness  in  the  heart  and  life, — when  only  the  oMfeide  of  the 
cuji  and  the  platter  was  clean,  but  the  «iside  full  of  extortion  and 
excess, — when  the  "  whited  sci^ulchre  appeared  beautiful  without,  but 
within  was  full  of  dead  men's  bones  and  all  uncleanness ; "  (Matt, 
xxiii.  27) — such  a  state  of  merely  external  holiness,  especially  when 
connected  with  the  mention  of  winter,  is  here  meant  by  the  Sabbath 
daij.  Such  was  the  state  of  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  who  were 
extremely  punctilious  and  sanctimonious  in  observing  all  the  ritual 
laws  of  the  Sabbath,  but  who,  in  the  sight  of  Him  who  knoweth 
what  is  in  man,  were  "  hypocrites,  and  a  generation  of  vipers." 

Such  also  is  the  state  of  all  professing  Christians  who  assume  a 
semblance  or  "  form  of  godliness,  but  who  have  none  of  the  life  and 
power  thereof,"  or  who,  like  the  church  of  Sardis,  "  have  a  name  to 
live,"  but  who,  in  the  Lord's  sight,  are  spii'itually  dead.  This  is 
indeed  a  state  even  more  dreadful  than  the  winter  state  already  de- 
scribed, since  it  is  connected  with  hypocrisy  and  profanation. 

Let  us,  then,  earnestly  pray  that  our  "  flight  be  not  in  the  winter, 
neither  on  the  Sabbath  day  " — that  death,  when  it  comes,  maj'^  not 
find  us  taking  our  departure  out  of  this  world  in  these  unregen- 
erate  and  sinful  states,  so  contrary  to  the  holiness  and  happiness  of 
heaven.  Scrutator. 


CHAPTEE  XYI. 


Correspondence  of  the  Serpent,  with  Illustrative  Examples 
FROM  Scripture.* 

AS  all  things  in  creation  ■which  are  according  to  order,  are  so  many 
types  of  the  infinite  things  in  God,  and  as  man  is  created  to  be 
the  direct  finite  image  and  likeness  of  his  IMaker,  it  follows  that  all 
created  objects  are  in  a  certain  relation  to  man,  and  that  they  directly 
correspond  to  the  various  faculties,  powers,  principles,  and  states  of 
his  soul  and  body.  Hence  it  is  that  all  things  in  the  animal,  vegetable 
and  mineral  kingdoms  bear  a  direct  relation  to  the  innumerable  things 
in  the  human  system,  and  that  if  this  relation  were  understood,  which 
it  can  be  by  the  Science  of  Correspondences,  there  would,  in  the 
language  of  the  poet,  be 

"  Tongues  in  trees,  books  in  the  running  brooks, 
Sermons  in  stones,  and  good  in  everything." 

The  knowledge  of  this  relation  and  correspondence  which  natural 
things  bear  to  man,  and  to  the  various  states,  both  good  and  evil,  of 
his  internal  and  external  mind,  or  of  the  spiritual,  rational  and  sen- 
sual degrees  of  his  system,  is  of  the  utmost  importance  to  man,  if  he 
desire  to  advance  in  genuine  intelligence  and  wisdom.  This  impor- 
tance becomes  much  greater,  when  we  consider  that  this  relation  of 
correspondence  between  external  objects  or  things  natural  and  internal 
objects  or  things  moral,  spiritual  and  divine,  is  the  very  language 
through  which  the  Lord  addresses  man,  and  conveys  to  his  mind  all 
spiritual  light,  and  all  the  treasures  of  revealed  wisdom  and  knowledge 
in  his  Holy  Word. 

Of  all  objects  in  the  animal  kingdom  the  reptile  tribe  is  the  lowest, 
of  which  serpents  of  various  kinds  and  species  are  the  most  con- 
spicuous. Of  all  the  degrees  of  man's  life  the  sensual  and  the  corporeal 
are  the  lowest ;  because  they  are  nearest  to  the  earth,  and  are  actuated 
by  merely  earthly  appetites,  influences  and  causes.  These  lowest 
degrees  in  man's  nature  partake  the  least  of  what  is  truly  human  in 


*  From  the  Intellectual  ReposUory  for  January,  1843. 


616 


CORRESPONDENCE  OF  THE  SERPENT. 


617 


man ;  and  the  serpent,  their  correspondent  emblem,  is  of  all  animals 
the  most  remote  from  the  human  form.  As  the  serpent  craAvls  upon 
the  earth,  so  the  sensual  principle  in  man  is  the  nearest  akin  to  earth, 
which,  if  not  elevated  by  the  rational  and  spiritual  principles  of  his 
nature,  may  be  said  to  crawl  upon  the  earth  in  like  manner.  As 
sensual  things  have  a  tendency  to  fascinate  and  charm  the  mind, 
because  sensual  delights  are  more  vividly  experienced  than  any  others, 
so  certain  kinds  of  serpents,  especially  the  more  malignant,  are  said 
by  naturalists  to  fascinate  and  charm  their  prey  before  they  devour 
it.  In  short,  the  points  of  emblematic  correspondence  between  the 
sensual  principle  in  man  and  the  serpent,  would  become  more  obvious, 
the  more  we  become  acquainted  with  the  characteristics  of  the  two 
objects  compared  together.  But  we  will  first  describe,  from  Sweden- 
borg,  what  the  sensual  principle  is,  and  also  what  its  nature  is  if  man 
be  not  elevated  above  it  by  regeneration. 

"  The  sensual  principle  is  the  last  and  lowest  sphere  of  the  life  of 
the  human  mind,  adhering  to  and  cohering  with  the  five  bodily  senses. 
He  is  called  a  sensual  man  whose  judgment  on  all  occasions  is  deter- 
mined by  the  senses  of  the  body,  who  believes  only  what  he  can  see 
with  his  eyes  and  touch  with  his  hands,  allowing  such  things  to  be 
something  real,  and  rejecting  all  others.  The  interiors  of  his  mind 
Avhich  see  by  the  light  of  heaven,  are  closed,  so  that  he  has  no  dis- 
cernment of  any  truth  relating  to  heaven  or  the  church.  Such  a 
person  thinks  in  extremes,  that  is,  his  thought  is  confined  to  the  last 
and  lowest  sj^here  of  things ;  for  he  does  not  think  interiorly  from 
any  spii-itual  light,  but  rests  in  gross  natural  light  only :  hence  it  is 
that  he  is  inwardly  opposed  to  the  things  of  heaven  and  the  church, 
although  he  can  outwardly  speak  in  their  favor,  and  that  with  a 
degree  of  zeal  proportioned  to  the  hope  of  obtaining  authority  and 
opulence  by  their  means.  Men  of  learning  and  erudition  who  have 
confirmed  themselves  deeply  in  falsities,  especially  those  who  have 
confirmed  themselves  against  the  truths  of  the  "Word,  are  more 
sensual  than  the  rest  of  mankind.  Sensual  men  reason  with  shrewd- 
ness and  dexterity,  because  their  thoughts  are  so  near  their  speech  as 
to  be  almost  in  it,  being,  as  it  were,  in  their  lips ;  and  because  they 
make  all  intelligence  to  consist  in  speaking  merely  from  the  memory  : 
they  are  also  expert  in  confirming  falsities,  and  after  confirmation 
believe  them  to  be  true ;  and  yet  their  reasonings  and  confirmations 
are  grounded  in  the  fallacies  of  the  senses,  by  which  the  vulgar  are 
ensnared  and  persuaded.  Sensual  men  are  cunning  and  malicious 
above  all  others.  The  covetous,  the  adulterous  and  the  deceitful  are 
particularly  sensual,  though  they  may  appear  men  of  talent  in  the 
eyes  of  the  world.  The  interiors  of  their  minds  are  foul  and  filthy 
in  consequence  of  their  communication  with  the  hells ;  and  in  the 
52* 


618 


CORRESPONDENCE  FURTHER  ELUCIDATED. 


Word  tliey  are  said  to  be  dead.  All  who  inhabit  the  hells  are 
sensual,  and  the  more  so  as  they  are  more  deeply  immersed.  The 
sphere  of  infernal  sjiirits  conjoins  itself  with  the  sensual  principle  of 
man  in  the  back ;  and  in  the  light  of  heaven  the  hinder  part  of  their 
heads  appears  hollow.  They  who  reasoned  merely  from  sensual  things, 
were  by  the  ancients  called  serpents  of  the  tree  of  knowledge.  Sen- 
sual things  ought  to  possess  the  last  place  and  not  the  first,  and  with 
every  wise  and  intelligent  man  it  is  so,  and  they  are  kept  in  subjection 
to  interior  things ;  whereas  with  an  unwise  man  they  have  the  first 
place,  and  bear  rule.  "Where  sensual  things  are  in  the  lowest  place, 
a  passage  is  opened  by  them  to  the  understanding,  and  truths  are 
eliminated  by  the  mode  of  extraction.  Such  sensual  things  border 
most  closely  on  the  world ;  they  admit  Avhatsoever  flows  from  the 
world,  and  as  it  were  sift  it.  Man  by  means  of  sensual  things  com- 
municates with  the  world,  and  by  means  of  rational  things  with 
heaven.  Sensual  things  form  a  basis  which  is  subservient  to  the 
interiors  of  the  mind,  some  sensual  things  being  subservient  to  the 
intellectual  part  and  some  to  the  voluntary  part.  Where  the  thought 
is  not  elevated  above  sensual  things,  man  attains  but  to  small  degrees 
of  wisdom  ;  but  where  it  is,  he  enters  into  a  clearer  light  (lumen.  ),  and 
at  length  into  heavenly  light  {Iilt.),  and  then  he  has  perception  of 
those  things  which  flow  from  heaven.  Natural  science  is  the  ultimate 
of  the  understanding,  and  sensual  delight  the  ultimate  of  the  will." — 
T.  C.  R.  565. 

Serpents  are  of  many  kinds  and  species,  but  they  may  be  divided 
into  two  general  classes, — venomous,  and  non-venomous ;  the  former 
are  for  the  most  yiart  viviparous,  and  the  latter  oviparous.  Those 
which  are  not  venomous  correspond  to  the  sensual  principle  when  in 
order, — when  all  its  states  are  subordinate  to  the  higher  rational  and 
spiritual  principles  of  the  mind.  But  the  venomous  kinds  of  serpents 
correspond  to  the  sensual  principle  when  in  disorder,  and  consequently 
rebellious  against  the  higher  rational  and  spiritual  powers  of  our 
being. 

The  serpent  in  the  garden  of  Eden  plays  a  most  active  part,  since 
the  fall  of  man  is  attributed  to  its  subtlety  and  seductive  power. 
This  shows  us  how  important  it  is  that  we  should  correctly  understand 
what  the  serpent  means,  in  order  that  we  may  see  the  nature  of  that 
temptation  which  caused  the  fall  of  man,  and  which  still  causes  the 
children  of  men  to  cherish  evil  and  to  commit  sin.  For  the  same 
cause  which  originated  evil,  still  carries  on  the  dreadful  work  in  all 
the  children  of  Adam,  who  do  not  resist  the  voice  and  subtleties  of 
the  serpent.  No  person  at  the  present  time  can  possibly  be  so  childish 
in  his  sentiments  and  ideas  as  to  suppose  that  this  is  a  literal  hi.story. 


CORRESPONDENCE  OF  THE  SERPENT. 


619 


The  science  of  correspondence^  by  which  the  spk-itual  sense  of  the 
Word  is  opened,  and  the  light  thence  arising,  can  alone  explain  to 
us  the  nature  of  the  fall,  and  show  us  the  mystery  connected  with 
the  origin  of  evil.  The  serpent  in  Eden,  and  also  in  every  other 
portion  of  the  Word,  signifies  the  sensual  principle  of  our  nature, 
which,  in  the  perfect  constitution  of  our  being,  is  as  necessary  as  a 
foundation  is  to  a  house.  Hence  the  serpent  is  necessary  to  the  per- 
fection of  Eden,  and  consequently  the  divine  approbation  of  good 
was  pronounced  upon  every  creeping  thing,  as  well  as  upon  every 
other  thing  Avhich  the  Lord  God  had  made.  (Gen.  i.  15.)  This  shows 
us  that  the  serpent  was  not,  as  is  commonly  supposed,  an  evil  spirit 
that  had  intruded  into  the  happy  abode ;  but  that  man,  being 
placed  by  his  Creator  in  perfect  equilibrium  between  heaven  and  the 
world,  or  between  the  heavenly  things  of  his  spiritual  mind  and  the 
worldly  things  of  his  natural  mind,  Mas  in  the  enjoyment  of  the 
most  perfect  spiritual  and  natural  liberty,  so  that  he  could  turn  him- 
self either  to  the  Lord  as  "  the  tree  of  life,"  and  thus  live  under  the 
guidance  and  influence  of  his  spiritual  mind,  or,  as  the  apostle  says, 
"have  his  conversation  in  heaven;"  or,  he  could  turn  himself  to  his 
natural  mind,  and  thus  live  in  the  exercise  of  merely  natural  and 
selfish  affections,  which  is  "  to  eat  of  the  tree  of  the  knowledge  of  good 
and  evil,"  or  to  live  a  merely  natural  and  sensual  life,  and  conse- 
quently to  be  banished  from  the  garden  of  heavenly  intelligence  and 
M'isdom. 

Now,  the  sensual  principle,  as  being  the  nearest  to  the  world  and 
to  all  external  things,  has  in  itself  a  tendency  downwards,  or  outwards, 
and  is  strongly  disposed  to  judge  of  things  according  to  their  outward 
appearances,  and  to  prefer  worldly  appearances  to  heavenly  realities, 
and  to  lead  man  to  prefer  earthly  good  to  heavenly  good ;  that  is,  to 
prefer  the  good  of  his  body  and  of  his  merely  natural  mind  and  state, 
to  the  good  of  his  soul  and  of  his  spiritual  mind  and  state.  And  as 
this  is  the  case  with  the  sensual  principle  in  every  man,  the  serpent, 
its  direct  corresponding  emblem  in  the  world  of  nature,  is  represented 
in  the  Word  of  God  as  tempting  man  to  disobey  his  Maker.  This 
temptation  is  directed  to  the  delights  of  the  natural  mind  and  the 
body,  all  of  which  relate  to  the  world  and  to  man's  life  in  the  world ; 
and  when  these  delights  are  preferred  to  the  delights  of  the  spiritual 
mind,  self-love  arises  as  a  governing  principle,  and  banishes  the  love 
of  God  above  all  things  as  the  ruling  end  and  motive  in  the  consti- 
tution of  man ;  and  the  love  of  the  world  and  of  worldly  things, 


620  CORRESPONDENCE  FURTHER  ELUCIDATED. 


supplants  the  love  of  heaven  and  of  heavenly  things ;  and  man, 
instead  of  becoming  "  spiritually  minded,  w  hich  is  life  and  peace," 
becomes  sensually  and  carnally  minded,  which  is  enmity  against  God, 
and  spiritual  death. 

The  serpent  is  said  in  the  history  of  the  temptation,  to  be  "  more 
subtle  than  any  beast  of  the  field  which  the  Lord  God  had  made  " 
(Gen.  iii.  1),  to  indicate  that  the  senmal  principle  which,  if  not 
elevated  and  guided  by  heavenly  influences  from  the  Lord  in  the 
rational  and  spiritual  degrees  of  man's  life,  thinks  and  reasons  solely 
from  merely  outward  appearances  and  fallacies,  and  would  fain  per- 
suade us  that  there  is  nothing  real,  nothing  worthy  of  our  supreme 
afiection  and  attachment,  but  that  which  the  eye  can  see,  the  ear  can 
hear,  and  the  tongue  can  taste;  and  as  there  is  much  plausibility  in 
such  reasoning  from  external  fallacies  and  impressions,  the  serpent  is 
said,  in  the  sacred  text,  to  be  "  more  subtle  "  than  any  other  animal. 

When  this  subtle  reasoning  of  our  sensual  principle  begins  to 
operate,  its  first  effect  is  to  engender  doubt  concerning  the  spiritual 
state  of  man  and  the  truth  of  God's  Word.  This  doubting  state  is 
signified  and  also  portrayed  in  the  words  of  the  Serpent : — "  Yea, 
hath  God  said,  ye  shall  not  eat  of  every  tree  of  the  garden  ?  "  This 
doubt  leads  to  the  fatal  denial  that  all  our  life  flows  momentarily 
into  our  souls  from  God,  and  confirms  the  fallacious  and  false  im- 
pression that  all  our  life  is,  in  reality,  according  to  the  appearance, 
self-derived,  and  that  we  exist  independently  of  God,  the  only 
fountain  of  life,  and  thus  that  man  in  reality  is  a  god,  since  the 
peculiar  prerogative  and  characteristic  of  God  is  to  have  life  in  him- 
self, self-derived  and  independent.  Hence  the  Serpent  says,  "  In  the 
day  ye  eat  thereof,  ye  shall  be  as  gods,  knowing  good  and  evil."  For 
the  greatest  of  all  outward  appearances  is  this :  that  our  life  is  self- 
derived,  and  that  we  possess  it  independently  of  God ;  to  believe 
which,  and  to  confirm  it  from  subtle  reasoning  according  to  sensual 
appearances,  is  to  separate  ourselves  at  once  from  God,  and  from  all 
heavenly  wisdom, — to  be  banished  from  the  garden  of  Eden.  This 
subtlety  of  the  serpent,  the  emblem  of  that  supposed  wisdom  wliich 
arises  from  the  fallacious  reasonings  of  the  sensual  mind,  is  calletl  by 
the  apostle,  "  earthly,  sensual  and  devilish."  (James  iii.  15.) 

Now,  that  very  moment  in  which  man  listened  to  the  suggestions  of 
the  serpent,  or  of  his  sensual  principle,  and  gave  them  the  preference 
over  the  heavenly  perceptions  of  his  spiritual  mind  from  the  Lord, 
EVIL  was  originated  and  commenced  its  deadly  work ;  and  the  human 


CORRESPONDENCE  OF  THE  SERPENT. 


621 


mind  gradually  fell  into  a  merely  natural,  sensual  and  carnal  state, 
until  at  lenffth,  "  from  the  head  to  the  foot  there  was  no  soundness  in 
it,  but  -wounds,  and  bruises,  and  putrefying  sores."  All  this  deadly 
mischief  was  brought  upon  man,  or  rather  he  brought  it  upon  himself, 
by  first  listening  to  the  suggestions  of  his  sensual  nature ;  and  by 
continuing  to  do  so,  notwithstanding  the  divine  warnings  and  instruc- 
tions to  repent  and  desist.  At  that  awful  period,  when  the  serpent 
had  caused  such  dreadful  havoc  and  misery  as  to  leave  no  soundness 
whatever  in  the  natural  mind  of  man,  the  great  Redeemer  came, 
according  to  prophecy,  and  by  his  redeeming  labors,  and  by  the 
glorification  of  his  Humanity,  "  bndsed  the  serpent's  head ; "  that  is, 
destroyed  the  ascendancy  of  the  sensual  principle  in  human  natui-e, 
and  abundantly  supplied  the  divine  means  from  his  glorified  Hu- 
manity, to  keep  it  for  ever  in  subjection  in  all  those  who  faithfully 
"  follow  Him  in  the  regeneration." 

It  is  well  known  from  the  writings  of  Swedenborg,  that  preserva- 
tion is  continual  creation,  and  that  subsistence  is  continual  existence ; 
and  it  will  also  be  found  to  be  a  truth,  that  the  continuation  of  evil 
in  the  world  is  its  continual  origination ;  for  it  is  continued  in  the 
same  way  in  which  it  was  first  originated,  namely,  by  listening  to  and 
following  out  the  suggestions  of  the  serpent,  or  of  our  sensual  nature, 
in  preference  to  the  heavenly  perceptions  from  the  Lord,  of  heavenly 
truth  and  order  in  our  spiritual  mind.  Hence  the  origin  of  evil,  and 
consequently  of  hell  also,  is  not  an  impenetrable  mystery  in  the 
theology  of  the  New  Church,  which,  however,  could  not  have  been 
penetrated  and  explained,  unless  the  correspondence  of  the  serpeiit 
had  been  opened.  For  it  is  evident  that  when  those  who  had  sufiered 
themselves  to  be  seduced  by  the  serpent,  or  who  had  allowed  their 
higher  rational  and  spiritual  powers  to  be  lulled  asleep  by  the  beguil- 
ing and  fascinating  influence  of  sensual  things  and  worldly  delights, 
— when  such  persons  had  departed  from  the  world,  they  could  not 
enter  into  that  pure,  holy  and  celestial  sphere  of  love  and  wisdom 
called  heaven,  because  their  states  of  life  would  be  in  opposition  to 
that  holy  and  heavenly  sphere ; — for  as  the  sensual  and  "  carnal 
mind  is  enmity  against  God,"  they  consequently  remained  beneath 
heaven,  and  formed  that  miserable  state  of  existence  in  the  spiritual 
world,  which  is  called  hell.  Hence  the  origin  of  hell  and  of  infernal 
spirits  from  the  human  race.  When  man's  natural  mind  became 
corrupt,  both  hereditarily  and  actually,  by  the  ascendancy  of  the 
sensual  principle,  the  equilibrium  was  no  longer  between  the  world 


622  CORRESPONDENCE  FURTHER  ELUCIDATED. 


and  heaven,  or  between  man's  natural  state  and  his  spiritual  state, 
as  heretofore,  but  between  heaven  and  hell ;  and  angels,  on  the  one 
hand,  dwell  with  man  in  the  heavenly  affections  of  his  spiritual  mind 
— "  He  gives  his  angels  charge  over  us  to  keep  us  in  all  our  ways ;" 
and,  on  the  other,  unclean  and  evil  spirits  from  hell  dwell  with  him 
in  the  corrupt  dispositions  of  his  natural  mind,  as  is  evident  from  the 
evU  spirits  mentioned  in  the  gospel,  whom  the  Lord  cast  out. 

Man's  essential  freedom  arises  from  this  equilibrium  in  which  he  is 
now  placed  between  heaven  and  hell,  so  that  he  can,  by  this  wonder- 
ful provision  of  divine  mercy,  eat  of  the  "  tree  of  life,"  and  live  for 
ever ;  or  he  can  eat  of  the  "  tree  of  the  knowledge  of  good  and  evil," 
and  spiritually  die  to  the  life  and  happiuess  of  heaven ; — he  can 
choose  either  life  or  death,  the  blessing  or  the  curse,  which  are  set 
before  him. 

Throughout  the  Scriptures  the  serpent,  wherever  mentioned,  signifies 
the  sensual  principle  of  our  nature ;  a  striking  instance  to  prove  this 
is  the  next  passage  in  the  Word,  in  which  a  serpent  is  named  as  in 
Gen.  xlix.  17.  "  Dan  shall  be  a  serpent  in  the  way,  an  adder  in  the 
path,  that  biteth  the  horses'  heels,  so  that  the  rider  shall  fall  back- 
wards." Here  the  serpent  also  signifies  those  who  reason  concerning 
truths  and  spiritual  things  from  the  fallacies  of  the  senses ;  the  heels 
of  the  horse  also  signify  the  lowest  sensual  things  of  the  understand- 
ing, which  the  serpent  is  said  to  bite  when  they  are  injured  and 
perverted  by  false  reasonings ;  and  when  this  is  the  case,  the  rider, 
or  man  in  his  rational  capacity,  "  falls  backwards,"  that  is,  becomes 
merely  external  and  worldly.  Hence  among  such  persons  who  suffer 
themselves  to  be  seduced  by  sensual  things,  and  who  trust  to  the 
fallacies  and  blandishments  of  the  senses  and  their  delights  as  the 
only  things  worthy  of  their  pursuit  and  attachment,  the  Lord  is  said 
"  to  send  serpents  and  cockatrices  which  shall  bite  them."  (Jer.  viii. 
17.)  IMoses'  rod  was  changed  into  a  serpent  before  Pharaoh  and  his 
servants,  in  order  to  show  the  sensual  state  to  which  the  church 
among  them  had  become  reduced,  owing  to  their  perversions  and 
f  ilsifications  of  divine  trutli,  denoted  by  the  rod  of  Moses ;  for  it  is 
the  seductive  power  of  the  serpent  or  the  abuse  of  our  sensual  prin- 
cijile  which  changes,  in  the  strong  language  of  the  apostle,  "  the 
truth  of  God  into  a  lie."  (Rom.  i.  25.)  The  people  of  Israel  wei-e 
bitten  and  destroyed  by  fiery  serpents  in  the  wilderness,  in  order  to 
exhibit  to  us  by  the  most  striking  types  (for  the  apostle  says  that 
they  were  types — 1  Cor.  x.  9)  the  deadly  evils  of  our  sensual  nature. 


CORRESPONDENCE  OF  THE  SERPENT. 


623 


when  not  controlled  and  governed  by  spiritual  influences  from  the 
Lord.  And  Moses  was  commanded  to  lift  up  a  brazen  sei-jjent,  in 
order  that  all  who  beheld  it  might  be  cured  of  the  plague.  That 
the  brazen  serpent  represented  the  Lord,  is  plain  from  his  own  divine 
declaration :  "As  Moses  lifted  up  the  serpent  in  the  wilderness,  even 
so  must  the  Son  of  Man  be  lifted  up,  that  all  who  believe  in  Him  may 
not  perish,  but  have  eternal  life."  (John  iii.  14,  15.) 

To  the  unenlightened  natural  mind  it  may  appear  very  strange 
that  the  Lord  should  be  represented  by  so  hideous  a  creature  as  a 
serpent ;  but  the  opening  of  the  spiritual  sense  of  the  Word  has 
explained  to  us  how  this  is  to  be  understood.  The  Lord,  by  redemption 
and  the  glorification  of  his  Humanity,  most  mercifully  accommodated 
his  divine  and  saving  influences  to  every  state  of  degradation  into 
which  man  had  fallen  ;  the  lowest  state  of  sensual  evil  was  repre- 
sented by  the  fiery  serpents,  and  their  deadly  effects  upon  the  body. 
Now,  the  accommodation  and  application  of  redeeming  and  saving 
influences  from  the  Lord  to  this  dreadful  state  of  fallen  man,  are 
represented  by  the  "  brazen  serpent  lifted  vp  in  the  ivilderness."  For 
we  know  that  the  Lord  has  all  the  infinite  degrees  of  divine  life  in 
his  Humanity,  which  constitute  the  finite  degrees  of  our  humanity ; 
and  that  He  has  consequently  a  divine  Rational,  a  divine  Natural, 
and  a  divine  Sensual  principle ;  for  as  these  are  the  principal  con- 
stituents of  human  nature,  and  as  it  would  be  impossible  for  us  to  be 
men  without  them,  so  the  Lord,  in  like  manner,  would  not  be  a 
DIVINE  and  PERFECT  Man  without  them. 

In  order,  therefore,  to  save  us  from  the  deep-rooted  evils  of  our 
sensual  nature,  the  Lord  as  our  divine  Savior  is  represented  as  "  a 
brazen  serpent,"  to  denote  that  from  the  divine  sensual  principle  of 
his  Humanity,  He  accommodates  his  saving  influences  to  the  depraved 
sensual  nature  of  fallen  man.  In  this  manner  it  is  that  the  Lord 
"  can  save  to  the  uttermost,"  as  the  apostle  says,  "  all  who  come  unto 
God  by  Him,"  that  is,  all  who  come  unto  the  Divine  Nature  or  God- 
head which  dAvells,  according  to  the  same  apostle,  in  all  fulness  in  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.  It  might  also  be  asked  why  the  serpent  was  made 
of  brass  in  preference  to  any  other  metal.  Why  was  it  not  made  of 
gold,  or  silver,  or  iron  ?  This  question,  also,  can  only  be  answered  from 
a  knowledge  of  the  Science  of  Correspondences  according  to  which  the 
Word  is  written.  For  brass  signifies  goodness  from  the  Lord  in  the 
sensual  degree  of  man's  life ;  hence  the  Lord,  as  seen  in  vision  by 
John,  "was,  as  to  his  feet,  like  unto  fine  brass  "  (Rev.  i.  15),  because 


624 


CORRESPONDENCE  FURTHER  ELUCIDATED. 


the  feet,  as  being  the  lowest  part  of  the  body,  represent  the  lowest 
part  of  the  mind,  which  is  the  sensual ;  but  gold  and  silver  would 
signify  goodness  of  a  higher  order,  belonging  to  the  celestial  and 
spiritual  degrees  of  the  mind ;  and  consequently,  if  the  serpent  had 
been  made  of  any  other  metal,  the  Lord  would  not  have  been  repre- 
sented in  a  manner  accommodated  to  the  sensual  state  of  man,  and  the 
healing  and  saving  effects  would  not  have  followed. 

The  poison  of  the  serpent  which  is  also  mentioned  in  the  Scriptures, 
signifies  the  deceit  and  cunning  of  the  perverse  sensual  principle  in 
man.  Thus  of  the  wicked  it  is  said,  "  Their  poison  is  like  the  poison 
of  a  serpent ;  they  are  like  the  deaf  adder  that  stoppeth  her  ear." 
(Ps.  Iviii.  4.)  The  adder  is  said  "to  be  deaf"  Avhen  it  remains 
insensible  to  music,  or  to  the  voice  of  the  charmer ;  for  in  eastern 
countries  it  is  still  customary  to  charm  serpents  by  music ;  and  M'hen 
the  effects  which  the  charmer  wishes  to  produce  for  the  amusement 
of  the  spectators,  do  not  follow,  the  serpent  is  said  to  be  deaf.  This 
figure  is  mentioned  to  teach  us,  that  when  man  is  sensually-minded 
he  is  deaf  and  insensible  to  all  the  charms  of  spiritual  truth  and 
goodness.  This  charming  by  the  voice  and  by  music  reminds  us  of 
the  Lord's  words,  "  we  have  piped  unto  you,  and  ye  have  not  danced," 
etc.,  which  denote  that,  notwithstanding  the  charming  efforts  of  divine 
love  to  awaken  in  the  minds  of  men  the  spiritual  affections  of  truth 
and  their  consequent  delights  signified  by  dancing,  the  human  mind 
still  remained  deaf  and  insensible  to  the  heavenly  charms. 

It  is  also  said  of  the  carnally-minded  and  wicked,  "  Though  they 
be  hid  from  my  sight  at  the  bottom  of  the  sea,  thence  Avill  I  command 
the  serpent,  and  he  shall  bite  them."  (Amos  ix.  3.)  The  bottom  of 
the  sea  denotes  the  lowest  sensual  things,  in  Avhich  the  wicked  are 
said  to  be  hid ;  and  the  serpent  biting  them  represents  the  dreadful 
evils  which  will  eventually  and  for  ever  torment  those  who  remain 
in  such  a  state.  As  the  Jewish  church,  when  the  Lord  came  into 
the  world,  was  reduced  to  a  merely  sensual  state,  and  the  serpent 
then  had  dreadfully  reared  its  head,  soon  however  to  be  bruised  by 
the  great  Redeemer,  the  Lord  so  often  called  the  Pharisees  a  "  genera- 
tion of  vipers,"  because  the  viper  was  correspondent  to  their  sensual 
and  malignant  state.  The  Lord  enjoined  his  disciples  "  to  be  as  wise 
[or  prudent]  as  serpents  and  as  harmless  as  doves,"  because  the  sensual 
mind  is  extremely  prudent  and  circumspect  as  to  everything  worldly, 
which  relates  to  the  comfort  and  happiness  of  man's  life  in  the  world  ; 
and  the  Lord  requires  his  disciples  to  be  equally  prudent  and  circum- 


CORRESPONDENCE  OF  THE  SERPENT. 


625 


spect  in  relation  to  the  spiritual  life  and  happiness  of  their  souls ; 
thus,  when  the  prudence  and  circumspection  of  the  external  man  is 
under  the  guidance  and  influence  of  heavenly  principles  in  the  internal 
man,  the  "  harmlessness  of  the  dove "  is  then  combined  with  the 
"  prudence  of  the  serpent,"  and  man  is  truly  wise. 

The  Lord  gives  his  disciples  "power  to  tread  upon  serpents"  (Luke 
X.  18) ;  and  He  also  gives  them  " poiuer  to  take  vp  serpents"  (Mark 
xvi.  18).  In  the  former  case,  serpents  signify  the  pers'erse  sensual 
things  in  man,  and  also  evil  and  unclean  spiiits  Avho,  as  we  have  seen 
above,  are  in  the  closest  connection  with  the  unclean  and  wicked 
things  of  our  sensual  nature ;  to  tread  upon  them,  is  to  subdue  and 
reject  them  by  the  divine  power  which  the  Lord  continually  gives  us 
for  this  i^urpose :  and  in  the  latter  case,  to  take  tip  serpents,  signifies 
to  elevate  and  purify  the  things  of  our  sensual  nature,  which  is 
effected  by  faith  in  the  Lord  and  a  life  of  love  according  to  his  pre- 
cepts. Hence,  "  to  take  up  serpents,"  sjiiritually  understood,  is  one  of 
the  true  signs  of  a  living  faith  in  the  Lord.  The  Lord  then  "  enters 
into  a  covenant  with  the  creepincj  things  of  the  ground"  (Hosea  ii.  18), 
and  purifies  and  blesses  all  our  external  api^etites  and  desires,  so  that, 
"  whether  we  eat  or  drink,  or  whatsoever  we  do,  Ave  do  all  to  the  glory' 
of  God  "  (1  Cor.  X.  31). 

Ancient  mythology  also  confirms  the  truth  that  the  serpent  is  the 
correspondent  emblem  of  the  sensual  principle  in  man.  The  giants 
who  waged  Avar  against  the  gods,  Avere  represented  as  having,  among 
other  hideous  features,  their  legs  and  feet  like  serpents.  Python,*  the 
huge  serpent  Avhich  Apollo,  the  god  of  light  and  truth,  slew  with 
arroAvs,  was  evidently  a  mythological  emblem  of  the  perA'erse  sensual 
principle  of  human  nature ;  and  the  hydra  Avith  many  monstrous  heads, 
Avhich  Hercules  destroyed,  had  a  similar  signification.  The  fury.  Envy, 
Avas  seen  by  MinerA^a  in  her  miserable  house  in  hell,  eating  the  flesh 
of  vipters, — 

"  Videt  intus  edentem 
Vipereas  Games,  vitiorum  alimenta  suomm 
Invidiam,"  etc. 

to  denote,  that  this  malignant  passion  is  nourished  bj''  the  corruptions 
of  our  sensual  nature. 

Seeing,  then,  Avhat  the  sensual  principle  is,  how  much  Ave  ought  to 

*  Those  are  called  Pythons,  says  E.  S.,  who  speak  falsities  from  deceit  or  purpose,  and 
who  utter  them  in  a  tone  of  voice  that  seems  to  proceed  from  spiritual  ati'ection.  (See 
T.  C.  R.  324.) 

53  2  P 


626 


CORRESPONDENCE  FURTHER  ELUCIDATED. 


■\vatch  and  pray  against  the  perverse  influence  and  operation  of  sensual 
fallacies,  appetites  and  pleasures !  He  who  professes  the  doctrines  of 
the  New  Church,  and  does  not  at  the  same  time,  by  daily  taking  up 
his  cross,  subdue  his  natural  cupidities  and  appetites,  and  keep  them 
under  the  controlling  influence  of  a  religious  and  spiritual  principle, 
is  one  of  the  greatest  enemies  to  the  holy  cause  he  professes  to 
advocate.  If  he  does  not  in  time  take  heed  to  his  ways,  and  sincerely 
repent  by  changing  his  course  of  life,  from  ha^■ing  had  so  clear  a 
knowledge  of  the  truth,  his  states  will  be  filled  up  with  a  greater 
measure  of  wickedness  and  condemnation,  than  the  states  of  others 
not  blessed  with  so  clear  a  discernment  of  divine  truths  and  eternal 
realities ;  for  "  the  servant  that  kncM'  his  Lord's  will,  and  prepared 
not  himself,  neither  did  according  to  his  will,  shall  be  beaten  with 
many  stripes."    (Luke  sii.  47.)  Minus. 


CHAPTER  XYII. 


Natural  and  Spiritual  Substance  and  Form — Truth  and  Love  are 
Substantial — The  Natural  and  Spiritual  Body — Objects  in  the 
Spiritual  World,  and  the  Law  of  their  Existence — Discrete 
Degrees,  Confirming  the  Doctrine  of  Correspondence — God,  the 
Infinite  and  self-existing  Substance.* 

(CREATION  is  an  outbirtli  of  the  Creator,  and  in  all  its  parts  which 
^  are  according  to  divine  order,  is  illustrative  of  his  infinite  Love, 
"Wisdom  and  Power.  The  old  hypothesis,  "  that  all  things  were 
created  out  of  nothing,"  is  now  for  the  most  part  exploded  as  a  ground- 
less fancy,  irrational  and  absurd.  Those  who  still  cling  to  this  old 
fancy,  prove  that  they  have  not  attained  to  a  knowledge  of  what  is 
truly  philosoi^hical  and  spiritual.  This  idea  of  a  creation  out  of 
nothing,  if  such  an  idea  can  be  possible,  is  supposed  to  have  some 
ground  to  stand  upon  in  an  assertion  of  the  ajiostle :  "  The  things 
which  are  seen  were  not  made  of  things  which  do  ajDpear."  (Heb. 
xi.  3.)  These  words,  however,  by  no  means  teach  that  the  things 
which  are  seen  were  created  out  of  nothing,  but  that  they  were  created 
out  of  things  which  do  not  appear  to  the  bodily  sight ;  and  the  things 
which  do  not  thus  appear,  are  the  things  which  exist  in  the  spiritual 
world,  and  which  are  substantial,  and  the  proximate  cause  of  the 
creation  and  existence  of  things  in  the  natural  w^orld,  which  are 
7naterial. 

Without  a  knowledge  of  the  spiritual  world,  and  of  its  relation  to 
the  natural ;  and  likewise  without  some  discernment  of  the  nature  of 
the  substances  and  objects  which  exist  in  that  world,  and  also  of  the 
laws  by  Avhich  they  are  governed,  it  is  impossible  to  have  proper  ideas 
concerning  the  creation  of  all  things  by  God.  The  natural  universe 
is  as  a  theatre  representative  of  the  spiritual  and  heavenly  things 
Avhich  exist  in  the  spiritual  universe,  and  especially  in  the  Lord's 
kingdom ;  and  the  things  which  exist  in  this  latter  are  representative 
of  the  infinite  things  of  Love,  Wisdom  and  Power  which  exist  in  the 


*  From  the  Intellectual  Bepository  for  Dec,  1844. 


627 


628 


CORRESPONDEXCE  FURTHER  ELUCIDATED. 


Lord  Himself.  Thus  "  the  invisible  things  of  God  from  the  creation 
of  the  world  are  clearly  seen,  being  understood  by  the  things  that  are 
made,  even  his  eternal  power  and  Godhead."  (Rom.  i.  20.)  The 
Word  by  which  all  things  were  made,  is  the  Divine  Truth  acting 
as  one  with  the  Divine  Love  or  Goodness.  Truth  is  not  a  mere 
conception  of  the  mind  in  conformity  with  the  true  nature  of  things ; 
still  less,  is  it  a  meYefiat  or  declaration  of  the  mouth,  but  it  is  the  very 
essential  substance  of  all  things.  When  therefore  the  Lord  said,  "  I 
AM  THE  Truth,"  He  declared  that  Truth  is  a  substance  and  a  form, 
which  in  its  divine  origin,  or  in  the  Loi'd,  is  the  divine  and  infinite 
substance  and  form,  from  which  all  other  substances  and  forms,  both 
in  the  spiritual  and  natural  worlds,  are  only  derivations  and  forma- 
tions.—A.  C.  7270. 

In  the  spiritual  world  these  substances  and  forms  constituting  the 
infinite  variety  of  objects  and  scenery  there  beheld,  are  called  spiritual 
and  substantial ;  and  because  they  exist  from  the  Sun  of  the  spiritual 
world  as  their  proximate  origin,  they  are  of  a  different  nature,  and 
are  governed  by  laws  essentially  different  from  those  by  which  objects 
in  the  natural  world  are  governed ;  because  these  latter  objects  are 
from  the  sun  of  nature  as  their  proximate  origin,  and  hence  they  have 
a  nature,  and  are  governed  by  laws  peculiar  to  themselves.  To  think, 
therefore,  of  the  substances  and  forms  of  the  spiritual  world  with  the 
same  ideas  as  we  think  of  the  substances  and  forms  of  the  natural 
world,  is  to  think  erroneously ;  hence  the  cause  why  jieople  in  general, 
when  they  hear  of  a  spiritual  world  filled  with  objects  in  varieties 
infinitely  greater  than  can  be  seen  upon  earth,  recoil  at  the  idea,  and 
treat  it  with  ridicule,  because  they  can  only  think  of  them  in  the  same 
manner  as  they  think  of  material  objects.  And,  indeed,  before  they 
are  instructed  how  the  case  is,  they  must  needs  be  excused. 

Let  us  take  the  spiritual  body  and  the  natural  body  of  man  as  a 
basis  of  our  contemi^lation  and  reasoning  on  this  subject.  These  two 
forms  of  man,  the  one  spiritual  and  the  other  natural,  exist  simul- 
taneously,— the  one  is  the  form  of  his  mind,  by  which  he  is  an  in- 
habitant of  the  spiritual  world ;  and  the  other  is  his  bodily  material 
organization,  by  which  he  is  an  inhabitant  of  the  natural  world. 
That  these  two  forms  of  man  exist  simultaneously,  is  plainly  declared 
by  the  apostle  Paul,  m  Iicu  he  says,  "  there  is  a  natural  hoAy,  and  there 
is  a  spiritual  body;"  the  apostle  speaks  in  the  present  tense, — 
"  there  is," — in  order  to  show  that  these  two  forms  exist  simultaneously. 
And  such  is  the  uniform  testimony  of  Swedenborg.    This  spiritual 


NATURAL  AND  SPIRITUAL  SUBSTANCE. 


629 


form  is  the  seat  of  all  man's  mental  life,  but  the  natural  form  is  the 
seat  of  all  his  bodily  life.  Man  does  not  enter  consciously  uito  the 
possession  and  enjoyment  of  his  spiritual  form  or  body,  until  he  has 
left  the  natural  bod)^  by  death  ;  no  more  than  the  chrysalis,  so  long 
as  it  is  in  the  pujja-state,  is  in  the  conscious  enjoyment  of  the  power 
which  it  has,  by  virtue  of  its  golden  wings,  of  rising,  when  it  becomes 
an  imago  or  perfect  butterfly,  from  the  ground,  and  winging  its  flight 
in  the  aerial  regions,  skimming  over  the  flowery  meads,  and  feeding 
on  ambrosia  and  nectar.  Before  it  can  do  this,  the  pupa-state  which 
bound  it  to  the  earth  must  be  put  off".  So  long  as  man  is  in  a  material 
body,  he  is  comparatively  in  this  pujia-state,  bound  by  the  laws  of 
sjiace  and  of  time,  shackled  as  to  his  mental  powers,  earthbound  as 
to  many  of  his  conceptions  and  ideas,  and  gross  as  to  his  affections 
and  pursuits.  The  laws  of  creation  and  of  order  require  him  to  pass 
through  this  state,  which,  although  indispensable,  is  not  intended  to 
last  long ;  because,  as  the  ajjostle  says  in  the  same  chapter,  "  that 
which  is  natural  is  first,  and  afterwards  that  Avhich  is  spiritual."  In 
this  state  we  are  trained  and  prepared  for  the  heavenly  world  ;  and 
thrice  happy  are  they  who  suffer  themselves  to  be  duly  prepared,  that 
is,  to  be  regenerated. 

It  is  of  the  utmost  importance  that  we  should  have  correct  ideas  of 
the  nature  of  spiritual  substances  and  forms,  since  otherwise  there 
can  be  no  genuine  intelligence  and  philosophy  concerning  anything 
above  the  mere  senses.  Now,  the  spiritual  body,  or  the  spiritual  form 
of  man  which  is  the  seat  of  all  his  mental  life  and  activity,  is  evidently 
subject  to  a  different  order,  and  to  diflferent  laws  from  those  which 
exist  in  the  natural  world,  and  to  which  the  natural  body  is  subject. 
When  speaking  of  mind  Ave  use  terms  taken  from  natural  objects  ;  and 
we  say  that  the  mind  is  great  or  little,  enlarged  or  contracted,  high  or 
low,  acute  or  obtuse,  etc. ;  but  we  never  think  that  these  proj^erties 
literally  belong  to  the  mind,  except  only  in  a  remote  and  figurative 
sense.  Hence  we  think  of  mental  states  and  activities  independently 
of  the  laws  of  nature ;  and  we  form,  in  some  measure,  sjairitual  ideas 
of  mind  and  its  phenomena. 

By  the  term  spiritual,  we  mean  what  is  separate  from  the  laws  and 
conditions  of  nature,  and  what  is  peculiar  to  the  laws  and  conditions 
of  the  spiritual  world.  The  spirit  or  mind  of  man,  when  in  perfect 
fi-eedom  of  thought,  thinks  already  to  a  certain  extent  in  agreement 
with  the  laws  of  that  world  which  it  is  destined  to  inhabit  forever. 
It  thinks  of  departed  friends  as  being  exempt  from  the  laws  of  matter 
53* 


630  CORRESPONDENCE  FURTHER  ELUCIDATED. 


and  of  space,  and  as  existing  in  a  state  and  world  in  which  other  laws 
are  applicable  and  operative ;  it  also  thinks  of  them  as  being  in  the 
human  form,  infinitely  more  lovely  and  perfect  than  when  upon  earth. 
When,  however,  these  things  are  brought  in  Swedenborg's  "  Heaven 
and  Hell"  as  facts  and  truths  directly  under  the  mind's  eye,  and 
especially  if  they  are  urged  upon  the  attention  by  various  arguments, 
they  are  in  general  denied,  and  considered  to  be  merely  imaginary. 
This  arises  from  the  fallacy  of  the  senses,  which  would  fain  persuade 
us  tliat  there  are  no  other  substances  and  forms,  and  consequently 
no  other  objects,  than  those  which  we  behold  in  external  nature  around 
us.  We  are  liable  to  be  led  by  these  fallacies  and  their  false  per- 
suasions, (unless  the  mind  is  grounded  in  genuine  doctrine  and  phil- 
osophy,) in  proportion  as  our  selfish  principle  is  excited,  which  in  con- 
troversy is  unhappily  too  often  the  case.  One  great  means  of  being 
elevated  above  the  fallacies  of  the  senses  and  their  false  persuasions, 
is  to  cherish  a  disinterested  love, — a  love  void  of  selfish  regard  for  the 
object  of  investigation  and  discussion. 

The  doctrine  of  Discrete  Degrees — a  doctrine  which  belongs  in  a 
peculiar  sense  to  New  Church  philosophy — teaches  us  that  spiritual 
substances  and  forms,  although  existing  in  material  substances  and 
forms  as  the  cause  of  their  existence  and  preservation,  may  be  sepa- 
rated from  them  and  continue  their  existence  in  a  more  perfect  state, 
in  a  world  more  fully  accommodated  to  their  nature  and  activity. 
But  merely  natural  forms  when  separated  from  their  spiritual  forms, 
can  no  longer  exist,  but  are  dissolved  into  earthly  elements  and  enter 
into  new  combinations,  serving  as  new  forms  for  the  activities  in  nature 
of  spiritual  substances,  and  for  the  reception  of  the  influx  of  life  from 
God.  This  is  evident  from  the  case  of  the  natural  body  which  dies 
and  is  dissolved  when  the  spiritual  form  or  body  leaves  it  at  death. 

Nature  plainly  shows  us  that  there  are  forms  within  forms,  as  in 
the  wonderful  transformations  of  insects ;  and  also  that  an  interior 
form  can  live  in  a  higher  state  of  perfection  than  the  exterior  which 
is  dissolved  when  the  interior  quits  it.  Thus  when  the  imago  emerges 
from  the  pupa,  as  in  the  case  of  the  common  butterfly  which  sports 
over  our  fields,  the  latter  is  abandoned  and  the  former  needs  it  no 
longer.  And  this  is  not  only  the  case  in  many  provinces  of  the  animal 
kingdom,  but  it  is  more  general  in  the  vegetable  kingdom.  Every 
fruit  has  its  husk,  its  shell,  or  its  rind,  and  every  seed  has  its  capsule. 
Nor  does  the  fruit  or  the  seed  properly  put  forth  its  own  use,  or  mani- 
fest its  proper  vegetative  life  until  the  husk,  the  shell  and  the  capsule 


NATURAL  AND  SPIRITUAL  SUBSTANCE. 


631 


are  removed.  These  latter  are  necessary  for  the  formation  of  the 
butterfly,  and  for  the  maturing  of  the  fruit  and  seed,  just  as  the 
material  body  is  necessary  for  the  substantiation,  formation  and  re- 
generation of  the  spirit ;  nor  can  this  latter  properly  put  forth  its 
spiritual  and  heavenly  life  in  all  its  beauty,  loveliness,  wisdom  and 
bliss,  until  the  former  is  laid  down  by  death. 

Thus  even  in  nature  we  are  instructed  that  there  are  forms  within 
forms,  and  that  the  interior  forms  may  continue  to  exist  in  a  more 
perfect  state  when  the  exterior  are  put  off  and  dissolved.  But  all 
these  facts,  evident  to  our  observation,  are  intended  to  instruct  us,  or 
to  illustrate  the  case  when  we  are  instructed,  that  in  man  there  is  a 
spiritual  substance  and  form  which  continues  to  exist  after  the  death 
of  the  material  body.  Man,  however,  is  the  sole  subject  which  con- 
tinues to  exist  in  the  spiritual  world  after  the  death  of  the  external 
form,  because  he  possesses  rational  and  spiritual  forms  for  the  recep- 
tion of  spiritual  and  rational  life  from  God,  which  no  animal  jiossesses ; 
he  is  thereby  immortal.  The  doctrine  of  Discrete  Degrees  shows  * 
the  laws  by  which  interior  or  spiritual  forms  and  exterior  or  natural 
forms  are  connected  together,  not  by  continuity,  but  by  correspond- 
ence and  influx.    (See  D.  L.  W.,  Part  iii.) 

It  was  a  maxim  of  ancient  wisdom  ascribed  to  Hermes  Trismegistus, 
that  "  all  things  in  the  spiritual  world  exist  also  in  the  natural  woi'ld 
in  a  natural  form  ;  and  that  all  things  in  the  natural  world  exist  also 
in  the  spiritual  world  in  a  spiritual  form."  These  spiritual  forms, 
says  Swedenborg,  are,  as  to  their  appearance,  similar  to  natural  forms, 
but  in  every  other  respect,  both  as  to  their  origin  and  the  laws  by 
which  they  are  governed,  entirely  dissimilar.  They  exist  also  in  the 
spiritual  world  in  infinitely  greater  variety  than  in  the  natural.  The 
law  of  their  existence  is,  that  they  should  be  the  correspondents  and 
exponents  of  the  internal  or  mental  states  of  the  inhabitants  whom 
they  surround ;  so  that  in  those  objects  as  in  living  emblems,  the  real 
states  of  the  spiritual  inhabitants  may  be  seen.  The  frogs,  together 
with  the  other  plagues  of  Egypt,  were  correspondences  to  the  infernal 
states  of  a  degraded  church,  and  striking  exponents  of  the  evil  lusts 
which  actuated  its  perverted  members.  Loathsome  objects  and  hor- 
rible scenes  are  beheld  as  surrounding  the  wicked  in  those  nether 
regions  of  the  spiritual  world  called  hell ;  and  we  are  instructed  that 
the  same  history  is  still  and  forever  applicable  to  a  fallen  and  per- 
verted church,  and  to  every  member  who  remains  unregenerate  and 
wicked.    Whereas,  the  sheep  and  lambs  lying  down  in  green  pastures, 


632 


CORRESPOXDEXCE  FURTHER  EI.l'CIDATED. 


and  feeding  beside  the  still  Avater.s  (Ps.  xsiii.),  are  objects  which 
correspond  to  a  heavenly  state,  and  are  exponents  of  the  peace  and 
hapi^iness  of  the  faithful  who  live  in  the  acknowledgment  that  the 
Lord  is  their  shepherd.  It  is  plainly  evident  from  the  prophets, 
especially  from  Ezekiel,  Zechariali,  and  John  (in  the  Revelation), 
that  nearly  all  the  scenery  and  objects  Avhich  they  beheld  and  describe, 
were  not  in  the  natural  but  in  the  spiritual  world ;  for  they  expressly 
state  that  they  were  "  in  the  spirit,"  and  that  they  described  the  things 
which  in  that  state  "  they  heard  and  saw." 

Now,  there  are  two  universal  principles  or  conditions  which  charac- 
terize nature,  and  consequently  all  things  in  nature.  These  are  space 
and  time ;  the  former  is  extended,  and  consequently  measurable ;  the 
latter  is  successive,  that  is,  existing  from  moment  to  moment,  and  con- 
sequently determinable.  But  space  and  time  as  conditions  of  nature, 
have  no  existence  in  the  spiritual  world,  any  more  than  inches  or  feet 
are  predicable  of  mind ;  and  if  certain  phrases,  such  as  deep  thoughts, 
high  ideas,  etc.,  are  frequently  predicated  of  mind,  yet  no  one  ever 
thinks  of  taking  them  in  their  literal  sense,  but  merely  as  expressions 
which  emphatically  and  accurately  convey  the  meaning  intended 
[because  of  the  correspondence  between  natural  and  spiritual  height 
and  depth,  of  which  every  one  has  a  perception]. 

But  although  space  and  time  and  their  conditions  have  no  existence 
in  the  spiritual  world,  yet  as  objects  there  for  the  most  part  resemble 
objects  in  this  world  as  to  appearance,  it  follows  that  spiritual  objects 
likewise  appear  to  exist  as  in  space  and  time.  The  laws  of  their  prox- 
imity and  remoteness  ai-e  not  those  of  mensuration,  but  those  of  mental 
affinity  and  repugnance.  Similitude  of  affection  causes  their  attrac- 
tion and  proximity,  and  dissimilitude  causes  repulsion  and  distance, 
corresponding  to  the  laws  of  attraction  and  repulsion  in  nature.  Ob- 
jects in  this  world  j^roceed  from  their  beginnings,  either  as  seeds  or 
eggs,  according  to  the  laws  of  succession  in  nature.  They  successively 
grow,  arrive  at  maturity,  decay,  and  perish.  But  this  law  of  succes- 
sion is  peculiar  to  natural  objects  only,  and  does  not  obtain  in  respect 
to  spiritual  objects,  which  do  not  gradually  grow  from  seeds  or  eggs, 
but  exist  instantaneously  according  to  the  changes  of  state  in  the 
minds  of  the  inhabitants.  Kor  does  this  appear  more  strange  to  them 
than  the  succession  of  growth  to  maturity  in  terrestrial  objects  does 
to  us,  because  they  think  not  from  objects  but  from  states  of  mind ; 
whereas  we  think  from  objects  and  not  from  states.  Objects  in  nature 
are  at  the  same  time  the  subjects  of  our  thoughts  ;  whereas  with  them 


NATURAL  AND  SPIRITUAL  SUBSTANCE. 


633 


objects  are  only  the  external  representatives  and  exponents  of  their 
thoughts ;  and  states  of  mind  are  the  mhjeds  in  and  from  which  they 
think.  (See  A.  E.,  Vol.  vi.,  pp.  396,  897.)  To  understand  this  rightly, 
will  enable  us  to  see  the  difierence  between  natural  and  spiritual  ob- 
jects, the  laws  by  which  they  are  respectively  governed,  and  also  the 
relation  which  they  respectively  sustain  to  the  inhabitants  of  both 
worlds. 

But  if  spiritual  substances  and  forms  are  totally  exempt  from  the 
laws  and  conditions  of  space,  time  and  matter,  and  if  to  think  of  them 
from  those  laws  is  to  think  materially  and  erroneously,  how  much 
more  is  this  the  case  in  respect  to  divine  substances  and  forms,  which 
are  infinitely  exempt  from  the  laws  of  matter,  time  and  simce !  That 
God  is  the  infinite  and  self-existing  substance  and  form,  from  which 
all  finite  substances  and  forms  both  spiritual  and  natural  are  deriva- 
tions and  formations,  is  the  primary  and  fundamental  truth  upon 
which  all  human  and  angelic  intelligence  must  be  based.  Admit 
this,  and  you  begin  to  emerge  from  the  darkness  of  materialism, 
atheism,  naturalism,  into  the  light  of  genuine  intelligence.  AYhen 
the  apostle  called  God  a  substance,  vTcoia.ai.i*-  (Heb.  i.  3),  he  did  not 
mean  to  instruct  us  that  God  is  such  as  material  substances  are,  but 
that  there  are  other  substances  besides  those  in  nature,  Avhich  are  in- 
finitely exempt  from  the  laws  of  matter,  space  and  time.  And  when 
the  Athanasian  Creed,  employing  in  Greek  the  same  term  as  the 
apostle,  calls  God  a  substance — "  being  of  one  substance  with  the 
Father" —  it  did  not  mean  to  inculcate  the  gross  idea  that  the  sub- 
stance there  meant  is  similar  to  natural  substance  ;  consequently,  both 
the  apostle  Paul  and  the  Athanasian  creed  teach,  not  only  that  there 
are  sjiiritual  substances,  but  also  a  divine  substance. 

KoAV,  it  is  impossible  to  think  of  a  substance  without  a  form,  since 
the  former  cannot  exist  without  the  latter;  hence  God  as  a  substance 
must  be  in  a  form  which  is  infinite  and  divine.  The  apostle  accord- 
ingly says  that  God  has  a  form :  "  Jesus  Christ  beinr/  in  the  form  of 
God,  thought  it  not  robbery  to  be  equal  with  God."  (Phil.  ii.  6.) 
Here  it  is  plainly  asserted  that  the  human  form  in  which  Jesus  ap- 
l^eared,  especially  after  his  resurrection  when  He  was  fully  glorified, 
is  THE  Form  of  God  ;  this  divine  form  is  also  called  by  the  apostle 
the  Lord's  "  glorious  body,"  and  he  states  that  "  in  Him  all  the  fulness 
of  the  Godhead  dwelleth  bodily."    Plence  it  is  that  "  He  is  equal 


*  The  literal  meaning  of  the  term  urrosao-is  I  1 ;  and  ought  to  have  been  so  translated  in 
is  substance,  and  is  so  rendered  in  Heb.  xi.  I  the  above  passage. 


634 


CORRESPONDENCE  FURTHER  ELUCIDATED. 


with  God,"  that  is,  God  Himself  brought  forth  to  the  intellectual 
view  of  angels  and  men  in  a  Divine  Human  Form,  or  as  a  Divine 
Man,  all  good,  all  wise,  and  everywhere  present.  The  "  form  of  a 
servant,"  which,  as  the  apostle  says,  "  He  also  took  upon  Himself,  in 
which  He  made  Himself  of  no  reputation,  and  in  which  He  humbled 
Himself  and  became  obedient  unto  death,  even  the  death  of  the 
cross  "  (Phil.  ii.  7),  was  the  humanity  taken  from  the  mother,  which 
was  in  the  "likeness  of  sinful  flesh."  (Rom.  viii.  3.)  Hence  the 
apostle  teaches  that  the  Lord  had  the  form  of  God  and  the  form  of  a 
servant, — both  were  human ;  but  the  form  of  a  servant  was  the  merely 
human  form  taken  from  the  mother,  which  He  entirely  put  off,  and 
the  other  the  Divine  Human  Form  taken  from  the  Father  or  the 
essential  Divinity,  with  which  form  "  He  ascended  far  above  all 
heavens  that  He  might  fill  all  things  "  (Eph.  iv.  10),  and  in  which 
He  is  the  only  Object  of  worship  to  angels  in  heaven,  because  in  that 
form  "  He  is  over  all,  God  blessed  forever  ;  "  and  the  Lord's  divine 
will  can  only  be  done  upon  earth  as  it  is  done  in  heaven,  and  his  true 
Church  be  established,  in  proportion  as  He  is  thus  acknowledged  and 
worshiped.  Apex. 


CHAPTEE  XYIII 


COERESPONDENCE  OF  THE  HuMAN  BODY  AND  ITS  PaRTS  TO  THINGS 

Spiritual  and  Divine.* 

THE  human  body,  so  fearfully  and  wonderfully  formed,  is  an  epi- 
tome of  Divine  Order,  showing  how  the  Deity  operates  by  his 
life-giving  influx,  and  in  what  manner  uses  of  every  kind  are  pei*- 
formed.  The  body,  viewed  physiologically  as  to  its  organs,  functions 
and  uses,  is  a  type  of  all  the  divine  operations,  and  also  of  the  divine 
economy  in  the  universe.  As  a  microcosm  or  little  world,  the  body 
is  the  image  of  the  macrocosm  or  great  world.  Whatever  principles 
of  science  have  ever  been  discovered  in  mechanics,  chemistry,  hy- 
draulics, hydrostatics,  botany,  electricity,  etc.,  are  perfectly  imaged 
in  the  human  frame  by  its  functions  and  uses.  Thus  the  body  is  the 
temple  of  all  the  sciences,  both  physical  and  philosophical.! 

But  this  image  can  be  rationally  seen  only  by  analogy  and  corre- 
spondence. Thus  in  the  human  system  there  is  a  perfect  image  of 
domestic  order, — the  economy  of  the  body  is  the  type  of  the  household 
in  which  we  should  live.  How  one  principle  is  subordinated  to 
another,  and  how  all  are  coordinated  together,  is  perfectly  exemplified 
in  man's  corporeal  system.  For  without  subordination  and  coordina- 
tion there  can  be  no  order,  and  without  order  nothing  can  subsist  in 
its  proper  state  so  as  to  perform  its  destined  use.  Again,  in  the 
human  system  there  is  a  perfect  exhibition  of  civil  order  and  of 
political  government.  The  body  politic  is  conceived  of  as  being  in 
the  human  form,  according  to  which  the  mind  not  only  derives  its 
metaphors  of  language,  but  its  principles  of  thought.  But  lastly, 
the  church  and  kingdom  of  God  are  thought  of  in  accordance  with 
the  human  form ;  the  principles  which  govern  this  form  also  govern 
the  mind  when  properly  thinking  about  heaven  and  the  church. 
Hence  it  is,  that  heaven  is  called  "  Christ's  mystical  body,"  and  the 
faithful  are  said  to  be  members  of  that  body.  (1  Cor.  vi.  15 ;  Eph. 
v.  30.) 


*  From  the  Intellectual  Repository  for  January,  1851. 
t  See  Svvedenborg's  Animal  Kingdom,  317. 


635 


636 


CORRESPONDENCE  FURTHER  ELUCIDATED. 


Now,  from  what  has  been  said,  it  will  follow  that  physiology  is  a 
most  imj^ortant  science,  not  only  to  the  medical  practitioner,  but  to 
the  general  reader,  since  it  forms,  more  directly  than  any  other 
science,  the  basis  of  theology.  It  sujiplies  a  ground  of  thought 
respecting  God,  his  kingdom,  and  the  human  soul,  more  solid  and 
firm  than  any  other  kind  of  knoAvledge.  Even  the  divine  Word 
itself,  the  only  source  of  all  revealed  knowledge  respecting  divine 
and  spiritual  realities,  is  likened  by  Swedenborg  to  a  man ;  and  the 
prophets,  especially  Elijah  and  John  the  Baptist,  represented  even  as 
to  their  dress,  the  Word  of  God.  From  the  importance,  then,  of 
physiology  as  a  science,  forming  the  basis  of  thought  and  reflection 
on  subjects  relating  to  the  human  soul,  to  God,  and  universally  to 
things  spiritual,  celestial,  and  divine,  every  individual  m  Iio  desires  to 
be  gifted  with  any  degree  of  spiritual  and  rational  intelligence,  should 
cultivate  a  knowledge  of  anatomy  and  physiology  as  the  principal 
means  of  access  to  the  great  world  of  interior  realities,  or  of  genuine 
intelligence  and  wisdom.  This  will  become  more  evident  when  we 
consider  that  the  body  and  its  parts  often  occur  in  the  Scriptures, 
and  that  it  is  impossible  to  understand  their  true  meaning  without  a 
spiritual  discernment,  or  a  spiritual  perception  of  their  correspondence 
to  what  is  heavenly  and  divine.  This  will  abundantly  appear  as  we 
proceed. 

The  head  and  its  coverings,  the  hair,  the  scalp  and  the  skull  fre- 
quently occur  in  Scripture,  and  in  most  cases  in  so  striking  a  manner 
as  at  once  to  evince  that  something  ulterior  or  spiritual  is  implied. 
One  of  the  most  universal  metajjhors  of  language  is  the  head,  as 
denoting  the  chief,  primary,  essential  and  governing  principle  in 
relation  to  the  subject  of  which  it  is  predicated.  As  being  the 
central  seat  of  the  powers  both  of  the  will  and  understanding, — as 
denoting  the  mind  in  its  first  j^i'inciples,  the  head  is  at  once  an 
obvious  figure  of  the  governing  principle  of  the  soul.  From  the 
head  everything  in  the  body  is  animated  with  life.  Here  it  is  that 
all  motion,  the  first  indication  of  life  as  well  as  its  first  correspondent, 
exists,  and  from  which,  with  a  velocity  greater  than  that  of  electricity, 
it  is  communicated  to  the  entire  system.  Here  likewise  dwell  all 
the  organs  of  sense,  and  here  all  sensation  is  experienced.  The  head 
being  the  top  of  the  body,  we  find  that  in  all  those  passages  in  the 
Word  where  in  the  common  version  we  meet  with  the  term  top,  in 
Hebrew  it  is  head.  Thus,  "  the  tower,  whose  top  (head)  may  reach 
unto  heaven."    (Gen.  xi.  4.)    "  The  top  {head)  of  the  ladder  reached 


TEE  HUM  AX  BODY  AND  ITS  PARTS. 


637 


to  heaven."  (xxviii.  12.)  "Jacob  poured  oil  on  the  top  {heed)  of 
the  stons,"  etc.  This  is  its  common  metaphorical  meaning,  because 
all  correspondences  have  relation  to  the  human  form,  and  in  most 
cases  in  Hebrew,  designations  of  objects  are  taken  from  parts  of  the 
body.  Thus  we  read  of  "  trees  clapping  their  hands."  (Isaiah  Iv. 
13.)  This  is  adduced  in  order  to  show  that  everything  when  viewed 
from  heaven,  has  relation  to  the  human  form,  or  to  what  is  opposite 
thereto,  and  monstrous. 

The  correspondence  of  the  head  as  the  governing  principle  of  the 
life,  will  now  be  obvious  and  the  numerous  allusions  in  the  Word  to 
the  heudviiW  be  seen  in  their  true  and  edifymg  meaning.  Hence  the 
Lord  is  said  to  be  "  the  lifter  up  of  mine  head  "  (Ps.  iii.  3),  to  denote 
that  during  the  process  of  regeneration  He  elevates  the  governing 
principle  of  our  life  to  the  love  of  Himself  above  all  things,  by 
which  elevation  our  head  is  truly  "  UJted  up  above  our  enemies " 
(Ps.  xxvii.  6),  the  evils  to  which  we  are  prone.  He  also  "  anoints 
our  head  with  oil"  (Ps.  xxiii.  5),  to  denote  that  He  flows  with  his 
divine  love — oil — into  the  inmost  or  supreme  principles  of  our  life, 
and  thus  governs  and  blesses  all  things  in  the  mind  of  man.  Of  what 
use  would  it  be  to  anoint  the  head  with  oil,  unless  it  had  this  spiritual 
signification  ?  Hence  it  is  that  to  anoint  the  head  is  one  of  the  divine 
precepts  of  the  Gospel — (Matt.  vi.  17) — to  open  the  heart  to  the 
reception  of  the  Lord's  love.  Our  iniquities  are  said  to  go  over  our 
heads  (Ps.  xxxviii.  4)  when,  during  temptations,  we  feel  the  sinful- 
ness of  our  depraved  nature,  and  dread  lest  it  should  become  the 
governing  principle  of  our  life.  In  this  case  we  feel  that  "  the  whole 
head  is  sick  "  (Isaiah  i.  6),  which  signifies  that  even  the  governing 
principles  of  our  life  are  nothing  but  evil,  and  that  from  the  Lord 
alone  can  we  be  healed  and  restored  to  spiritual  health.  The  mis- 
chief or  evil  of  the  wicked  is  said  to  return  upon  his  own  head  (Ps. 
vii.  16),  to  signify,  that  according  to  the  law  of  action  and  reaction, 
which  is  as  prevalent  in  spiritual  things  as  in  natural,  the  evil 
intended  always  comes  back  again  with  sevenfold  vengeance  upon 
him  who  intends  it ;  for  all  intentions  and  designs  originate  in  the 
governing  love,  or  the  head ;  here  also  is  the  seat  of  all  our  motives, 
or  of  every  thing  which  moves  us  to  think,  feel  and  act. 

The  hair  which  covers  the  head,  and  which  is  found  more  or  less 
over  the  whole  body,  denotes,  in  relation  to  the  principles  of  our  life, 
what  is  most  external  and  ultimate.  As  in  nature  or  the  great  world 
around  us  all  active  principles  and  forces  from  the  sun  terminate  in 
54 


638 


CORRESPONDENCE  FURTHER  ELUCIDATED. 


inactivity,  inertia  and  fixedness,  so  in  like  manner  in  the  little  world 
of  man,  the  body,  all  the  active  principles  and  forces  of  life  from  the 
head,  terminate  in  the  bones,  cartilages,  nails  and  hairs  which  are  the 
iiltimates  where  things  settle  down  in  comparative  inertia  and  fixed- 
ness, deprived  of  nearly  all  sensation  and  life.  Now  the  hair,  and 
especially  the  hair  of  the  head,  is  often  mentioned  in  Scripture  in  a 
manner  which  it  is  impossible  to  understand  but  by  means  of  the 
S2)ii-itual  signification,  discovered  to  our  perceptions  by  the  science  of 
correspondences.  In  confirmation  of  this  statement  M  e  Avill  adduce 
out  of  many  passages  only  a  few. 

What,  for "  instance,  is  meant  by  the  Lord's  declaration  in  the 
prophet,  that  "instead  of  well-set  hair  there  shall  be  baldness"  ?  (Isaiah 
iii.  24).  Again,  what  is  signified  when  it  is  said  that  the  "  Lord  shall 
shave  the  head  and  the  hair  of  the  feet"?  (Isaiah  vii.  20).  And  also, 
what  is  involved  in  the  divine  command  to  Jerusalem — "Cut  off  thine 
hair,  0  Jerusalem,  and  cast  it  aimy  "  (Jer.  vii.  29).  Every  man  who 
believes  the  Word  to  be  divine,  can  see  that  something  important  is 
involved  in  tliese  statements ;  but  he  cannot  have  a  clear  perception 
of  the  divine  teaching,  unless  he  knows  from  correspondence  the 
spiritual  signification  of  the  hair. 

Of  all  the  institutions  among  the  Jcavs,  that  of  the  Kazariteship 
was  i)robably  the  most  remarkable :  see  Is  umbers  vi.,  where  the  laws  to 
be  observed  by  the  Nazarites  are  stated.  One  of  these  laws  commands 
that  the  Nazarite,  during  his  vow  of  separation,  or  of  his  especial 
consecration  to  God,  "  should  suffer  no  razor  to  come  upon  his  head  ; 
and  that  he  should  let  the  locks  of  the  hair  of  his  head  grow  "  (verse 
5).  There  were,  it  appears,  two  kinds  of  Nazarites :  one  like  Samson 
and  John  the  Baptist,  who  were  Nazarites  from  their  infancy ;  and 
another  kind  who  voluntarily  took  upon  themselves  the  vow  of  the 
Nazaritesliip  for  a  season  only,  after  which  they  returned  to  their 
usual  avocations,  and  to  their  ordinary  mode  of  living.  But  the 
distinguishing  characteristic  of  the  Nazarite  was  his  hair:  and  in 
respect  to  Samson  this  was  especially  the  case,  for  it  is  expressly  stated 
that  his  wonderful  strength  consisted  in  his  hair ;  and  that  when  his 
locks  were  shovn,  his  strength  failed  him  (Judges  xvi.  17, 19).  Now, 
no  merely  rational  investigation  could  ever  discover  the  reason  Avhy  the 
strength  of  Samson  consisted  chiefly  in  his  hair.  No  rationale  of  this 
circumstance  can  be  discovered  a  posteriori  by  our  ordinary  modes  of 
thinking  and  of  rational  investigation.  Hence  it  isthat  mere  rationalists, 
or  those  who  reason  from  merely  external  grounds  of  thought,  and  Irom 

.1 


THE  HUMAN  BODY  AND  ITS  PARTS. 


639 


skeptical  and  negative  principles,  consider  the  history  of  Samson  to 
be  a  mere  fable  from  beginning  to  end  ;  and  so  reject  the  Scriptures. 
This  is  the  case  with  many  at  the  present  time  in  the  Protestant  uni- 
versities and  colleges  of  Germany,  and  also  with  some  in  this  country. 
But  it  should  be  borne  in  mind  that  there  is  a  true  rationalism  as  well 
as  a  false,  and  that  the  true  consists  in  reasoning  from  more  elevated 
or  more  interior  principles  of  thought,  and  thus  in  "judging  not 
according  to  the  appearance,  but  judging  righteous  judgment." 
But  Mhen  the  doctrine  of  correspondences  and  representatives  is 
understood,  new  fields  of  thought,  especially  in  relation  to  the  Word 
of  God,  are  opened  to  the  mind ;  and  what  before  might  appear 
fabulous,  or  as  the  apostle  says,  foolishness  to  the  natural  man, 
assumes  now  a  different  aspect,  and  becomes  the  "  wisdom  of  God 
unto  salvation."  Hence  it  is  that  the  discovery  of  the  true  nature 
of  God's  Word,  and  of  its  spiritual  sense  by  the  science  of  corre- 
spondences, is  not  only  indispensable  to  its  right  interpretation,  but 
absolutely  requisite  to  rescue  the  Scriptures  themselves  from  rejection 
by  the  increasing  powers  of  infidelity. 

We  learn  from  science  that  no  power  can  be  exercised  but  by 
ultimate  principles.  Thus,  none  of  the  internal  physical  powers  of 
the  body  in  the  brain  and  in  the  heart,  can  be  exercised  but  by  the 
arms,  hands  and  feet  which  are  its  ultimates.  None  of  the  mental 
powers  of  the  will  and  the  intellect  can  be  realized  but  by  the  mouth, 
and  in  general  by  the  muscular  energies  of  the  body  which  are 
ultimates.  The  same  may  be  said  of  the  steam-engine :  none  of  its 
Avonderful  powers  can  be  realized  in  useful  effects,  but  by  suitable 
machinery  consisting  of  levers  and  wheels  which  form  its  ultimates. 
All  powers,  therefore,  are  exercised  in  ultimates.  Now  as  the  hair 
is  the  extreme  ultimate  of  man,  we  may  see,  from  the  doctrine  of 
representatives  and  correspondences  according  to  which  the  Word  of 
God  is  written,  how  it  was  that  the  great  power  of  Samson  resided  in 
his  hair ;  and  as  all  the  types  and  representatives  in  their  supreme 
sense  relate  to  the  Lord,  hence  Samson  was  a  type  of  the  Lord  in 
the  flesh  as  our  Redeemer,  that  is,  clothed  with  the  ultimates  of 
humanity  in  which  He  subjugated  the  hells  and  accomplished  the 
work  of  universal  redemption.  The  power  of  Samson,  therefore,  rep- 
resented the  Lord's  omnipotence  when  He  descended  into  ultimates, 
or  when  the  "  Word  became  flesh."  And  generally  He  represented 
the  power  which  every  man  by  regeneration  receives  from  the  Lord, 
who  alludes  to  this  power  when  He  says,  "If  ye  have  faith  as  a  grain 


640 


CORRESPONDENCE  FURTHER  ELUCIDATED. 


of  mustard-seed,  ye  sliall  say  unto  this  mountain,  Remove  hence  to 
yonder  place,  and  it  shall  remove ;  and  nothing  shall  be  impossible 
unto  you  "  (Matt.  xvii.  20).  Hence  the  very  important  truth  appears 
that  unless  we  now,  while  in  ultimates,  endeavor  to  remove  and  reject, 
through  the  Lord's  mercy  and  power,  evil  as  the  governing  jirinciple 
of  our  lives,  we  cannot  jiossibly  remove  it  after  death  when  we  leave 
the  world  of  ultimates,  any  more  than  a  man  can  walk  without  feet, 
which  are  his  ultimates,  or  than  a  locomotive  can  speed  its  way  with- 
out wheels,  which  are  in  a  like  manner  its  ultimates. 

This,  then,  was  the  reason  why  the  strength  of  Samson  resided  in 
his  h.air ;  and  why  the  Nazarite  Avas  not  allowed,  during  his  Nazarite- 
ship,  to  cut  his  hair.  For  hereby  Avas  represented  the  poMer  of 
celestial  good  in  ultimates :  hence  we  may  see  the  reason  why  Jesus 
was  called  a  Nazarene,  and  why  He  dwelt  in  Nazareth  (Matt.  ii.  23) ; 
and  also  why,  when  the  Lord  acknowledged  himself  to  be  Jesus  of 
Nazareth,  the  officers  who  came  to  take  Him  icent  baekicard  and  fell  to 
the  ground  (John  xviii.  6),  to  denote  the  divine  power  which  came 
fi'om  Him  as  the  Divine  Nazarite  so  remarkably  represented  by  Sam- 
son who  was  a  Nazarite  from  his  infancy. 

We  may  now  see  the  signification  of  "  well-set  hair  "  in  the  passage 
quoted  above.  This  finish  and  adornment  to  the  body  is  a  type  of 
the  orderly  arrangement  of  all  principles  in  ultimates ;  that  is,  in 
our  sensual  and  corporeal  afl[ections  and  appetites.  When  these  are 
well-set,  that  is,  when  they  are  subordinated  and  arranged  under 
higher  principles  of  spiritual  and  heavenly  order,  the  Lord  can  flow 
in  and  bless  Avith  his  divine  operation  and  presence,  every  state  of  our 
lives  from  inmost  to  outermost  principles.  AVe  may  also  see  the 
reason  why  Jerusalem  is  commanded  in  the  passage  quoted  above, 
"  to  cut  off"  her  hair  and  cast  it  away,"  to  signify  the  cleansing  of  our 
sensual  and  corporeal  states,  that  new  ultimates  may  be  formed 
denoted  by  the  new  growth  of  the  hair.  It  is  also  evident  why  the 
Lord  is  said,  in  reference  to  the  king  of  Assyria,  to  shave  "  the  head 
and  the  hair  of  the  feet,"  and  to  "  consume  the  beard  "  (Isaiah  vii. 
20) ;  which  implies  that  all  who  from  sensual  fallacies  as  to  the 
ultimate  principles  of  thought,  have  cherished  skepticism  and  in- 
fidelity against  Divine  Truth,  will,  at  the  time  of  judgment,  be 
rejected.  Hence  we  may  also  see  why  baldness  was  considered  a 
reproach  in  the  representative  church.  (See  Lev.  xxi.  5 ;  Isaiah  iii. 
24,  XV.  2  ;  Ezekiel  vii.  18.)  For  this  imperfection  signifies  the  desti- 
tution of  truth  in  ultimates,  Avhich  is  the  case  with  those  who  arc 


THE  HUMAN  BODY  AND  ITS  PARTS. 


641 


confirmed  in  false  doctrines,  and  also  with  those  who,  from  inordinate 
worldly  love  and  selfishness,  are  unconcerned  about  the  knowledge 
of  divine  truth,  except  they  can  turn  it  to  account  in  promoting  some 
selfish  advantage  in  the  way  of  honor  and  gain. 

As  the  case  of  Absalom  and  his  wonderful  hair  is  very  peculiar, 
involving  mysteries  of  wisdom  which  should  be  known  in  order  that 
the  Word  may  be  rationally  and  spiritually  discerned,  and  thus 
vindicated  from  the  insults  and  assaults  of  infidelity,  we  shall  resume 
the  subject  together  with  the  correspondence  of  the  skull  in  another 
paper.  Scrutator. 
54*  2Q 


CHAPTEE  XIX. 


The  Teue  Worship  of  the  Lord  Represented  by  the  Offerings  of 
THE  Wise  Men  from  the  East. — The  Spiritual  meaning  of  Gold, 
Frankincense  and  Myrrh,  as  unfolded  by  Correspondence.* 

OTHING  is  more  precious  to  us  than  time,  and  the  opportunities 
it  every  moment  presents  of  ■working  out  our  salvation  by  the 
subjection  of  every  purpose,  thought,  imagination  and  act  of  our 
external  to  some  divine  and  spiritual  principle  from  the  Wokd  of 
God  in  our  internal  man.  Thus  "  to  seek  first  the  kingdom  of  God 
and  his  righteousness  "  is  our  great  and  blessed  duty,  as  well  as  the 
great  safeguard  against  evil  of  every  kind.  The  performance  of  this 
duty,  through  faith  in  the  Lord,  and  the  love  and  practice  of  his 
holy  precepts,  brings  with  it  the  blessed  assurance  that  whensoever 
the  Son  of  Man  cometh  to  summon  us  hence,  He  will  find  us  ready, 
"  with  our  loins  girded  and  our  lamps  burning." 

Our  months  and  days  here  are  most  precious  because  in  time,  during 
our  probation  in  the  world,  we  form  the  plane  and  the  basis  of  our 
sjiiritual  and  eternal  states.  We  are  now  in  the  ultimate  plane  of 
creation ;  and  as  regeneration  can  only  be  commenced  in  ultimates, 
"  now  is  the  accepted  time,  now  is  the  day  of  salvation  " ;  the  more  we 
cultivate  our  privileges  here,  the  more  extended,  deep  and  solid  will 
become  the  plane  or  base  upon  which  our  mansion  of  bliss  hereafter 
can  be  erected.  This  plane  or  base  can  be  cultivated  to  an  indefinite 
extent ;  every  moment  may  add  something  to  its  extension  and 
culture.  Our  natural  state  may  be  compared  to  a  vast  wilderness, 
like  the  uncultivated  plains  of  Australia  or  America,  which  in  their 
natural  state  grow  nothing  useful  for  man  ;t  but  which  are  susceptible 
of  cultivation  to  an  indefinite  extent,  and  of  producing  fruits  in  every 
variety  for  the  good  of  mankind.    Thus,  whilst  we  are  here,  the 


*  From  the  Intellectual  Eepository  for  Jan- 
uary, 1851. 

t  .See  Major  JlitchcU's  account  of  Austra- 
lia, in  which  he  says,  "  that  after  travelling 
many  miles  in  every  direction,  althouph 
there  was  much  vegetation  and  many  wild 


animals,  yet  they  could  find  nothing  truly 
useful  for  man,"  It  would  hence  appear 
that  everything  truly  useful  for  man  is  the 
result  of  culture,  or  of  our  cooperation  with 
the  Lord's  Providence. 

642 


GOLD,  FRANKINCENSfE  AND  MYPdill. 


643 


cultivation  of  our  n.atural  state  can  be  enlarged,  and  the  portions 
already  brought  under  spiritual  culture  may  be  still  improved  as  to 
quality  and  capacity  for  the  production  of  the  more  exalted  fruits 
of  righteousness  and  of  happiness.  But  when  we  leave  this  world, 
the  ultimate  of  creation,  we  cannot  extend  and  perfect  the  base  upon 
which  our  mansion  in' heaven  is  constructed. 

Now,  all  this  spiritual  culture  of  our  natural  state  is  denoted  by 
the  true  worship  of  the  Lord.  Hence  it  was  that  the  Latins  used  a 
term  to  denote  ivorsluj)  which  signified  culture,  namely  eultus.  Thus 
Cicero  says — "  Religio  Deorum  cultu  pto  continetur."  But  the  true 
worship  of  the  Lord  is  involved  in  the  offerings  which  the  wise  men 
brought  unto  Him  at  his  nativity, — an  event  which  we  have  recently 
commemorated.  These  offerings  were  Gold,  Frankincense  and  Myrrh; 
and  the  men  who  brought  them  were  guided  to  Bethlehem  by  a  star, 
which  went  before  them. 

All  these  jmrticulars  respecting  the  Lord's  nativity  are  recorded, 
not  merely  as  historical  events,  but  for  our  instruction  in  righteous- 
ness, "  that  the  man  of  God  may  be  perfect,  thoroughly  furnished 
unto  all  good  works."  The  Magi,  or  the  wise  men  who  came  from 
the  east,  were  in  possession  of  knowledges  from  ancient  revelations 
and  traditions,  that  the  Lord  would  come  into  the  world  to  accomplish 
the  redemption  of  mankind  by  subjugating  the  hells,  glorifying  his 
Humanity,  and  establishing  a  new  dispensation  of  his  mercy  and 
goodness,  or  a  jN^ew  Church  upon  earth.  There  had  always  been  from 
the  first  i^rophecy  that  was  delivered,  "  that  the  seed  of  the  woman 
should  bruise  the  serpent's  head,"  an  anticipation  in  the  minds  of  the 
pious  of  this  great  event ;  and  when  the  "  desire  of  all  nations  "  was 
about  to  come,  this  hopeful  anticipation  was  exceedingly  active.  The 
star  which  guided  the  wise  men  was  the  emblem  of  the  knowledge 
they  possessed  respecting  the  Lord's  Advent ;  and  in  reference  to  us  of 
the  New  Testament  Dispensation,  and  especially  of  the  New  Jerusalem 
Church,  this  star  of  spiritual  knowledge  should  shine  more  brightly 
to  our  minds  than  it  did  to  the  wise  men  of  old.  This  knowledge 
should  bring  us  to  the  Lord  at  the  commemoration  of  his  nativity, 
and  induce  us  to  bring  spiritually,  in  genuine  worship,  our  oflferings 
of  Gold,  Frankincense  and  Myrrh. 

The  Lord's  nativity  in  itself  is  to  be  infinitely  distinguished  from 
the  nativity  of  every  other  man.  And  unless  this  infinite  distinction 
is  in  some  measure  seen,  it  is  impossible  to  form  a  true  idea  of  his 
Humanity,  and  of  his  being  one  with  the  Father  even  as  the  soul  is 


644  CORRESPOKDEXCE  FURTHER  ELUCIDATED. 

one  with  the  body.  The  reason  why  the  Christian  world  in  general 
thinks  of  the  Lord's  human  nature  as  similar  to  the  human  nature 
of  another  man,  and  why  they  separate  his  Di^nne  nature  from  his 
Human,  is  owing  to  the  fact  of  their  not  having  true  ideas  concern- 
ing his  conception  and  nativity.  If  they  would  but  think,  as  the 
Word  plainly  teaches,  that  his  Father  was  the  Divine  Being  Himself, 
of  whom  He  was  conceived,  and  that,  of  consequence,  his  soul  was 
infinitely  distinct  from  the  soul  of  all  other  men  who  are  conceived 
of  merely  human  fathers,  they  would  begin  at  the  right  point,  to 
contemplate  the  true  nature  of  the  Lord's  Humanity,  and  would  see, 
as  the  apostle  declares,  that  "  in  Him  dwelleth  all  the  fulness  of  the 
Godhead  bodily,"  and  that,  consequently,  his  human  nature  must 
needs  be  divine,  and  not  merely  human ;  since  no  merely  human 
nature,  however  exalted,  could  possibly  contain  all  the  fulness  of  the 
Godhead. 

But  as  everything  good  and  true,  everything  innocent,  holy  and 
happy  must  be  born  in  us,  if  we  are  to  become  the  subjects  of  re- 
generation, and  thus  prepared  to  enter  into  heaven ;  therefore  the 
Lord's  nativity,  or  his  being  born  into  the  world,  represents  the  birth 
of  everything  spiritual  and  heavenly  from  Him  into  our  individual 
world,  that  is,  into  our  natural  man.  "  Christ  in  us,"  says  the  ajiostle, 
"is  the  hope  of  glory;"  therefore  the  Lord,  as  to  his  divine  love  and 
wisdom,  must  be  born  in  us,  as  the  only  hope  of  attaining  to  our 
glorious  destiny  in  heaven.  When,  therefore,  we  commemorate  the 
Lord's  Nativity,  we  should  remember  that  the  most  profitable  way 
of  contemplating  this  subject  is,  that  the  Lord  as  to  all  the  principles 
of  his  kingdom  (see  Luke  xvii.  21),  must  be  born  within  us  and  that 
this  birth  is  eflfected  by  the  acknowledgment  of  Him  in  his  Divine 
Humanity. 

The  Lord  was  thus  born  into  the  world  to  become  our  Redeemer 
and  Saviour,  in  order  that  his  redeeming  and  saving  love  and  truth 
might  be  born  in  us  individually.  This  blessed  spiritual  nativity,  or 
this  re-birth  of  man,  is  accomplished  by  virtue  of  the  genuine  prin- 
ciples of  a  living,  holy  worship.  This  worship  is  denoted  by  the 
offerings  of  the  wise  men  ;  and  we  become  truly  Avise  in  proportion 
as  we  oflTer  up  this  holy  worshij)  to  the  Lord. 

Gold,  as  the  emblem  of  the  first  principles  of  a  living  worship, 
signifies  the  worship  of  the  Lord  from  pure  love  or  goodness.  This 
is  the  first  essential  of  all  worship  and  of  all  genuine  religion ;  and 
gold  so  frequently  mentioned  in  Scripture,  is  the  proper  correspondent 


GOLD,  FRANKINCENSE  AND  3IYRRII. 


645 


emblem  of  this  love  or  goodness.  Hence  it  was  that  this  precious 
metal  was  so  universally  employed  in  the  structure  of  the  tabernacle 
and  the  sanctuary.  The  ark  was  overlaid  with  gold,  the  altar  of 
incense  in  like  manner,  and  nearly  all  the  utensils  of  the  sanctuary 
were  either  made  of  gold,  or  overlaid  with  it,  in  order  to  teach  us,  by 
the  most  striking  symbols,  that  all  worship  should  be  performed  from 
the  principle  of  pure  love.  Hence  it  is  that  the  Lord  says  to  us,  "  I 
counsel  thee  to  buy  of  me  gold  tried  in  the  fire,  that  thou  mayst  be 
rich "  (Rev.  iii.  18),  in  order  to  teach  us  that  He  in  his  Divine 
Humanity,  is  the  only  Source  whence  all  genuine  love  or  pure  good- 
ness can  be  received. 

But  what  is  genuine  love,  and  what  is  the  relation  of  pure  goodness 
to  genuine  love  ?  There  are  various  kinds  of  love  and  goodness,  and 
it  is  of  infinite  moment  to  know  what  is  genuine  and  what  is  spurious. 
As  it  is  of  importance  to  know  whether  gold  is  genuine,  alloyed  or 
spurious,  possessing  nothing  but  the  color,  or  the  external  appeai-auce ; 
so  it  is  of  infinitely  greater  importance  to  know  whether  the  love  and 
goodness  which  actuate  our  life  are  of  a  genuine,  or  of  a  spurious 
character,  since  our  happiness  or  misery  in  eternity  will  depend  ujion 
our  life's  love,  or  on  our  governing  affection.  There  is  natural  good, 
moral  good,  and  spiritual  good.  Natural  good  has  relation  solely  to  our 
natural  life,  its  wants  and  supplies ;  and  its  source  is  the  love  of  self 
and  of  the  world.  This  is  necessary  for  our  natural  state  and  our 
self-preservation,  but  it  is  not  signified  by  the  gold  mentioned  in  the 
Word.  No  genuine  worship  springs  from  this  love,  and  from  the 
consequent  goodness  predicated  of  it ;  for  all  goodness  is  predicated  of 
what  a  man  loves,  and  consequently  so  long  as  a  man  is  actuated  by 
principles  originating  solely  in  what  is  selfish  and  worldly,  he  can 
offer  to  the  Lord  no  gold  of  genuine  love  and  goodness. 

Moral  good  is  of  a  higher  order  than  merely  natural  and  sensual 
good ;  because  it  springs  from  principles  founded  in  man's  rational 
nature  and  in  his  relations  to  society,  and  especially  to  the  community 
in  which  he  lives.  These  principles  relate  to  what  is  equitable,  just, 
honorable  and  becoming  in  decorum  and  manners.  By  this  good  a 
man  rises  above  the  animal,  and  above  the  selfishness  of  his  own 
nature,  and  approaches  nearer  to  the  dignity  of  a  real  and  true  man. 
But  from  this  moral  good,  so  far  as  it  originates  in  selfish  and  worldly 
considerations,  which  have  relation  to  our  merely  natural  life,  no 
spiritual  and  genuine  worship  can  be  offered  to  the  Lord.  It  is  not 
the  pure  gold  that  He  can  accept ;  it  may  appear  on  its  surface  like 


646 


CORRESPONDENCE  FURTHER  ELUCIDATED. 


gold,  but  the  substance  Avithin  is  spurious  and  base,  because,  being 
derived  from  motives  originating  in  the  external  man  only,  its  quality 
is  merely  selfish  and  worldly.  This  good  may  make  a  man  a  good 
citizen  of  the  world,  and  an  orderly  and  even  a  virtuous  member  of 
society ;  but  it  cannot  make  him  a  citizen  of  heaven,  nor  prepare 
him  to  dwell  Avith  angels.  An  atheist  may  from  these  principles  be 
an  irreproachably  moral  man ;  but  as  his  morality  can  only  originate 
in  what  is  merely  natural,  it  is  evident  that  he  cannot  thereby  rise 
into  a  spiritual  and  heavenly  state.  Thus  no  pure  gold  of  genuine 
worship  can  be  ofi'ered  to  the  Lord  from  this  source  only. 

But  when  a  man's  moral  princijiles  are  taken  from  the  Word  of 
God,  his  morality  will  have  a  spiritual  and  divine  principle  within  it, 
and  he  will  become  not  only  a  good  citizen  of  the  world,  but  a  citizen 
of  heaven  at  the  same  time  ;  his  "  citizenshiii  will,"  as  the  apostle 
says,  "  be  in  heaven."  Hence  he  can  bring  his  offering  of  gold  in 
the  worship  of  the  Lord ;  his  heart  will  be  influenced  by  that  love 
and  goodness  from  which  all  true  worship  springs.  The  highest 
order  of  good  that  Ave  can  receive  from  the  Lord  is  called  celestial; 
this  good  is  received  from  Him  Avhen  everything  in  our  internal  and 
our  external  man  is  brought  under  the  influence  of  love  to  Him  above 
all  things ;  Avhen  He  is  the  beginning  and  the  end  of  all  our  motives, 
affections  and  doings ;  when  we  love  to  live  in  dejieudence  on  Him 
alone,  are  resigned  to  his  Avill,  and  acknowledge  Him  as  the  God  of 
our  sorrows  as  well  as  of  our  joys,  directing  all  things,  whether  in 
states  of  prosperity  or  adversity,  for  our  eternal  good.  The  purest 
gold  that  we  can  offer  to  the  Lord  in  worship,  is  from  these  principles, 
and  it  is  called  celestial  good.  Hence  it  Avas  the  first  Avhich  the  Avise 
men,  Avhen  they  had  opened  their  treasures,  oficred  to  the  Lord. 

Fru)ikincense,  as  being  grateful  in  its  odor,  Avas  largely  employed 
in  the  representative  Avorship  of  the  Jews,  and  generally  throughout 
the  ancient  Avorld,  among  the  Asiatics,  Greeks  and  Romans.  The 
use  of  incense,  therefore,  in  AVorship,  Avas  a  rite  derived  from  A'ery 
ancient  times.  The  true  signification  of  this  rite,  as  of  CA-ery  other, 
can  only  be  known  from  the  correspondence  Avhich,  Avhen  explained, 
is  easily  understood.  Frankincense,  as  being  delightfully  fragrant, 
cori-esponds  to  the  gratefulness  and  blessedness  of  the  spiritual  life,  as 
formed  by  the  divine  truths  of  God's  Holy  "Word.  All  Avorship  offered 
to  the  Lord  from  the  spiritual  affection  of  truth  is  grateful  to  Him  ; 
hence  Ave  so  often  read  that  the  odor  of  incense  Avas  grateful  to  the 
Lord.    Hence  also  it  Avas  that  there  was  an  altar  of  incense.  The 


GOLD,  FRANKINCENSE  AND  MYRRII. 


647 


prayers  of  the  saints  are  expressly  called  incense  (Rev.  v.  8),  •>vliich 
is  a  proof  that  the  offering  of  incense  corresponds  to  the  worship  of  the 
Loi"d  from  a  spiritual  affection  of  divine  truth,  that  is,  an  affection 
irrespective  of  anything  selfish  and  worldly,  whether  it  be  honor  or 
gain.  This  second  offering,  therefore,  of  the  wise  men,  denotes  the 
worship  of  the  Lord  from  a  spiritual  ground,  or  from  the  pure  affection 
of  truth ;  whereas,  the  offering  of  gold  denotes  the  Avorship  of  the 
Lord  from  pure  affection  of  goodness  springing  from  a  pure  and  ex- 
alted love  of  the  Lord.  We,  therefore,  bring  an  offering  of  frank- 
incense  unto  the  Lord,  Avhen  Ave  consecrate  to  Him  all  the  intellectual 
and  moving  principles  of  the  mind, — when  our  thoughts,  our  imagi- 
nations, our  plans  and  projects,  in  short,  Avhen  everything  Avhich  con- 
stitutes our  intellectual  and  mental  life  is  brought  under  the  divine 
influence  of  love  to  our  neighbor.  In  this  case  the  incense  of  our 
worship  is  grateful  and  acceptable  to  the  Lord. 

Gold  and  Frankincense,  therefore,  denote  the  interior  and  the  inmost 
principles  of  all  holy  worship,  without  which  the  Lord  cannot  be  ap- 
proached in  love  and  faith,  however  He  may  be  approached  Avith  the 
lips  and  Avith  outAvard  professions  of  love  and  AA  orship.  He  Avho  does 
not  spiritually  bring  Avith  him  this  gold  and  frankincense  Avhen  he 
Avorships  the  Lord,  cannot  Avorship  Him  in  spirit  and  in  truth,  because 
he  has  not,  through  faith  and  love,  the  internal  vital  principles  from 
Avhich  all  true  and  acceptable  worship  springs. 

But  as  an  internal  principle,  our  Avorship  is  not  complete  unless  our 
external  man  as  to  his  appetites  and  desires,  is  also  consecrated  to  the 
Lord.  Myrrh,  therefore,  in  the  order  of  j^rinciples,  signifies  the  estab- 
lishment of  Avhat  is  good  and  true  from  the  Lord  in  our  sensual  and 
most  external  principles  of  life.  Hence  it  Avas  that  Myrrh,  as  an  odorif- 
erous plant,  Avas  extensiA'ely  employed  in  the  service  of  the  sanctuary 
in  making  the  holy  anointing  oil.  (Ex.  xxx.)  Myrrh  also  Avas 
used  as  an  ingredient  in  the  embalming  of  bodies ;  it  was  thus  em- 
ployed to  embalm  the  Lord's  body  (John  xix.  39,  40),  to  denote,  by 
the  laAv  of  correspondence,  the  preservation  of  divine  and  spiritual  life 
in  our  loAvest  sensual  princijiles, — in  our  appetites  and  sensations,  so 
that  Avhether  Ave  eat  or  whether  Ave  drink,  Ave  may  do  all,  as  the  apostle 
says,  "  to  the  glory  of  God." 

Let  us,  then,  bring  unto  the  Lord,  Avhen  Ave  engage  in  prayer  in  our 
closets,  in  our  family  circles,  in  the  public  Avorshij)  of  Him,  and  in  all 
the  duties  and  acts  of  life,  the  offerings  thus  spiritually  understood 
and  applied,  of  gold,  frankincense  and  myrrh.  Fidelus, 


APPENDIX. 


649 


APPE 


I.  DISSEKTATIOX  ON  THE  POSSI- 
BILITY AXD  NECESSITY  OF  DI- 
VINE REVELATION  ;  ON  THE 
CANON  OF  SACRED  SCRIPTrKE, 
AND  THE  GENUINENESS  AND 
AUTHENTICITY  OF  THE  VARI- 
OUS BOOKS  COJIPOSING  THE 
TVORD  OF  THE  NEW  TESTA- 
MENT AND  THEIR  UNCOR- 
KUPTED  PRESERVATION  ;  WITH 
A  BRIEF  ANALYSIS  OF,  AND  A 
FEW  REMARKS  ON,  EACH  BOOK. 

Which  are  the  plenarily  inspired 
books  of  the  Word  ? 

"  The  books  of  the  Word  are  all 
those  which  have  the  internal  sense ; 
but  those  books  which  have  not  the 
internal  sense  are  not  the  Word.  The 
books  of  the  Word  in  the  Old  Testa- 
ment are  the  five  books  of  Moses,  the 
book  of  Joshua,  the  book  of  Judges,  the 
two  books  of  Samuel,  the  two  books  of 
Kings,  the  Psalms  of  David,  the  proph- 
ets Isaiah,  Jeremiah,  Lamentations, 
Ezekiel,  Daniel,  Hosea,  Joel,  Amos, 
Obadiah,  .Jonah,  ilicah,  Nahum,  Ha- 
bakkuk,  Zephaniah,  Haggai,  Zechariah, 
Malachi.  In  the  New  Testament,  the 
four  evangelists,  Matthew,  Mark,  Luke, 
and  John,  and  the  Revelation.  The 
rest  have  not  the  internal  sense." — 
Swedenborg,  W.  H.  16 ;  A.  C.  10325. 

"  In  the  Gospels  are  the  words  of  the 
Lord  himself,  all  which  contain  in  them 
a  spiritual  sense,  whereby  immediate 
communication  is  given  with  heaven ; 
but  in  the  writings  of  the  Apostles 
there  is  no  such  sense,  notwithstanding 


they  are  books  of  much  use  to  the 
church." — Swedenborg,  A.  C.  815. 

"  In  order  to  constitute  a  genuine 
book  of  the  Word,  it  is  necessary  that 
it  treat  in  an  internal  sense  of  the  Lord 
.Jesus  Christ  alone  and  his  kingdom. 
See  Luke  xxiv.  27,  44 ;  John  v.  39, 
etc.,  etc." — Swedenborg,  A.  C.  3540. 

"  In  the  New  Testament  the  character 
of  essential  sanctity  or  divinity  jjertains 
to  the  four  Gospels  and  the  Apocalypse, 
but  not  to  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles  and 
the  Epistles.  The  former,  like  the  Word 
of  the  Old  Testament,  were  dictated  by 
the  inspiring  power  which  took  posses- 
sion of  the  writers  for  that  time  only. 
The  Acts  and  the  Epistles,  on  the  other 
hand,  were  written  under  that  general 
but  more  lax  kind  of  inspiration  whJfch 
was  inseparable  from  the  persons  of  the 
writers,  and  which  may,  therefore,  be 
properly  termed  personal,  while  the 
other  is  denominated  j^lenary,  imply- 
ing the  dictation  of  the  very  words  and 
phrases  employed,  all  of  which  contain 
a  higher  internal  sense,  couched  under 
the  sense  of  the  letter,  and  to  be  inter- 
preted on  the  principle  of  correspond- 
ence."— Staiemenl  of  Reasons  for  embrac- 
ing the  Doctrines  and  Disclosures  of  Sweden- 
borg, by  G.  Bush,  late  Professor  of  Hebrew 
in  the  Neio  York  City  University,  p.  117. 

In  reference  to  the  above  books  of 
the  Bible,  as  constituting  the  pure  Word 
of  God,  and  the  true  mode  of  interpret- 
ing them,  the  late  Rev.  John  Clowes, 
rector  of  St.  John's  church,  Manchester, 
in  the  preface  to  his  Translation  of  the 
Gospel  of  Matthew,  thus  writes  : 
651 


652 


APPENDIX. 


"  The  books  [of  the  Word  above  enu- 
merated], according  to  this  view  of  their 
distinguished  characteristics,  present  us 
with  the  following  curious  and  interest- 
ing facts : 

"  1.  That  more  than  twenty  different 
writers,  living  in  ages  and  places  re- 
mote and  distant  from  each  other,  are 
found  to  agree  in  expressing  themselves 
in  conformity  to  certain  given  laws  and 
rules  of  speaking  and  writing,  which  it 
was  absolutely  impossible  they  could 
learn  from  each  other. 

"  2.  That  those  laws  and  rules  never 
entered  into  the  thought  or  imagination 
of  any  writer,  either  ancient  or  modern, 
until  he  discovered  them  from  the  com- 
positions of  the  above  writers. 

"  3.  That  those  laws  and  rules  involve 
in  them  points  of  most  singular  wisdom 
and  edification,  at  once  worthy  of  God 
to  impart,  and  of  the  utmost  importance 
to  man  to  comiarehend  and  obey. 

"4.  That  unless  those  laws  and  rules 
be  applied  to  the  interpretation  of  the 
writings  which  are  constructed  in  agree- 
ment with  them,  it  is  absolutely  impos- 
sible for  any  one  to  discover  tlie  various 
suT)lime  and  instructive  truths  contained 
in  those  writings. 

"  5.  But  that  if  those  laws  and  rules 
be  applied,  out  of  a  real  sincere  desire 
to  undei-stand  the  will  of  the  Most 
High,  they  are  as  a  golden  key  to  un- 
lock the  immense  stores  of  heavenly 
wisdom,  mercy  and  truth  treasured  np 
in  His  Holy  AVord." — 3d  ed.,  pp. 
xiii.,  xiv. 

It  is  also  worthy  of  profound  consid- 
eration that  all  the  passages  of  the  Old 
Testament  cited  or  alluded  to  in  the 
four  Gospels  and  the  Revelation,  are 
from  the  above  plenarily  inspired  books 
only,  and  include  nearly  tlie  whole  of 
them,  evincing  the  supreme  authority 
to  be  attaclied  to  them  by  Christian  be- 
lievere. 

Philo,  wlio  was  contemporary  with 
the  apostles,  and  who  quotes  from  or 


refers  to  all  the  books  of  the  "Word 
which  are  plenarily  inspired,  except 
the  Lamentations  and  Daniel,  makes 
no  mention  whatever  of  Euth,  Chroni- 
cles, Nehemiah,  Esther,  Ecclesiastes,  or 
the  Song  of  Solomon. — See  Henderson 
and  Stuart. 

"  Tatian,  who  wrote  about  the  middle 
of  the  second  century,  composed  a  di- 
gest of  the  evangelical  history,  which 
was  called  roTeaaapui/,  that  is,  the  Gospel 
of  the  four,  or  nopoTcaaapMP^  that  is,  one 
narrative  composed  out  of  the  fottr.  Ta- 
tian is  the  most  ancient  harmonist  on 
record;  for  if  Theophilus,  bishop  of 
Antioch,  had  before  written  on  that 
subject  (as  Jerome  insinuates),  his 
W'ork  is  long  since  lost." — Hornets  In- 
trod.,  vol.  ii.,  pt.  1,  p.  349,  8th  ed. 

"  The  four  Gospels  are  alone  received 
without  dispute  by  the  whole  church  of 
God  under  heaven." — Oriyen,  as  quoted 
by  Euseb.,  Hist.  Eccl.,  liv.  vi.,  ch.  25. 

"  The  authenticity  of  the  book  of  the 
Eevelation  was  not  denied  during  the 
two  tirst  centuries  of  the  Christian  ei-a, 
and  the  respectable  names  of  Hernias, 
Polycarp,  and  Justin  Martyr  may  be 
adduced  in  its  favor." — Pref.  to  the 
Rev.,  Greek  Test,  for  the  London  Univer- 
sity, p.  542. 

"  The  sense  of  the  inspiration  of  the 
evangelists — of  some  providential  guid- 
ance by  which  they  were  led  to  select 
each  fact  in  their  history  and  each  word 
in  their  narrative — is  not  more  complete 
inOrigen  [than  in  Heracleon's  conunen- 
taries].    Tlie  firet  commentary  on  the 

'  New  Testament  [or  Gospels]  exhibits 

;  the  application  of  the  same  laws  to  its 
interpretation  as  were  employed  in  the 
Old  Testament.  The  slightest  variation 
of  language  wa.s  held  to  be  significant. 

I  Numbers  were  supposed  to  conceal  a 
hidden  truth.  The  whole  record  was 
found  to  be  pregnant  with  spiritual 

I  meaning,  conveyed  by  the  teaching  of 
events  in  themselves  real  and  instriic- 

!  tive.    It  appears  also  that  differences 


THE  CANON  OF  SCRIPTURE. 


653 


between  the  Gospels  were  felt,  and  an 
attempt  made  to  reconcile  theui." — 
WestcoU's  Canon  of  the  New  Test.,  p.  335. 

II.  THE  CANON  OF  SCRIPTURE. 

The  classical  meaning  of  the  original 
Greek  word  koi'^ip,  is  a  straight  stick  or 
rod,  staff,  measuring  rod  or  pole,  beam  of 
a  balance,  etc.  Hence  tropically,  rule, 
norma;  thence,  law,  prescription,  fun- 
damental, a  guiding  principle.  Among 
some  of  the  Greek  grammarians  it  was 
employed  to  denote  a  list  or  collection 
of  Greek  authors,  who  would  serve  as 
models,  or  examples  for  other  writers. 
Among  the  Christian  Fathers  it  ob- 
tained an  enlarged,  and  occasionally  a 
technical  sense.  It  was  sometimes  used 
to  designate  a  list  of  the  clergy,  or  of 
others  belonging  to  a  church  ;  a  list  of 
Psalms  and  Hymns  appropriate  for 
public  worship  ;  and  even  a  list  of  fur- 
niture belonging  to  a  church,  etc.  Very 
naturally  it  came  to  be  employed,  about 
the  third  century,  to  designate  a  list  of 
the  Scriptural  books  which  were  publicly 
read  in  the  churches.  See  Davidson's 
Ed.  of  Stuart  on  the  Old  Test.  Canon,  p. 
22  et  seq. 

Dr.  Milner  asserts  that  "  the  Canon 
of  Scripture  was  fixed  at  the  end  of  the 
fourth  century." — End  of  Controv.,  let- 
ter xi. 

"  It  is  one  of  the  dictates  of  Pope 
Gregory  VII.  that  '  no  book  or  chapter 
is  to  be  regarded  as  canonical  without 
the  Pope's  authority.'  (See  Earl.  Ba- 
ron. Annul.  EccL,  xi.,  p.  632,  ad.  A.  D. 
1076.)  Pighius  says, 'The  church  [of 
Rome]  can  give  canonical  authority  to 
books  which  have  no  such  authority 
from  themselves  or  their  author.'  (See 
his  Hicrarch.,  iii.  3.)  Stapleton  asserts 
the  same.  {Rekct.  Contr.  5  qu.  2,  art.  4. 
Cont.  5,  lib.  9,  c.  14.)  He  says  that 
'  the  Shepherd  of  Hermas  and  apostol- 
ical constitutions  may  be  added  to  the 
Canon,  if  the  church  of  Pome  pleases.' 
And  the  Roman  professor  Perrone  thus 


writes  in  his  Theological  Lectures  (ii., 
pp.  1051,  1052.  VA.  Paris,  1842), 
'  The  Roman  church  being  the  mother 
and  mistress  of  churches,  had  power 
to  constitute  the  true  Canon  of  Scrip- 
ture.' "  —  Wordsioorth' s  Canon  of  the 
Scriptures,  note,  p.  14. 

Well  may  Newman  ask,  "On  what 
ground  do  we  receive  the  Canon  [of  the 
New  Testament],  but  on  the  authority 
of  the  church  of  the  fourth  and  fifth  cen- 
turies. The  church  at  that  era  decided 
that  certain  books  were  of  authority." 
— Essay  on  Development,  p.  142. 

The  absolute  want  of  an  authorized 
and  determinate  Canon  of  the  Word  of 
God,  and  a  true  and  certain  method  of 
interpretation  is  powerfully  illustrated 
by  the  extremes  of  that  pernicious  sys- 
tem of  mythical  exposition  in  which 
learned  men,  such  as  Bauer,  Weisse, 
George,  Strauss,  and  the  Hegelian  phil- 
osophers of  Germany  have  so  eagerly 
and  freely  speculated ;  from  the  awful 
and  absurd  rationalistic,  materialistic, 
and  pantheistic  mode  of  interpretation 
adopted  by  Weescheider,  Bretschneider, 
etc. ;  from  the  idealism  of  Kant,  Fichte, 
and  others ;  and  from  the  numerous  and 
mournful  varieties  resulting  from  all 
these  neological  systems.  The  delusive 
mode  of  interpretation  adopted  in  Essays 
and  Reviews,  written  by  seven  learned 
clergymen  of  the  Established  Church, 
is  but  an  English  outbirth  from  the 
same  misleading  source.  It  is,  tliere- 
Ibre,  most  refreshing  to  extract  from 
the  Eclectic  Review,  for  the  months  of 
Sept.  and  Nov.,  1825,  the  following  able 
remarks : — 

"  The  very  fact  that  the  classification 
of  the  Jews,  in  the  time  of  Josephus, 
was  supposed  to  need  a  revision,  would 
of  itself  seem  to  indicate  that  this  clas- 
sification was  not  the  original  one, — 
was  not  the  one  which  was  current  in 
the  time  of  our  Lord,  and  which  we 
may  presume  to  have  been  of  prophetic 
origin,  and  virtually,  therefore,  divine 


654 


APPENDIX. 


and  authoritative;  and  so  far,  there- 
fore, confirms,  or  seems  to  confirm,  the 
opinion  as  to  the  possible  difference 
between  the  Old  Testament  of  Jose- 
phus,  and  the  Old  Testament  of  our 
Lord.  The  changing  also  of  the  desig- 
nation of  the  division  known  in  our 
Lord's  time  as  '  the  Psalms'  (an  appro- 
priate designation  if  it  contained  the 
Psalms  only),  into  that  of  'the  writ- 
ings,' upon  the  addition  to  it  of  writ- 
ings that  were  not  Psalms,  and  when, 
therefore,  the  appropriateness  of  the 
designation  no  longer  existed,  would 
seem  also  to  confirm  our  yet  further 
opinion,  that  the  third  of  the  three  divi- 
sions of  our  Lord's  time  included  only 
the  Psalms.  With  regard  to  the  insertion 
in  this  division  of  the  book  of  Daniel, 
see  Stuart,  p.  263 ;  and  for  an  admira- 
ble defence  of  its  veracity  and  inspira- 
tion, see  Walton's  Genuineness  of  the 
Book  of  Daniel." — The  Law,  the  Proph- 
ets, and  the  Psalms ;  their  Divine  Inspi- 
ration, by  J.  Collyer  Knight,  note,  p.  58. 

"The  very  import  of  the  term  ca- 
nonical is  a  disputed  point.  AVhether 
the  declaration  that  'All  Scripture  is 
given  by  inspiration  of  God,'  can  be 
safely  extended  to  all  the  books  included 
in  the  Jewish  canon, —  whether  the 
whole  of  the  Chetubim  or  Ilagiographa, 
though  of  undoubted  genuineness  and 
authenticity  as  historical  documents, 
can  be  considered  as  indited  by  the  Holy 
Ghost,  and  as  forming  jiart  of  the  rule 
of  faith, — is  by  no  means  so  clear  as  to 
warrant  our  demanding  an  unqualified 
assent  and  agreement  on  this  point  from 
all  Ciiristian  men.  Many  pious  persons 
have  doubted  whether  the  book  of  Es- 
ther, in  which  the  name  of  Jehovah 
does  not  once  occur,  can  be  regarded  as 
an  inspired  composition ;  and  others 
have  liad  difficulties  in  admitting  the 
inspiration  of  Solomon's  Song.  Were 
we  to  take  the  word  canonical  as  synon- 
ymous with  inspired,  sucli  persons  might 
conscientiously  object  to  giving  away 


those  books  as  canonical  Scriptures,  and 
might  plead  for  a  canon  more  literally 
conformable  to  our  Lord's  three-fold 
classification  of  '  the  Law,  the  Prophets, 
and  the  Psalms.'  In  their  view,  the 
books  of  Chronicles  and  the  first  book 
of  Maccabees  would  rank  in  the  same 
class  of  writings ;  and  although  they 
could  not  object  to  their  circulation  on 
the  same  grounds  as  apply  to  the  posi- 
tively exceptionable  parts  of  the  Apoc- 
rypha, such  as  Tobit,  Baruch,  and  the 
spurious  additions  to  the  book  of  Dan- 
iel, still  they  would  not  be  able  to  rec- 
ognize them  as  given  by  inspiration  of 
God."— Eel.  Rev.,  1825,' pp- 192, 193. 

"To  the  books  of  Moses,  called  by 
preeminence  the  Law,  and  the  writings 
of  the  Prophets,  including  botli  Daniel 
and  David  in  that  number,  the  charac- 
ter of  Revelation  in  the  highest  sense  at- 
taches; and  we  think  exclusively." — 
lb.,  p.  388. 

"  ^Vith  regard,  however,  to  the  books 
included  in  the  Protestant  canon,  to 
which  we  have  referred  as  possibly  un- 
inspired,— the  books  of  Solomon  and  of 
Ezra  [including  Nehemiah],  Esther, 
and  tlie  Clironiclcs, — we  would  ask :  Do 
they  in  fact  form  any  part  of  the  Rule 
of  Faith?  Do  they  reveal  a  single 
doctrine?  Do  they  contain  a  single 
prediction?  Do  they  bear  any  pro- 
phetic witness  to  the  Messiah  ?  Does 
any  one  article  of  faith  rest  for  its  sup- 
port on  any  passage  in  these  books? 
Or  are  their  value,  their  genuine  excel- 
lence and  authority,  in  the  slightest 
degree  invalidated  by  the  doubt  whether 
t  hey  are  inspired  ?  Does  uncertainty  on 
this  point  shake  any  portion  of  the  Rule 
of  Faitli  ?  Is  there  the  slightest  reason 

I  for  appreliending  that  a  man  would  less 
firmly  hold  the  Divine  autliority  of  the 

!  Word  of  God, — less  firmly  believe  in 
any  one  Christian  doctrine,  because,  on 
the  grounds  above  specified,  he  had 
doubts  a.s  to  the  inspiration  (and  canon- 

.  icity  in  this  sense)  of  eitiier  the  book 


THE  CANON  OF  SCRIPTURE. 


655 


of  Esther  or  the  Chronicles?  .  .  .  But 
we  may  safely  leave  these  questions  to 
be  determined  by  the  good  sense  of  our 
readers."— \>.  392. 

The  Rev.  S.  Noble,  in  an  able  critical 
examination  of  the  papers  in  Eclec- 
tic Revieiv,  from  which  the  above  pas- 
sages are  quoted,  and  which  forms  an 
article  "  On  the  New-Church  Canon  of 
Scripture,  as  far  as  regards  the  Old  Tes- 
tament," which  was  inserted  in  the  Ititel- 
lectual  Repository,  etc.,  new  series,  vol.  ii., 
p.  3G4-379,  says :  "  In  one  word :  he  [the 
reviewer]  advocates,  with  trifling  ex- 
ceptions, in  regard  to  the  Old  Testa- 
ment, the  pure  Xew-Church  Canon  of 
Scripture:  and  the  chief  of  these  excep- 
tions instead  of  tending  to  invalidate  that 
Canon,  strongly  tends  to  confirm  it.  .  .  . 
Whenever,  therefore,  in  future,  the 
New  Church  is  attacked  with  the  charge 
of  taking  away  from  the  Scriptures,  she 
may  interpose  as  a  shield,  in  addition 
to  the  evidence  collected  in  the  Plenary 
Inspiration,  the  extensively  respected 
authority  of  the  Eclectic  Review." 

AVell  may  the  Rev.  R.  Hindmarsh 
ask :  "  By  what  rule  of  evidence  is  a 
man  to  form  his  judgment  of  a  divine 
writing  ?  Has  he  any  other  to  appeal 
to  than  the  uncertain  and  fluctuating 
decisions  of  the  Romish  church  ?  What 
foundation  has  he  for  his  belief  in  the 
sanctity  and  divinity  of  any  particular 
books,  except  the  opinions  of  fallible 
men,  sitting  to  debate  the  question 
among  themselves,  and  deciding  by  a 
majority  of  votes  at  one  time  that  such 
and  such  a  book  is  divine,  and  at  an- 
other time  that  the  very  same  book  is 
destitute  of  that  character;  thus  ex- 
tending or  diminishing  the  number  of 
inspired  writings  not  by  a  reference  to 
any  internal  evidence,  like  that  of  the 
spiritual  sense  contained  within  them, 
nor  to  the  words  of  the  Lord  in  Luke 
xxiv.  44,  which  form  the  rule  of  judg- 
ment in  this  case,  but  by  the  caprice  of 
the  moment,  or  the  influence  of  a  pre- 


vailing party  in  the  church  ?  Even  in 
the  Established  Church  of  tliis  country, 
are  not  the  Apocry])iial  books,  at  least 
seven  of  them,  reconmiended  and  read 
in  the  national  cluuclies  equally  with 
those  which  are  acknowledged  to  be 
canonical  ?  * 

"  And  with  respect  to  the  New  Testa- 
ment in  particular,  what  reason  is  as- 
signed by  the  Church  of  England,  for 
admitting  the  Letters  or  Epistles  of  the 
ditierent  Apostles  among  the  books  of 
divine  inspiration?  None  whatever, 
except  that  of  general  custom,  which 
in  itself  is  no  reason  at  all. 

"  The  truth  appears  to  be,  that  neither 
the  Romish  nor  Protestant  churches 
have  to  this  day  clearly  understood 
what  it  is  that  constitutes  a  divine 
book :  they  have  not  sufficiently  con- 
sidered the  purport  of  our  Lord's  words 
to  his  disciples,  when  He  told  them, 
that  'all  the  Scriptures  were  written 
concerning  Himself;'  and  that  the 
books  which  He  acknowledged  as  the 
Scriptures  of  divine  truth,  to  be  ful- 
filled in  his  own  person,  were  those 
comprehended  under  the  titles  of  '  the 
Law  of  Moses,  the  Prophets,  and  the 
Psalms : '  see  Luke  xxiv.  27,  44.  Thus 
our  Lord  has  Himself  laid  down  the 
rule  by  which  we  are  to  judge  of  tliose 
books  and  writings  which  alone  deserve 
to  be  honored  by  the  church  as  divine, 
viz.,  that  in  their  inmost  sense  they 
treat  solely  of  Him.  Now,  in  many 
parts  of  the  books  of  Moses,  the  Proph- 
ets, and  the  Psalms,  no  allusion  what- 
ever is  made,  in  the  literal  sense  of  the 
expressions  used,  either  to  the  Lord 
incarnate,  or  to  his  sufferings,  death, 
and  resurrection  ;  and  yet  He  came  into 
the  world  to  fulfil  in  his  own  person  the 
whole  and  every  particular  part  of  the 
Sacred  Scriptures,  as  it  is  written,  'The 

*  These  books  are,  Tobit,  Judith,  the  Book 
of  Wisdom,  Ecclesiasticus,  Baruch,  History 
of  Susannah,  and  the  History  of  Bell  and 
the  Dragon. 


656 


APPENDIX. 


"Word,  which  in  the  beginning  was  witli 
God,  and  was  God,  was  made  flesh,  and 
dwelt  among  us.'  (John  i.  1, 14.)  And, 
again,   'All  things  must  be  fulfilled 
which  were  written  in  the  law  of  Mo- 
ses, and  in  the  Prophets,  and  in  the 
Psalms,  concerning  me.'    (Luke  xxiv. 
44.)    There  must,  therefore,  be  an  in- 
ternal spiritual  sense  belonging  to  the 
Word,  not  apparent  in  the  latter ;  and 
without  a  doubt  the  Lord  must  have 
opened  the  understanding  of  his  disci-  1 
pies  to  discern  that  sense,  according  to  ! 
their  measure,  when,  '  beginning  at  | 
Moses,  and  all  the  Prophets,  He  ex- 1 
pounded  unto  them  in  all  the  Scriptures 
the  things  concerning  Himself.'  (Luke 
xxiv.  27.)  j 

"  The  same  rule  which  so  well  applies 
to  the  Old  Testament  may  also  be  ap- 
plied to  the  Kew ;  and  by  it  we  are 
enabled  to  distinguish  those  books  which 
are  absolutely  Divine  to  the  very  letter,  ' 
in  consequence  of  being  dictated  by 
God  Himself,  from  those  which,  though  i 
excellent  in  their  kind,  are  yet  only  the 
productions  of  good  and  pious  men.  | 
Of  the  former  description  are  the  four  j 
Gospels  and  the  Apocalypse ;  of  the 
latter,  are  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  and 
the  Lettei"s  wliich  they  wrote  to  the 
different  churches,  to  encourage  and 
contirm  them  in  the  cause  of  Christian- 
ity." —  Hindmarsh' s  Vindication  of  the 
Character  and  Writings  of  Sivedenborg, 
against  the  Slanders  and  Misi'epresentor 
lions  of  Pike,  of  Derby.  8vo  edit.,  pp. 
67,  68.  See  also  Noble^s  "  Plenary  In- 
spiration of  the  Sa-iptures,"  Appendix  ii. 

"  The  only  writings  of  the  Old  Tes- 
tament that  can  with  certainty  be  proved 
to  have  been  recognized  by  our  Lord 
as  Scripture,  are  '  The  Law,  the  Proph- 
ets, and  the  Psalms'  (or  according  to 
the  briefer  and  more  usual  fornuda,  as 
in  Matt.  vii.  12;  xi.  13;  xxii.  40,  etc., 
'The  Law  and  the  Prophets').  See 
Acts  ii.  30. 

"  The  other  books  of  our  fathers,  or 


;he  other  books  mentioned  by  SiracUdes, 
and  '  the  other  writings '  referred  to  by 
Philo  (who  flourished  about  A.  D.  40) ; 
or '  the  non-prophetical  books'  (by  them 
so  spoken  of,  therefore,  as  if  they  were 
distinct  from  and  belonged  to  neither 
of  the  three  divisions  into  which  the 
Scriptures  proper  were  divided),  may 
have  been  added,  indeed,  as  a  sort  of 
appendage,  and  probably  were ;  just  as 
the  Jews  of  Alexandria  added  to  their 
Greek  version  of  the  Hebrew  Scrip- 
tures the  writings  of  the  Greek  Apoc- 
rypha, and  just  as  the  Church  of  Eng- 
land to  this  day  appends  to  its  printed 
Bibles  books  which  it  believes  to  be  un- 
inspired. But,  though  added,  there  is 
no  ground  whatever  for  supposing  that 
they  formed  part  of  Scripture  proper, 
or  were  collected  or  appended  as  di- 
vinely inspired,  or  were  regarded  as 
such  until  the  time  of  Josephus,  i.  e., 
until  after  the  destruction  of  Jerusa- 
lem."— 2'Ae  Law,  the  Prophets,  and  the 
Psalms,  by  J.  Collyer  Knight,  18G6, 
p.  42. 

III.  THE  BOOKS  OF  THE  AUTHOR- 
IZED VERSION  OF  THE  BIBLE 
■WHICH  ARE  NOT  PLENARILY 
INSPIRED. 

In  what  estimation,  then,  are  we  to 
hold  those  books  of  the  Bible  which 
are  not  the  plenarily  inspireti  Word 
OF  God?  This  is  an  important  in- 
quiry, a  brief  answer  to  which  I  wiU 
attempt,  because  most  unjust  objections 
liave  been  preferred  against  tlie  New 
Church  on  this  point,  as  though  we 
depreciated  these  writings,  when,  in 
reality,  we  hold  tliem  in  as  much  ven- 
eration as  other  Christian  denomina- 
tions do,  difl'ering  with  them,  however, 
in  this,  that  we  look  upon  those  books 
which  bear  undeniable  evidence  of 
liaving  been  written  by  plenary  in- 
spiration, according  to  the  science  of 
correspondences  and  representatives, 
with  more  reverence  and  as  of  weight- 


THE  TWO  BOOKS  OF  CHRONICLES. 


657 


ier  moment  to  us,  than  any  other  Cliris- 
tians  do.  This  has  been  already  shown. 
Those  books  of  the  Protestant  canonical 
Bible  which  we  regard  a-s  composed,  at 
the  most,  under  a  secondary  degree  of 
inspiration,  or  in  a  state  of  illumina- 
tion, are,  in  the  Old  Testament,  tliose 
of  Ruth,  the  first  and  second  of  Chron- 
icles, Ezra,  Nehcmiah,  Esther,  Job, 
Proverbs,  Ecclesiastes,  and  tlie  Song 
of  Solomon ;  in  the  Xew  Testament, 
the  Acts  and  the  Epistles  of  the  ajjos- 
tles. 

The  following  is  a  brief  sketch  of 
the  books  in  the  Old  Testament  men- 
tioned above,  and  the  opinions  of  many 
critics  and  divines  respecting  them. 

"These,"  in  the  words  of  Philo- 
Judasus,  applied  by  him  to  most  of  the 
above  books  of  the  Old  Testament,  "we 
regard  as  other  writings  by  which  knowl- 
edge and  piety  are  increased  and  per- 
/ected." — Op.  II.,  p.  475  (cited  by 
Stuart). 

"  The  sacred  writers  were,  therefore," 
says  Gaussen,  "sometimes  inspired;  the 
Hoh  Scriptures,  or  Word  of  God,  al- 
ways."— Theopneustos,  p.  482. 

"The  contents  of  Euth,  the  Prov- 
erbs, Ecclesiastes,  the  Song  of  Solomon, 
and  Xehemiah  are  such  as  not  to  afford 
any  obvious  reason  or  occasion  for  as- 
cribing to  them  a  sacred  character." — 
27ie  Pentateuch^  by  2sorton,  edited  by 
Taylor,  p.  21. 

Theodore  of  Mopsuesta,  Avho  lived  at 
the  beginning  of  the  fifth  century,  and 
who  W'as  in  early  youth  the  friend  of 
Chrysostom,  and  one  of  the  most  dis- 
tinginshed  ornaments  of  the  celebrated 
school  of  Antioch,  rejected  from  the 
plenarily  inspired  canon  of  the  Old 
Testament  the  writings  of  Solomon, 
the  Chronicles,  Job,  Ezra,  and  Eccle- 
siastes ;  and  in  the  New  Testament,  ac- 
coi-ding  to  Leontius  (1.  c,  p.  73)  the 
catholic  Epistles. — See  Dr.  Lee^s  Inspi- 
ration, appendix,  pp.  49fi,  497  ;  and  also 
Rudelbach,  Zeitschrift,  for  1840. 

2 


THE  TAVO  BOOKS  OF  CHRONICLES. 

These  books  are  called  in  Hebrew 
"  the  words  of  the  days,"  "  diaries,"  or 
"journals;"  and  in  the  Greek  "))ara- 
leipomena,"  or  "  things  left  out,"  and 
were  regarded  as  supplementary  to  the 
sacred  books  of  Samuel  and  the  Kings. 
The  Jews  comprise  the  two  books  in 
one.  They  were  written  after  the 
Babylonish  captivity,  and  were  first 
called  Chronicles  by  Jerome,  because 
they  contain  an  abridgment  of  .Jewish 
genealogy  and  history,  comj)iled  from 
the  national  registers,  journals,  diaries, 
or  annals.  These  books  were  probably 
called  "Books  of  the  Kings  of  Judah 
and  Israel,"  for  circumstances  are  re- 
ferred to  in  the  second  book  of  Chron- 
icles as  written  in  such  books,  but  which 
are  not  to  be  found  in  the  canonical 
books  of  Kings,  as  2  Chron.  xvi.  11 ; 
xxi. ;  xxiv.  27  ;  xxv.  26  ;  xxxii.  32 ; 
xxxiii.  18  ;  xxxv.  27  ( Gray  and  Percy's 
Key,  p.  107). 

"  De  Wette  and  other  learned  and 
eminent  critics  afllrm  that  these  books 
cannot  be  considered  trustworthy,  where 
they  vary  from  the  earlier  historians,  or 
add  to  their  accounts." — J.  J.  Taylor, 
B.  A.,  note  to  Norton's  Pentateuch. 

Ewald  thinks  that,  with  the  books  of 
Ezra  and  Xehemiah,  the  Chronicles 
formed  part  of  a  late  universal  his- 
tory—a "Jerusalem  Chronicle,"  as 
he  calls  it — written  at  the  commence- 
ment of  the  Greek  ascendancy,  per- 
haps in  the  age  of  Alexander  the 
Great.— (See  also  De  Welles  Critical 
Essay  on  the  Credibility  of  the  Books 
of  Chronicles.) 

According  to  the  researches  of  Morey 
(pp.  64,  81,  2G8,  326),  the  Chronicles 
are  a  compilation  from  the  canonical 
books  of  Samuel  and  the  Kings ;  and 
some  other  historical  doc\iraents  of  a 
date,  it  would  appear  (though  this  may 
be  doubted)  anterior  to  the  captivity 
(pp.  95, 103).    It  appears,  indeed,  from 


658 


APPENDIX. 


the  Levitical  citations,  to  liave  been  a 
Midrash,  or  paraplirase  and  explana- 
tion of  the  Books  of  the  Kings,  in  the 
spirit  of  the  times  succeeding  tlie  cap- 
tivity (p.  175).  They  contain  veminis- 
cences  of  other  books,  Job,  and  the 
later  Psalms,  and  put  speeches  into  the 
months  of  the  historical  characters, 
which  are  at  variance  with  chronology 
(p.  182).  The  additions  consist  mostly 
of  genealogical  tables  and  catalogues 
of  names,  but  some  are  derived  from 
tradition  (p.  195).  The  language  be- 
trays the  later  date  of  the  compilation 
(p.  183),  which  forms,  as  it  were,  a 
transition  to  the  Apocrypha  (p.  194). 
He  dates  their  origin  between  B.  C. 
478  and  B.  C.  330 ;  but  unfortunately 
appears  not  to  have  studied  the  pro- 
found researches  of  Zunz,  from  wliich 
it  appears  that  they  could  not  have 
been  earlier  than  B.  C.  260.  (See  Zunz, 
VoH  de  Judcn,  pp.  21,  33.)  Note  4  to 
Von  Bohlen's  Int.  to  Genesis,  by  Hey- 
wood,  vol.  i.,  p.  104. 

It  is  supposed  by  many  commentators 
that  these  annals  have  been  so  corrupt- 
ed and  nnitilatcd  in  minute  particulai's, 
and  so  carelessly  transcribed  as  to  num- 
bere,  dates,  and  names,  as  to  have  de- 
terred the  Hebrew  writers  from  com- 
menting on  them.  (See  Gray  and  Per- 
oj's  Key,  p.  109.)  The  last  two  verses 
have  evidently  been  added  by  mistake 
from  the  book  of  Ezra,  where  we  find 
them  repeated  in  the  first  chapter,  vs. 
1,  2,  3.  They  are  supposed  by  some  to 
have  been  the  last  books  admitted  into 
the  Jewish  canon.  "  It  is  now  allowed 
on  all  hands  that  the  Chronicles  were 
completed  long  after  the  [Babylonish] 
captivity." — Bunscn'g  Keys  of  St.  Peter, 
p.  122.  " 

These  books  are  not,  however,  with- 
out some  use  and  value  in  a  philolog- 
ical point  of  view,  and  as  containing 
chronological  and  liistorical  fact.s,  and 
imj)orlant  genealogies,  in  reference  to 
the  kingdom  of  Judah,  and  some  facts 


which  render  the  prophetic  records 
more  intelligible. 

Indeed,    most  of  the  Neologists  in 
criticism,  who  sympathize  with  him, 
consider  and  treat  the  books  of  the 
Chronicles  as  a  mere  '  farrago  of  scraps,' 
made  up  partly  from  written  records, 
partly  from  tradition,  partly  by  a  su- 
I  perstitious  reverence  for  the  priesthood 
I  and  the  ritual  law,  and  partly  by  the 
!  vainglorious  boasting  of  a  Jew  in  re- 
!  spect  to  the  royal  race  of  David,  and 
j  the  tribes  which  adhered  to  the  Davidic 
dynasty.    Hence  they  give  little  credit 
j  indeed  to  the  testimony  of  these  books. 
The  devout  and  reverential  reader  of 
the  Old  Testament  has,  it  must  be  con- 
fessed, some  difficulties  of  a  serious  na- 
ture to  encounter  in  the  Chronicles. 
Tlie  tyro  in  mattere  of  sacred  criticism 
must  certainly  feel  that  he  has  some- 
what of  a  formidable  task  before  liini, 
especially  if  he  adopts  the  theory  of 
plenary  verbal  inf:piralion."  —  Stuart'h 
Crit.  Hist,  and  Defence  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment Canon.    Dr.  Davidson's  Eng.  ed., 
p.  150. 

"  Ezra,  the  priest,  is  supposed  by 
some  to  have  been  the  compiler ;  and 
besides  the  histories  of  Israel  and  Ju- 
dah, to  have  had  in  view  the  preserva- 
tion of  the  regulations,  arrangements, 
and  genealogies  of  the  priests  and  Le- 
vites,  their  families,  orders,  and  duties, 
to  excite  among  the  Jews  a  lioly  zeal 
in  the  great  work  of  restoring  the  tem- 
ple and  woi-sliip  of  Jehovah.  Vata- 
blus,  Hoflhian,  C.  AVordsworth,  and 
others,  aflirm  that  the  compiler  is  un- 
known. In  Pool's  Annotations  it  is 
said  that  the  fii^st  book  of  Chronicles 
was  kept  probably  by  the  Samaritans, 
and  written  to  su{)ply  sucli  mattei"s  as 
were  considered  to  have  been  omitted 
in  the  books  of  Kings.  The  learned 
Slackhousc,  following  the  opinion  of 
Prideaux.  excluded  the  two  books  of 
Chronicles  from  the  canon.  De  Wette 
isays,  'that  the  book  of  Chronicles  is 


EZRA,  NEHEMIAH  AND  RUTH. 


659 


not  an  lionest  and  tnistwortliy  narra- 
tive, and  must  be  used  witli  great  cau- 
tion as  an  authority,  where  anytliing  is 
involved  wliich  aflects  Levitical  iuiiu- 
ence.'  " —  Newman's  Hist,  of  the  Hah. 
Monarchy,  etc.,  Lond.,  1847,  p.  146.  See 
also  Parkei's  Translation  of  De  Welt(^s 
Introduction  to  the  Canon  of  Scripture. 

EZRA  AND  XEHEMIAH. 

Calmet  asserts  that  tlie  books  of  Ezra 
and  Nehemiah  were  not  included  in 
the  earliest  canon. — (See  Diet.,  art. 
Scripture.) 

These  books  were  anciently  reckoned 
one,  and  were  called  the  first  and  sec- 
ond books  of  Ezra,  and  in  the  Thirty- 
nine  Articles  of  the  Church  of  England, 
the  first  and  second  books  of  Esdras. 
This  division  is  recognized  by  both  the 
Greek  and  Latin  churches.  A  third 
book  is  regai-ded  by  Protestants  as  in- 
terpolated, and  a  fourth  as  a  forgery. 

These  books  contain  a  narrative  of 
events  from  the  return  of  the  Jews  from 
Babylonish  exile,  extending  over  a  pe- 
riod of  130  years,  beginning  with  the 
edict  of  Cyrus,  B.  C.  536.  They  are 
valuable  for  the  elucidation  of  Jewish 
history,  as  containing  registers  of  the 
returning  exiles,  the  account  of  the  re- 
building and  completion  of  the  second 
temple  at  .Jerusalem  (B.  C.  515),  and 
as  evidences  of  the  literal  accompli.sh- 
ment  of  several  prophecies  contained 
in  Haggai  and  Zechariah.  The  second 
book  is  attributed  by  most  writers  to 
Nehemiah,  who  was  cup-bearer  to  Artax- 
erxes  Longimanus,  king  of  Persia, — not 
the  Isehemiah  who  returned  from  cap- 
tivity wfth  Zerubbabel.  By  the  uni- 
versal consent  of  antiquity,  Ezra  first 
collected  the  books  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment, arranged  them  in  order,  and 
wrote  them  out  in  the  Chaldee  charac- 
ter,— the  Jews  having  lost  the  use  of 
the  ancient  Hebrew  language  during 
their  seventy  years'  sojourn  in  Babylon. 
On  this  account,  and  apparently  for  no 


other  reason  whatever,  these  writings 
bear  his  name.  There  is  no  direct  quo- 
tation from,  or  obvious  reference  to, 
these  books  throughout  the  New  Testa- 
ment. 

Calmet  affirms  in  his  Diet.,  art.  Scrip., 
that  the  books  of  Esther  and  Neiiemiah 
were  not  included  in  the  sacred  canon 
by  Ezra.  And  the  learned  Stackhouse, 
who  followed  the  opinion  of  Dean  Pri- 
deaux,  further  excludes  the  two  books 
of  Chronicles,  none  of  which  appear  to 
have  been  added  till  the  time  of  Simon 
the  .Just.  It  was  160  years  after  the 
death  of  Ezra  to  the  appointment  of 
Simon  to  the  office  of  High  Priest,  who 
was  the  son  of  Onias,  the  previous  High 
Priest,  and  the  successor  of  Simon.  It 
was  the  opinion  of  the  ancient  Rabbins, 
of  the  Chaldee  Parajjhrast  .St.  Jerome, 
and  some  others,  that  Ezra  and  Malachi 
were  the  same  individual,  the  former 
being  his  proper  name,  and  the  latter 
the  name  of  his  office,  as  it  means  an(jcl, 
or  messenger. — (See  Haggai  i.  13;  Mai. 
iii.  1.) 

"  The  book  of  Neiiemiah  was  origi- 
nally united  with  that  of  Ezra,  as 
forming  together  with  it  one  work,  to 
which  the  name  of  the  latter  was  given  ; 
and  it  appears  that  Ezra  was  regarded 
as  in  some  sense  the  author  of  both. 
Each  of  these  two  books,  moreover, 
appear  to  be  a  compilation  inartificially 
put  together,  so  as  to  occasion  historical 
and  chronological  difficulties.  Only  a 
portion  of  each  can  be  referred  to  the 
individual  whose  name  it  bears."  — 
Ibid.,  p.  22.) 

RUTH. 

This  little  book  relates  the  interesting 
history  of  Ruth,  a  native  of  Moab,  but 
a  proselyte  to  Israel,  and  of  her  kins- 
man Boaz,  w'hose  son  Obed  was  the 
grandfather  of  David.  It  evinces  the 
presence  of  the  Divine  Providence  with 
those  who  are  faithful  to  the  Lord's 
precepts  and  resigned  to  his  disjoen- 


660 


APPENDIX. 


sations,  and  illustrates  the  manner  in  ' 
wliicli  apparent  evil  is  always  over- 
ruled, in  their  experience,  for  positive 
good.  A  principal  object  of  the  un- 
known author  was,  however,  to  record 
a  link  in  the  genealogy  of  David,  and 
his  descent  from  Judah  during  ten  gen- 
erations, but  tlie  book  has  no  evidence 
whatever  of  being  divinely  inspired. 
The  history  is  generally  considered  as 
belonging  to  the  same  period  as  that  of 
the  book  of  Judges,  and  is  placed  by 
Bishop  Tomline  about  1250  B.  C,  but 
the  chronology  is  very  uncertain.  It 
has  been  attributed  by  some  to  Ezra 
the  Scribe,  by  others  to  Hezekiah.  The 
Talmudists  reckon  it  as  a  book  of  the 
Hagriographa ;  there  is  no  reference  to 
it  in  the  New  Testament. 

ESTHER, 

The  female  whose  history  is  related 
in  this  book  was  a  Jewish  captive,  named 
Esther,  or  Edessa,  or  Iladassa,  who  ap- 
pears to  have  been  promoted  to  the 
throne  of  Persia.  The  events  recorded 
are  supposed  to  come  in  between  the 
Cth  and  7th  chajiters  of  Ezra,  and  to 
extend  over  a  period  not  exceeding 
twenty  years.  Of  khig  Ahasuerus  noth- 
ing appears  to  ])e  known  in  liistory. 
Archbishop  Usher  supposed  that  he 
was  Darius  Ilytaspes ;  Scaliger  and 
others  contended  lliat  he  was  Xerxes; 
Josephus  and  Dean  Prideaux  consid- 
ered that  he  was  Artaxerxes  Longima- 
nus,  and  the  name  is  always  so  trans- 
lated in  the  Septuagint  version ;  others 
have  asserted,  however,  that  he  was 
Cyaxeres,  and  others  again  affirm  that 
Cambyses  is  meant.  It  is  not  known 
with  the  least  certainty  who  was  the 
author.  Some  have  attributed  it  to 
Mordecai,  her  uncle  (ix.  20);  others 
have  contended  that  it  was  composed 
by  Joachim,  the  High  Priest;  and 
others,  again,  have  ascribed  it  to  Ezra. 
The  Talmudists  regarded  it  as  a  pro- 
duction of  the  joint  labors  of  the  Great 


Synagogue  which  succeeded  Ezra. — (See 
Gray  and  Percy's  Key,  p.  119.) 

Some  commentators  have  been  of 
opinion  that  it  was  translated  from  the 
Persian  chronicles.  {Kotting.  Thesau. 
PhiloL,  lib.  ii.,  cat.  i.,  p.  488.  Aben. 
Ez.  Com.  in  Proem.  Selden  in  TheoL,  lib. 
iii.,  exercit.  5,  p.  486.  Gray  and  Percy's 
Key,  p.  122.)  The  authenticity  of  the 
entire  production  has  been  widely  ques- 
tioned, and  the  chronology  is  most  un- 
certain. There  is  no  reference  to  it  in 
the  New  Testament.  It  contains  no 
prophecy,  no  allusion  to  the  doctrines 
of  religion,  and  is  in  no  way  distin- 
guished from  ordinary  history.  It  af- 
fords not  the  slightest  indication  of 
being  inspired,  even  in  the  lowest  sense ; 
indeed,  the  name  of  God,  or  Lord,  or 
any  other  appellation  by  which  the  God 
of  Israel  was  known,  never  once  occurs 
in  it. 

The  Gi-eek  and  Romish  vei-sions 
reckon  six  chapters  and  ten  verses  more 
than  the  authorized  English  translation, 
which  are  not  extant  in  Hebrew,  and 
are  supposed  to  have  been  forged  by 
some  Hellenistic  Jew.  It  was  not  re- 
garded as  canonical  by  Jlelito  ;  Athan- 
asius  rejected  it  altogether;  and  Greg- 
ory Nazicnzen  (A.  D.  370)  had  such 
grave  doubts  respecting  it,  (hat  he  omit- 
ted it  altogether  from  his  canon.  (See 
J.  CoUyer  Knight,  on  The  Lau\  the 
Prophe(s,  and  the  Psalms,  p.  50.)  Calmet 
asserts  that  it  was  not  inserted  in  the 
earliest  canon.  (Sec  Stuart's  canon.) 
Luther  expressed  a  wish  that  it  might 
be  expunged  from  the  Protestant  canon. 
( Conv.  Sei-m.,  p.  494,  and  Lib.  A^-bit.,  torn, 
iii.,  p.  82.)  Gilfillan  calls  it  "a  fine 
romantic  fragment  of  Jewish  history." 
"That  the  Iwok  of  Esther  is,  for  the 
most  part,  a  translated  extract  from  the 
Book  of  the  Chronicles  of  the  Kings  of 
^redia  and  Persia,"  is  a  point  which 
Dr.  Henderson  remarks,  "  is  now  very 
generally  admitted  amcmg  those  who 
are  conversant  with  Biblical  criticism" 


JOB. 


661 


(Insp.,  p.  322) ;  but  Dc  Wctte  affirms 
that  "  it  violates  all  historical  i)robabil- 
ity,  and  contains  the  most  striking  diffi- 
culties, and  many  errors  in  regard  to  Per- 
sian manners."  ((!  198,  a.)  Dr.  David- 
son, in  liis  Introductory  Essay  to  Stu- 
arl's  Canon,  observes  that  "  the  books  of 
Esther,  Kcelesiastes,and  Solomon's  iSong, 
present  perplexing  anomalies,  which 
have  never  been  cleared  away."  (P.  xv.) 

JOB. 

This  book  appears  to  be  a  verj'  an- 
cient dramatic  composition,  of  wonder- 
ful power  and  great  poetic  beaut)',  de- 
signed to  personify  integrity  towards 
God. 

Dr.  C.  Middleton  says:  "The  book 
of  .Job,  according  to  the  most  probable 
opinion,  is  nothing  else  but  a  kind  of 
fable,  or  poetic  drama,  designed  to  in- 
culcate the  certainty  of  a  Divine  Prov- 
idence ;  the  duty  of  patience  in  afflic- 
tions, and  of  submission  to  the  will  of 
God  under  all  his  dispensations,  Low 
severe  or  afflicting  soever  they  may  hap- 
pen to  be.  This  was  the  sense  of  tlie 
most  ancient  and  learned  Jews,  who  had 
no  clear  account  or  probable  tradition 
concerning  either  Job  himself,  or  the 
author  of  the  book,  which  some  ascribe 
to  Closes ;  some  to  David ;  some  to  Isaiali, 
or  one  of  the  later  prophets ;  while  others 
suppose  it  to  have  been  written  after  the 
Babylonish  captivity:  yet  all  of  them 
seem  to  think  that  Job  himself,  if  such 
a  person  ever  really  existed,  must  have 
lived  in  the  times  of  the  Patriarchs. 
But,  be  that  as  it  will,  it  is  evident  that 
every  part  of  the  book  breathes  a  dra- 
matic and  fabulous  air :  the  council  of 
anfieh  convoked  by  God;  the  appearance 
of  Satan  among  them  ;  his  debate  with  God, 
and  commission  from  Him;  the  several 
speeches  of  Job  and  his  friends;  the  con- 
clusion of  the  whole  by  the  appearance  of 
God  himself  in  a  whirlwind  ;  and  all  this, 
as  the  critics  observe,  delivered  in  verse, 
make  it  highly  probable,  or  certain 
56 


rather,  that  it  was  intended,  as  T  have 
said,  for  an  instructive  or  morcd  drama. 
Yet  we  find  it  referred  to  by  Ezekiel 
and  St.  .James,  in  the  same  manner  as 
if  it  were  a  real  history  ;  because  its 
moral  or  doctrinal  part  could  not  fail 
to  have  the  same  efiect  in  one  way  as  in 
the  other."    {Essay,  etc.) 

From  the  mention  of  Job  in  Ezek. 
xiv.  14,  and  James  v.  11,  most  Chris- 
tian commentators  have  regarded  Job 
as  a  real  person.  From  its  Aramwan 
and  Arabic  diction  it  is  supposed  to 
have  been  written  either  by  an  Aramaean 
or  an  Arabian,  and  though  containing 
no  allusion  whatever  to  Jewish  history, 
it  has  been  quoted  by  almost  every  un- 
insjiired  Hebrew  writer  from  the  age  of 
Moses  to  that  of  Malachi.  It  contains 
very  important  instructions,  and  trans- 
mits to  us  tlie  earliest  records  of  the 
patriarchal  doctrines  of  religion.  It  is 
said  by  Home  to  approximate  in  its 
form  to  the  Mekana,  or  philosophical 
discourses  of  the  Arabian  poets.  "  Who 
wrote  it  ?  When  was  it  tvritten  ?  When 
annexed  to  the  Canon  ?  "  says  Stuart, "  are 
questions  about  which  there  has  been, 
and  will  be,  endless  dispute."  The 
book  is  mentioned  by  neither  Philo  nor 
Josephus. 

"This  book,"  says  the  Eev.  S.  Xoble, 
"  makes  nearer  approaches  to  the  char- 
acter of  an  inspired  composition  [than 
any  of  those  we  have  considei-ed],  hav- 
ing been  written  in  very  ancient  times, 
by  a  highly  illuminated  person,  deeply 
grounded  in  the  wisdom  of  those  times, 
and  in  the  science  of  correspondences, 
which  formed  a  great  part  of  that  wis- 
dom :  whence  the  book  is  composed  in 
a  style  approaching  to  that  of  the  Word 
itself,  being  written  by  correspondences, 
and  thence  containing  an  internal  sense, 
though  not  exactly  of  the  same  kind, 
nor  arranged  in  the  same  perfect  order 
and  unbroken  series,  as  is  the  intei'nal 
sense  of  the  Sacred  Books  themselves." 
— Int.  Rep.,  New  Series,  Vol.  ii.,  p.  378. 


662 


APPENDIX. 


"  The  book  of  Job  is,  by  learned  the- 
ologians, said  not  to  be  a  Hebrew  pro- 
duction. Job  lived  in  the  land  of  Luz 
— Aramen — of  which  Edom  was  a  dis- 
trict, and  Arabia  our  modern  designa- 
tion. Job  was  not  a  Hebrew  of  the 
Hebrews,  but  an  Arabian;  and,  accord- 
ing to  Hales,  his  probable  epoch  was 
about  2337  B.  C,  that  is,  from  600  to 
800  years  before  'Moses."— Gliddon's 
Ancient  Eg'jpt,  p.  12. 

The  Hindoos  have  a  beautiful  drama, 
similarly  constructed  to  the  book  of  Job, 
v.-hich  gives  an  account  of  "  a  perfect 
man,"  called  Ara-Chaudram,  and  who 
is  represented  as  the  sovereign  of  a  large 
kingdom.  For  a  detail  of  the  leading 
facts,  and  a  comparison  of  them  with 
those  which  occur  in  .Job,  see  Eoberls's  i 
Oriental  Illmt.,  2d  ed.,  pp.  245-254.  ] 

'■  Our  opinion  on  the  book  of  Job 
agrees  with  those  who  consider  it  a  | 
parable  to  explain  the  difi'erent  opin-  j 
ions  on  Divine  Providence.    Some  of  | 
our  rabbis  expressed  themselves  in  the  \ 
Talmud  by  the  words '  Job  never  really 
existed,  but  is  only  a  fable ; '  others,  who 
maintained  liis  real  existence,  did  not 
all  agree  as  to  the  time  and  the  place 
where  he  lived,  so  that  some  of  them 
thought  him  to  have  been  a  contempo- 
rary of  the  patriarchs ;  others  place  him 
coeval  with  Mose.s;  others,  again,  fix  his 
period  in  the  reign  of  David ;  and,  last 
of  all,  some  class  him  among  those  who 
returned  from  Babylon;  which  differ- 
ences only  strengthen  the  opinion  that 
he  never  existed." — Morch  Nibuchim, 
part  3,  ch.  22,  trans.  M.  B.  II.,  IM. 
Review,  vol.  ii.,  1835,  p.  184. 

PROVERBS. 

This  book  contains  a  collection  of 
concise  and  sententious  maxims  for  the 
regulation  of  the  life,  designed  to  ad- 
monisli  the  young  and  to  urge  them  to 
the  diligent  study  of  true  wisdom.  "We 
are  not,"  says  Bislio])  Hopkins, "gener- 
ally to  expect  connection  citlier  of  sense 


or  sentences  in  this  book  of  Prov- 
erbs." 

Many  of  them  have  evidently  de- 
scended from  very  ancient  times,  and 
some  are  founded  on  correspondence. 
This  collection  of  Proverbs  has  usually 
been  ascribed  to  Solomon,  though  doubts 
have  been  entertained  whether  he  really 
was  the  compiler  of  the  whole.  It  also 
includes  the  Proverbs  said  to  have  been 
transcribed  or  copied  out  by  the  scribes 
of  Hezekiah,  king  of  Judah,  whom  he 
employed  to  restore  the  services  and 
writings  of  the  Jewish  dispensation 
(Prov.  XXV.  1) ;  the  instructions  deliv- 
ered by  .\gur  to  his  pupils  Ithiel  and 
Ucal  (Prov.  xxx.  1) ;  and  the  precepts 
of  King  Lemuel  by  his  mother  (xxxi. 
1).  There  is  no  trace  of  plenary  inspi- 
ration in  tliem ;  and  "with  regard  to  the 
interpretation  of  them,"  says  Isicholls, 
"  it  is  imijortant  to  remark  that  some 
of  them,  though  expressed  without 
limitation,  are  yet  not  to  be  understood 
as  univei-sally  true." — Help  to  Beading 
the  Bible,  pp.  264,  265. 

"  Tlie  book  of  Proverbs  never  once 
appeals  to  tlie  Pentateuch,  and  owing 
to  this  and  other  discrepancies  from 
the  book  of  the  law,  was  onl_v  adopted 
into  the  canon  after  strong  opposition." 
— Tract.  Schabh.,  ch.  ii.,  fo.  30  ;  see  also 
Von  Bohlcn,  Int.  to  Gen. 

ECCI-ESIASTES. 

This  book,  like  the  former,  is  tradi- 
tionally attributed  to  Solomon.  In 
Hebrew  it  received  its  name  from  the 
initial  words — "The  words  of  the 
preacher."  Its  object  seems  to  have 
been  to  demonstrate  the  eternal  dura- 
tion of  the  soul,  the  vanity  of  all 
earthly  conditions  and  pleasures,  and 
the  inestimalde  advantages  of  religion ; 
"that  .skepticism  never  satisfies  and 
quiets  the  mind,  and  the  deliverance 
from  it  is  the  greatest  of  all  good,  as 
well  as  the  highest  duty  "  (see  Stuart). 

"As  it  stands  in  our  Vulgate,"  !<ays  a 


ECCLESIASTES  AND  CANTICLES. 


663 


modem  writer,  "it  certainly  bears  but 
few  marks  of  inspiration,  and,  indeed, 
we  cannot  but  feel  tliat  it  needed  none 
to  its  production.  Valuable  and  inter- 
esting in  its  own  way,  especially  from 
its  age  and  authorship,  and  more  ])ar- 
ticularly  from  the  impressive  and  ed- 
ifying nature  of  its  last  chapter,  com- 
mentators have  rather  looked  ui)on  it 
as  the  moralizing  of  a  Jewish  Dr. 
Johnson,  founded  entirely  on  worldly 
experience — the  'night  thoughts'  of 
the  wise  king,  wlien  the  world  went 
wrong  with  him — tlian  one  of  super- 
human authority,  justifying  the  faith 
and  hopes  of  the  Christian  reader." 
It  contains  no  prophecy,  and  is  not  re- 
ferred to  in  the  New  Testament.  "  Tlie 
claims  of  Solomon  to  be  the  author  of 
Ecclesiastes  liave  not  passed  entirely 
without  dispute."  In  prop,  iv.,  p.  348, 
of  his  Demonstratio  Evangelica,  Huet 
refutes  the  opinions  of  Grotius,  wlio 
ascribes  the  work  to  Zenibbabel ;  of 
the  Talmudists,  who  considered  Heze- 
kiah  to  be  tlie  author  ;  and  of  Kimchi, 
who  ascribes  it  to  Isaiah.  Huet  de- 
cides with  St.  Jerome  and  Leusden  in 
favor  of  Solomon.  Jahn  says  that  "  it 
is  impossible  to  say  who  was  the  au- 
thor." Zirkel,  in  liis  Critical  Examina- 
tion (pub.  1792),  considers  it  to  have 
been  written  by  some  of  the  later  He- 
brew writers,  between  tlie  years  3S0  and 
130  B.  C,  or  long  after  the  time  of  the 
latest  inspired  Hebrew  prophet.  The 
Jena  Reviewers  ascribe  it  to  a  Jew  of 
Alexandria,  about  240  B.  C.  As  to  tliis 
book,  it  is  full  of  ancient  wisdom,  and 
Desvoeux  thinks  it  is  designed  "  to  prove 
the  immortality  of  the  soul,  or  rather 
the  necessity  of  another  state  after  this 
life,  from  such  arguments  as  may  be 
afforded  by  reason  and  exj)erience" 
{Pliilosop.  and  Crit.  Essays  on  Eccl.; 
Maltbij's  Sermons,  notes,  vol.  ii.,  p.  493  ; 
Dr.  A.  Clark^s  Comment.).  Jahn  asserts 
that  "  the  contents  are  not  adapted  to 
the  multitude;"  and  that  "the  inten- 


tion of  the  writer  was  to  repress  the 
restless  and  eager  efforts  of  men,  whicli 
hurry  them  on  in  heaping  up  wealth, 
in  securing  plea.sures,  and  in  acquir- 
ing honors ;  and  at  the  same  time  to 
instruct  them  not  to  increase  tlie 
troubles  of  life  by  denying  themselves 
the  enjoyment  of  harmless,  though  un- 
certain and  fleeting  pleasures." — In- 
Irod.,  pp.  215,  217. 

Stuart  writes  that  "the  philosophic 
doubts  and  puzzles  of  Ecclesiastes,  and 
the  manner  of  discussing  them,  haj'e 
no  parallel  either  in  Proverbs,  or  in 
any  other  part  of  the  Hebrew  Scrip- 
tures. They  remind  one  of  many 
things  discussed  by  Socrates  in  the 
Dialogues  of  Plato." — Crit.  Hist,  and 
Defence  of  the  0.  T.  Canon,  Dr.  David- 
son's Eng.  ed.,  p.  129. 

"In  Vayyikra  Babba  (?  28,  p.  IGl,  c. 
2)  it  is  said,  'Our  wise  men  weie  desir- 
ous to  keep  back  or  conceal  the  book 
of  Coheleth,  because  they  found  in  it 
words  which  might  lead  to  heresy.' 
The  Talmud  speaks  of  some'wdio  found 
contradictions  in  it.'  I  have  seen  some 
among  the  Jews,  who  maintained  that 
the  book  teaches  the  doctrines  of  Epi- 
curus."— lb.,  p.  337. 

If  it  were  the  production  of  Solomon, 
it  must,  it  is  said  by  some,  have  been 
composed  in  his  old  age,  when  he  had 
recovered  from  the  partial  apostacy 
into  which  he  had  allowed  himself  to 
be  most-  unhappily  betrayed  by  his 
idolatrous  wives.  In  this  case  it  may 
have  been  the  residt  of  serious  reflec- 
tion, and  it  is  hoped  of  deep  repentance. 

THE  SONG  OF  SOLOMON. 

This  book,  otherwise  entitled  "A 
Song  of  Songs,"  is  supposed  by  many 
commentators  to  have  been  written  by 
Solomon,  or  some  contemporary,  as  an 
Epithalamium,  on  the  occasion  of  his 
marriage  with  an  Ethiopian,  and  gen- 
tile daughter  of  Pharaoh  Shishak,  or 
Shishank,  King  of  Egypt,  under  whose 


APPENDIX. 


influence  he  established  in  Israel  an 
infamous  idolatry.  It  contains  many 
correspondences,  and  many  beautiful 
metaj)hors, — but  exhibits  no  connected 
series,  like  the  pure  inspired  Word  of 
God.  It  contains  no  prediction,  is 
never  quoted  in  Scripture,  and  is  only 
received  as  tradition.  It  serves,  how- 
ever, the  important  purpose  of  supply- 
ing illustration  and  contirmation  as  to 
the  meaning  of  many  Hebrew  words, 
and  some  ancient  correspondences.  A 
writer  in  the  Crit.  Bib.  observes  re- 
specting this  book,  that  "  it  is  a  mere 
human  composition ;  that  there  is  not 
the  least  intimation  in  it  of  a  preten- 
sion or  claim  to  inspiration  ;  no  'Thus 
SAiTH  THE  Lord  ;'  that  it  does  not 
once  mention  the  name  of  God ;  and 
that  we  have  no  quotation  from  it  in 
the  New  Testament ;"  and  is  disposed 
to  ascribe  it  to  some  unknown  contem- 
porary writer ;  that  "  while  it  may  still 
be  suited  to  the  tastes  and  habits  of 
oriental  nations,  with  us,  in  the  occi- 
dental world,  it  is  better,  for  many  rea- 
sons, to  abstain  from  the  use  of  it ;" 
and  that  "  it  has  had  its  day."  (Vol. 
iv.,  p.  557). 

Dr.  Adam  Clarke  says,  "  there  have 
been  some  doubts  concerning  the  au- 
thor of  this  book  Strictly  sjjeak- 

ing,  the  Book  of  Canticles  is  neither 
an  Ode,  an  Idyll,  a  Pa.-<toral,  or  an  Epi- 
thalamium ;  it  is  rather  a  c<)mj)osUion 
aui  (jcneris,  and  seems  to  partake  more  of 
the  nature  of  what  we  call  a  Mask,  than 
anything  else, — an  entertainment  for 
tlie  guests  who  attended  the  marriage 
ceremony,  with  adraimtiic  cast  through- 
out the  whole,  though  the  perxom  who 
speak  and  act  are  not  formally  intro- 
duced The  name  of  God  is  not 

fotnul  in  it ;  nor  is  it  quoted  in  the  New 

Testament  Is  it  not  a  xery  solemn 

and  indeed  awful  thing  to  say,  '  Thin  /.f 
the  voice  of  Chri.ft  to  His  Chtirch,'  '  Thiis  is 
the  voice  of  the  Church  of  Christ'  etc.,  etc., 
when  there  is  no  proof  from  God,  nor 


from  any  other  portion  of  his  Word, 
that  these  things  are  so?  ...  .  The 
principal  part  of  the  commentators  on 
this  book,  especially  those  who  have 
made  it  their  separate  study,  have  in 
general  taken  it  for  granted  that  this 
mode  of  interpretation  is  incontrovert- 
ible ;  and  have  proceeded  to  spiritualize 
every  figure  and  every  verse,  as  if  they 
had  a  divine  warrant  for  all  they  have 
said.  Their  conduct  is  dangerous ;  and 
the  result  of  their  well-intentioned  la- 
bors has  been  of  very  little  service  to  the 
cause  of  Christianity  in  general,  or  to 
the  interests  of  true  morality  in  particu- 
lar The  conviction  on  my  mind, 

and  the  conclusion  to  which  I  have 
conscientiously  arrived,  are  the  result 
of  frequent  examination,  of  careful 
reading,  and  close  thinking,  at  inter- 
vals, for  nearly  fifty  years ;  and  how- 
ever I  may  be  blamed  by  some,  and 
pitied  by  othei-s,  I  must  say  it  as  fear- 
lessly as  I  do  conscientiously,  that  in 
this  inimitably  fine  Hebrew  ode  I  see 
nothing  of  Christ  and  his  Church,  and 
nothing  that  appeai-s  to  have  been  in- 
tended to  be  thus  undeifitood ;  and 
nothing,  apjilied  in  this  way,  that,  per 
se,  can  promote  the  interests  of  true 
(Jodliness,  or  cause  the  simple  and  sin- 
cere to  'know  Christ  after  the  flesh.' 
Here  I  conscientiously  stand  ;  may  God 
help  me." — See  Cuiumeiitary  Iiiiroduc- 
lion  to  the  Ca7Uicles,  1844,  vol.  iii ,  pp. 
2563  et  seq. 

Wharton  refused  to  admit  its  divine 
authority.  Origen,  in  his  preface  to 
the  commentary  on  this  book,  holds  it 
to  be  an  epithalamium,  or  marriage 
song,  as  Ewald  supposed  in  the  form 
of  a  drama.  Bishop  iouj^/i  calls  it  "a 
nuptial  dialogue."  This  idea  has  been, 
in  modern  times,  improved  by  Louth, 
Bo.ssuet,  Michaelis,  and  other  conunen- 
tators.  Bossuet,  a  critic  of  profound 
learning,  calls  it  also  a  pastoral  eclogue, 
consisting  of  seven  act.s,  each  act  filling 
a  day,  concluding  with  the  Sabbath, 


THE  SONG  OF  SOLOMON. 


665 


describing,  as  Eichhorn,  Jahn,  etc.,  con- 
clude, "  the  chaste  mutual  love  of  two 
young  persons  antecedent  to  marriage," 
"  having  no  natural  historical  founda- 
tion." Many  commentators,  with  the 
Targuni,  Cocceius,  Luther,  and  St.  Ber- 
nard, liave  looked  upon  tliis  book  as 
either  figurative  or  allegorical,  or  as  an 
elegant  fable.  Dr.  Pye  Smith,  however, 
who,  with  Eichhorn,  Bauer,  Jahn,  etc., 
entirely  rejects  the  allegorical  meaning, 
seems  inclined  to  exclude  the  book  from 
the  canon.  He  considers  it  to  have  been 
written,  not  by  Solomon,  but  by  a  far 
happier  pei-son  among  his  contempo- 
raries, yet  unknown  to  posterity.  And 
that,  although  the  mystical  sense  may 
not  have  been  designed  by  the  author, 
or  authors,  yet  by  those  who  introduced 
the  book  into  the  canon,  it  was  the  only 
one  that  was  regarded. — See  Dr.  W. 
Wright's  note  to  Seiler,  pp.  243-24C. 

Eosenmiiller,  with  Jarchi,  regarded 
it  as  "  a  dramatico-allegorical  poem." 
Tlieodorus  of  Mopsuesta,  in  the  4th  or 
5th  century,  held  that  it  was  aphro- 
distic,  or  libidinous,  and,  with  Josephus, 
rejected  it  from  the  sacred  books. — Cau- 
eissius,  vol.  i.,  p.  577.  "Had  it  been 
a  prophetical  book,"  he  says,  "there 
would  liave  been  some  mention  in  it  of 
the  name  of  God."  "  The  public  read- 
ing of  it  was  never  allowed  by  the 
Jews."  Le  Clerc  calls  it  "a  pastoral 
eclogue."  The  time  of  its  authorship 
is  also  greatly  disputed.  Its  canonicity 
has  been  questioned  in  all  subsequent 
ages. 

On  its  structure  there  has  been  a 
great  diversity  of  opinions.  Horne 
considers  that  the  most  probable  which 
refers  it  to  the  idyls  of  the  Arabian 
poets.  Stuart  thinks  that  Solomon  is 
the  subject  of  the  book,  but  that  there 
is  great  difficulty  in  regard  to  Solomon 
being  the  proper  author. — See  Old  Tes- 
tament Canon,  Dr.  Davidson's  ed.,  pt.  iii., 
p.  354. 

"  K  the  books  of  Proverbs  and  Solo- 
56* 


mon's  Song  can  be  proved  to  be  in- 
spired, it  is  not,  we  apprehend,  on  the 
ground  of  either  external  or  internal 
evidence,  but  on  that  of  the  inspired 
cliaracter  attaching  to  their  royal  au- 
thor. That  God  was  the  author  of  his 
wisdom  we  know,  as  the  Holy  Spirit  is 
tlie  author  of  all  true  wisdom,  the  in- 
spirer  of  '  all  good  counsels,'  as  well  as 
of  'all  holy  desires  and  good  works.' 
But  whether  he  was  'moved  by  the 
Holy  Ghost'  in  penning  these  compo- 
sitions, or  rather  in  speaking  tlie  prov- 
erbs ascribed  to  him,  is  not  so  certain  as 
to  rank  among  articles  of  faith.  There 
appears  to  us  far  stronger  grounds  for 
believing  that  '  Ezra,  the  priest  and 
scribe,'  acted  and  spake  under  the 
guidance  of  inspiration ;  but  it  is  ob- 
servable that  he  is  never  spoken  of  as 
a  proj>het,  nor  does  he  lay  claim  to  that 
character.  Even,  however,  admitting 
both  Solomon  and  Ezra  to  have  been 
inspired  men,  it  would  be  very  ditiicult, 
we  conceive,  to  prove  that  this  char- 
acter attached  to  the  anonymous  au- 
thors of  the  book  of  Esther  and  the 
book  of  Chronicles.  We  must,  there- 
fore, still  contend  that  these  books, 
though  very  properly  included  in  the 
canon  as  both  '  authentic  and  true,'  are 
possibly  not  inspired ;  and  that  the 
question  whether  they  are  so  or  not 
comes  within  the  proper  range  of  hu- 
man wisdom." — Eclectic  Seview,  Nov., 
18-25. 

"Of  the  books  of  the  Proverbs,  Ec- 
clesiastes,  and  the  Song  of  Solomon, 
Rabbi  Nathan  observes  that  in  former 
times  it  was  said  of  these  books  that 
they  were  apocryphal." — Michaelis,  In- 
trod.,  vol.  i.,  p.  71. 

Of  Esther,  Ecclesiastes,  and  the  Song 
of  Songs,  Dr.  Davidson  says,  "they  pre- 
sent perplexing  anomalies  wliicli  have 
never  been  cleared  away.  Manfully," 
he  adds,  "has  he  [Moses  Stuart]  en- 
deavored to  solve  them.  But  that  he 
has  been  successful  will  scarcely  be 


666 


APPENDIX. 


maintained  by  such  as  are  fully  aware 
of  those  anomalies  in  all  their  extent 
and  magnitude." — Inlrod.  Essay  to 
Stnai-es  Or.  Hist,  and  Def.  of  the  Old 
Test.  Canon,  p.  xv. 

It  has  been  justly  remarked  that 
"  Nehemiah,  Proverbs,  Ecclesiastes, 
and  the  Song  of  Songs  sfieak  exclu- 
sively of  their  human  authors." 

IV.  THE  APOCRYJPHA. 

The  Apocrypha  includes  a  number 
of  books,  generally  placed  between  the 
Old  and  New  Testaments,  none  of  which 
were  ever  received  by  the  Jews  as  of 
divine  origin.  They  are  not  inserted 
in  Melito's  Catalogue  in  the  second 
century,  nor  does  Origen,  in  the  third 
century,  or  Epiphanius,  in  the  fourth, 
acknowledge  their  authenticity.  Of 
these  books,  however,  the  Romish 
council  of  Trent,  held  in  the  16th 
century,  decreed  that  the  two  books 
of  Esdras,  Tobit,  Judith,  AVisdom,  Ec- 
clesiasticus,  Baruch,  the  two  books  of 
Macc-ibees,  w'ith  which  are  mixed  up, 
or  to  which  are  appended,  additions  to 
the  books  of  Esther  and  Daniel,  the 
Song  of  the  Three  Children,  the  Story 
of  Rel  and  the  Dragon,  the  History  of 
Susannah,  and  the  Epistle  of  Jeremiah, 
should  thenceforward  be  held  as  canon- 
ical or  divinely  inspired. 

"  The  books  not  admitted  into  the 
canon  of  Scripture  were  called  'Apoc- 
ryi>hal,'  a  word  derived  from  the 
(Jreek,  which  means  to  hide,  because 
of  their  not  being  submitted  to  public 
inspection  as  the  inspired  books  were  ; 
or,  according  to  others,  because  they 
were  not  admitted  into  the  ark,  the 
jdace  where  the  canonical  books  were 
deposited." — Burnett's  J'J.iposition  of  the 
XXX fX.  Art.  of  the  Ch.  of  England, 
revL'sed  by  Page,  p.  89. 

V.  KAUBmiCAL  LITERATURE. 
Tiie  Chaldee  paraphrases  are  transla- 
tions of  the  Old  Testament,  made  di- 


rectly from  the  Hebrew  text  into  the 
dialect  of  the  Chaldean  language,  an- 
ciently spoken  throughout  Assyria, 
Babylonia,  Mesopotamia,  Syria,  and  Pal- 
estine ;  and  were  made,  after  the  Babylo- 
nish captivity,  for  the  use  of  those  who 
had  forgotten,  or  were  ignorant  of,  the 
Hebrew.  They  were  called  Taegums, 
from  a  word  which  means  to  e.rplain,  to 
expound,  or  to  interpret.  Eight  of  these 
have  descended  to  our  times,  but  the 
last,  or  the  two  books  of  Chronicles, 
was  not  known  till  1680.  The  impor- 
tant use  of  these  Targums  has  been  to 
vindicate  the  genuineness  of  the  He- 
brew text. 

The  Jews  were  persuaded  that  the 
Oral  or  Traditionary  Law,  which  origi- 
nated in  the  interpretation  of  the  Scrip- 
tures by  the  Scribes,  was  a  code  of  di- 
vine origin,  as  well  as  the  plenarily 
inspired  Law  of  Moses.  Hence  arose 
numberless  Rabbinical  glosses  and 
opinions,  which  became,  in  process  of 
time,  uncertain,  obscure,  contradict oiy, 
and  perplexed.  These  traditions,  as 
they  were  rightly  called  (Matt.  xv.  2- 
6;  Mark  vii.  3-9),  were  believed  to 
have  been  delivered  by  Jloses,  and 
transmitted,  in  unbroken  succession, 
through  Aaron,  Eleazar,  Joshua,  and 
the  prophets,  to  the  members  of  the 
Greek  Sanhedrim,  and  thence  to  Sim- 
eon, Gamaliel,  and  ultimately  to  Rabbi 
Jehuda,  surnamed  Hakkadosh  (i.  e.,  the 
holy),  president  of  the  Sanhedrim  (iis 
they  continued  to  call  a  council  of  a 
remnant  of  the  people,  who  remained 
some  time  in  Galilee,  about  the  middle 
of  the  second  century  of  the  Christian 
era),  who,  after  the  labor  of  forty  years, 
collected  them  in  six  books,  because 
they  were  too  burdensome  to  the  mem- 
ory, and  called  them  the  Misiix.^,  or 
repetition  of  the  Oral  Law.  Eighteen 
out  of  the  sixty -two  treatises  into  which 
that  work  was  divided,  were  translated 
into  English,  in  1843,  by  the  Revs.  Mr. 
de  Sola  and  Dr.  Raphall,  Rubbins  of 


THE  TALMUD  AKD  SEPTUAGINT. 


667 


great  learning  and  influence,  "at  the 
request  of  tlie  Uphardini  Synagogue," 
and  called  by  tlieiu  "  GocVs  Explanation 
of  the  Written  Law."  This  work  became 
the  study  of  all  the  learned  Jews,  who 
employed  their  skill  and  ingenuity  in 
making  comments  upcm  it.  These  com- 
ments are  collected  together,  and  called 
the  Gemara,  which  means  perfection, 
and  were  regarded  as  the  complement, 
because  by  them  the  Mishna  is  fully 
explained,  and  the  whole  of  the  tra- 
diti()nar\'  doctrines  and  precepts  of  the 
Jewish  law  and  religion  completed. 
Thus  the  Mishna  is  the  text,  and  the 
Gemara  is  the  coriiment  or  note  upon 
the  text,  and  both  together  make  what 
the  Jews  call  the  Talmud,  which  means 
doctrine,  discipk,  and  includes  the  civil 
and  canonical  law  of  the  Jewish  people, 
together  with  numberless  profane  state- 
ments and  absurd  fables.  That  made 
in  Judea  is  called  the  Jerusalem  Tal- 
mud, and  that  made  in  Babylon  is  called 
the  Babylonish  Talmud ;  the  former 
was  completed  about  the  third  century 
of  the  Christian  era,  and  the  latter  in 
the  beginning  of  the  sixth. 

After  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem, 
and  the  consequent  dispersion  of  the 
Jews,  various  schools  were  opened,  in 
which  the  Scriptures  were  diligently 
taught.  One  of  the  most  distinguished 
of  these  academies  was  that  of  Tiberias, 
in  Palestine,  which  Jerome  mentions 
as  existing  in  the  fifth  century.  The 
doctors  of  this  school,  early  in  the  fourth 
or  fifth  century,  agreed  to  revise  the 
sacred  text,  and  issue  an  accurate  edi- 
tion of  it ;  for  whicli  pui'pose  they  col- 
lected all  the  scattered  critical  and 
grammatical  observations  they  could 
obtain,  which  appeared  likely  to  con- 
tribute towards  fixing  both  the  reading 
and  interpetration,  into  one  book,  which 
they  called  Masorah,  that  is,  tradition, 
because  it  consisted  of  remarks  received 
from  others.  The  true  reading  is,  there- 
fore, the  subject  of  the  Masorah,  as  the 


true  interpretation  is  that  of  the  ^lishna 
and  Gemara.  The  Masoretic  notes  and 
criticisms  have  been  called  "the  Hedge 
of  the  Law,"  and  relate  to  books,  verses, 
words,  vowel  points,  and  accents.  The 
inventors  of  this  system  of  marking 
Hebrew  were  called  Masorites  or  Jldsso- 
rets.    They  counted,  with  the  greatest 
reverence,  the  number  of  each  of  the 
words  and  letters  occurring  in  the  He- 
brew Bible,  and  marked  the  number  of 
the  verses  of  each  book  and  section, 
and  noticed  the  middle  verse,  clause,  and 
letter.    They  mar'ked  what  they  con- 
sidered imperfect  verses,  the  words  they 
believed  to  have  been  changed,  and  the 
letters  v.'liich  they  deemed  superfluous, 
all  repetitions,  and  difi'erent  renderings, 
and  the  various  meanings  of  the  same 
word.    They  noted  down  what  lettere 
were  pronounced,  what  were  inverted, 
and  such  as  hang  perijendicularly.  This 
work  has  been  regarded  as  a  monument 
of  stupendous  labor  and  unwearied  as- 
siduity, united  with  the  greatest  vener- 
ation, and  has  been  of  incalculable  ser- 
vice in  preserving  the  accuracy  and 
integrity  of  the  original  text  of  the  Old 
Testament  Scriptures. — (See  PrideauT^s 
Connection  ;  Bishop  Tomlin^s  Int.  to  the 
Study  of  the  Bible,  p.  169 ;  Home's 
(Hartwell)  Introd.  to  a  Crit.  Study  of  the 
Sacred  Scrip.,  vol.  ii.,  pp.  37,  417  ;  Mo- 
tives to  the  Study  of  Bib.  Lit.  ;  and  Kit- 
to' s  Oyc.  of  Bib.  Lit.) 

VI.  THE  SEPTUAGrNT,  OR  GREEK 
VERSION  OF  THE  OLD  TESTAMENT. 

This  translation  of  the  Old  Testament 
into  Greek,  is  the  oldest  version  in  exist- 
ence, except  the  Chaldee  and  Samaritan. 
It  was  made  at  Alexandria,  and  is  often 
called  the  Alexandrian  Version.  After 
the  Babylonish  captivity,  the  tribe  of 
Judah  alone  returned  to  their  native 
land,  accompanied,  liowever,  by  a  num- 
ber of  mixed  Jews,  who  were  allowed 
to  settle  in  Galilee.  JIany  Jews  were 
dispersed  abroad,  and  had  settled  in  the 


668 


APPENDIX. 


Grecian  empire.  It  is  supposed  that '  vn.  THE  VERSIONS  OF  THE  PCErP- 
at  their  request  Ptolemy  Philadelphus,  TURES  rSED  BY  EilAXUEL 
King  of  Egypt,  applied  to  Eleazar  for  S"«'EDENBORG. 
a  copy  of  the  Scriptures  in  the  Greek  Augustus  Xordenskjold,  in  his  "  Re- 
language  ;  and  that  the  High  Priest :  marks  on  the  different  editions  of  the 
at  Jerusalem  appointed  seventy  men,  Bible  made  use  of  by  Emanuel  Sweden- 
learned  in  the  ancient  Hebrew  and  borg,"  inserted  in  the  New  Jerusalem 
Chaldee,  to  accomplish  this  important  Magazine,  for  the  year  1790,  p.  ST.  says 
work.  It  was  completed  about  280  that  "he  [E.  S.]  possessed  four  editions 
years  before  the  Christian  era.  It  was  j  of  the  Holy  Bible  in  Hebrew  : " 
approved  by  the  Sanhedrim,  or  great  i  "  I.  That  by  T.  Pagnini  [u  Benedicto 
judicial  coimcil  of  the  Jews,  consisting  Arid]  Montana,  fo.  1657,  in  which  he 
of  seventy  men.  From  one  or  other  of  made  no  remarks  in  the  margin,  as  I 
these  circumstances,  or  from  both,  it  was  was  informed  by  the  person  w^ho  bought 
called  the  Septuaginf,  or  Version  of  the  it  at  the  sale. 

Seventy.  It  was  deservedly  held  in  "  II.  BibUca  Hebraica  punctata,  cum 
great  estimation,  and  was  universally  Novo  Tesfamento  Grceco,  8vo,  of  the 
used  by  the  Hellenistic  Jews,  or  those  edition  of  Manasse  Ben  Israel,  Amster- 
who  spoke  the  Greek  language,  and  dam,  1639.  This  was  also  without  re- 
publicly  kept  and  used  in  their  svna-  marks. 

gogues.  This  version  is  of  inestimable  i  "  III.  Beineccii  Biblic.  Hebr.,  Lipsiae, 
value  in  the  criticism  and  interpretation  1739,  4to.  Tliis  I  have  happily  found ; 
of  the  Hebrew  text,  determining  the  it  is  filled  with  remarks,  and  with  the 
nieaningof nunierouswordsandphrases,  Latin  translation  of  several  Hebrew 
throwing  light  upon  many  laws  and  words,  as  also  some  observations  on  the 
customs,  and  explaining  more  precisely  internal  sense.  The  book  is  much  used, 
many  liistorical  facts :  for  it  was  made  It  is  added  to  the  collection  of  manu- 
at  a  period  when  the  Hebrew  language,  i  scripts. 

having  suffered  much  decay,  was  no!  "  IV.  Biblia  Hebraica  Secundum  Edit. 
longer  vernacular  in  Palestine,  and  had  Belgicam  Edvardi  Von  der  Hooght,  una 
ceased  to  be  understood  by  the  Jews  of  cum  Versione  Lalina  Sebastiani  Schmidii, 
the  dispersion.  Most  of  the  quotations  Lipsice,  1740,  4to.  There  is  no  remark 
in  the  New  Testament  are  made  from  in  the  margin,  but  a  great  number  of 
it.  It  was  held  in  high  estimation,  and  lines  and  asterisks,  at  the  most  remark- 
was  of  immense  importance,  in  the  first  able  places  of  the  Latin  version,  the 
ages  of  Christianity,  and  for  five  cen-  original  text  not  being  in  any  manner 
turies  was  used  and  read  in  public  wor-  touched ;  because,  according  to  the  ex- 
ship.  Some  authoi-s  have  a.sserted,  but  pression  of  Swedenborg,  'The  word  is 
without  direct  authority,  that  there  was  perfect,  such  as  we  have  it.' 
a  Greek  vei-sion  of  the  Scriptures  in  use  "  Of  the  New  Testament  in  Greek  he 
3-56  years  B.  C,  but  that  the  translation  liad  none  besides  that  mentioned.  No. 
procured  by  Ptolemy  Philadelphus  was  II.,  and  which  is  a  fresh  edition  of  tliat 
the  more  correct  and  perfect. — See  Dr.  1  by  Elzevir  in  1624,  made  by  Janson, 
A.  Clarke's  Success,  of  Sacred  Literature,  and  the  edition  of  Leusden,  Amsteixlam, 
vol.  i.,  p.  32;  Dean  Prideaux's  Connec-  1741,  with  the  Latin  version.  It  is 
tion,\o\.  iii.,  p.  43,  ed.  1725;  A'b/on's  probable  he  has  followeil  this  edition  in 
Integrilij  of  the  Greek  Vulgate;  Gri'in-  translating  the  .lf)oc(j/yp.'?e. 
field'.^  Apology;  Kitto's  Cijc.  Bib.  Lit.  ;\  "Of  the  Latin  versions  of  the  Bible, 
Bishop  I'onUinc^s  LUroduclion,  etc         '  he  made  use  chiefly  of  that  of  Schmidius, 


VERSIONS  USED  BY  SWEDENBORG. 


669 


Lipsije,  1740,  after  the  time  that  he  be- 
gan the  Arcana  Cosiest  la,  because  he 
found  this  to  be  more  literal  and  exact 
than  all  the  others.  Nevertheless,  in 
all  his  quotations,  and  above  all  in  the 
Arcana  Calesfia,  he  has  more  exactly 
expressed  the  sense  according  to  the 
original  language.  lie  has  never  fol- 
loweil  the  version  of  Arius  Monlamis, 
either  of  the  Old  or  New  Testaments, 
as  1  have  carefully  e.xamined  and  found 
to  be  the  case.  But  he  had  four  copies 
of  the  Latin  translation  of  Castelliano, 
apparently  for  the  purity  of  the  lan- 
guage, wliich  he  was  very  studiously 
applying  himself  to,  before  he  learned 
Hetirew  in  1745.  In  his  quotations  of 
the  New  Testament  he  only  made  use 
of  Schmidt's  translation,  1st  ed.,  which 
he  sometimes  has  left,  the  belter  to  ex- 
press the  sense  of  the  Greek. 

"From  this  it  appears  that  he  always 
had  the  originals  in  hand.  But  with 
respect  to  the  author's  translations  of 
Genesis,  Exodus,  and  the  Apocalypse, 
they  are  directly  translated  from  the 
originals." 

"Sebastian  Schmidt  was  professor  of 
Oriental  languages  at  Strasburgh.  Of 
his  version,  which  is  placed  opposite 
the  Hebrew  text,  and  was  published 
after  the  author's  decease,  there  have 
been  several  editions.  It  is  strictly  lit- 
eral;  and  is  chiefly  useful  to  students  in 
the  Hebrew  language." — Horn^s  In- 
trod.,  vol.,  ii.,  part  2,  pp.  7,  65.  My 
own  edition  is  that  of  1740.  To  the 
work  are  prefixed: — 1.  A  preface,  by 
J.  C.  Clodius,  vindicating  the  edition 
of  Yon  der  Ilooght  against  some  criti- 
cal censures;  2.  Von  der  Hooght's  i)re- 
face,  witli  the  testimonies  of  some  emi- 
nent scholars  in  favor  of  his  edition; 
and,  3.  The  testimony  and  judgment 
of  the  Theological  Faculty  of  Stras- 
burgh in  favor  of  Sebastian  Schmidt's 
Latin  Translation.    (E.  M.) 

"The  design  of  Sebastian  Chahlon, 
or  Castalio,  w'as  to  render  the  Old  and 


New  Testaments  in  elegant  Latin,  like 
that  of  the  ancient  classic  authors." — 
lb.,  p.  64. 

"The  translation  of  Pagninus  [Sanc- 
tus,  an  Italian  Dominican]  was  revised 
by  Benedict  Arias  Montanus,  who  has 
erroneously  been  considered  as  a  new 
translator  of  the  Bible  in  the  Latin 
language.  His  chief  aim  was  to  trans- 
late the  Hebrew  words  by  the  same 
number  of  Latin  ones ;  so  that  he  has 
accommodated  his  whole  translation  to 
the  most  scrupulous  rules  of  grammar, 
without  any  regard  to  the  elegance  of 
his  Latinity.  Montanus'  edition,  there- 
fore, may  be  considered  rather  as  a 
grammatical  commentary  tlian  a  true 
version,  and  as  being  adapted  to  in- 
struct young  beginners  in  the  Hebrew, 
than  to  be  read  separately ;  being 
printed  interlinearly,  with  the  Latin 
word  placed  exactly  over  the  Hebrew, 
it  saves  the  student  the  trouble  of  fre- 
quently referring  to  his  lexicon.  In 
the  New  Testament,  Montanus  changed 
only  a  few  words  in  the  Vulgate  ver- 
sion, where  lie  found  it  to  difier  from 
the  Greek.  This  revision  has  been 
very  frequently  printed  in  various 
sizes." — lb.,  p.  63.  (My  own  edition 
is  that  of  1657,  fo.,  "Impensis  Chris- 
tiani  Kirchneii.  Teppis  Johannis  Wit- 
tigan,  Lipsiae."  At  the  beginning  of 
the  Old  Testament  is  a  MS.  note 
which  states  that  this  translation  "was 
generally  admired  both  by  Jews  and 
others  acquainted  with  the  Hebrew, 
for  its  exactness  and  iidelity.  He  is 
blamed  by  some,  and  particularly  by 
Father  Simon,  for  being  too  literal. 
Huetius,  nevertheless,  proposes  him  as 
a  model  for  all  translators  of  the  Sa- 
cred Text,  whether  of  the  Old  or  the 
New  Testament,  for  the  same  plan  is 
seen  in  both.  Luther  spoke  of  him 
and  his  translations  in  the  highest 
terms  of  applause.  He  died  in  1536, 
aged  70  years." — E.  M.) 


670 


APPENDIX. 


VIII.  ON  THE  INTEGRITY  OF  THE 
AVORD  OF  GOD,  AND  ITS  MIRACU- 
LOUS PRESERVATION. 

Dr.  Moses  Stuart  observes :  "  In  the 
Hebrew  MSS.  that  have  been  exam- 
ined, some  800,000  various  readings 
actually  occur  as  to  the  Hebrew  con- 
sonants. How  many  as  to  the  vowel- 
points  and  accents  no  man  knows.  But 
at  the  same  time,  it  is  equally  true, 
that  all  these  taken  together,  do  not 
change  or  materially  affect  any  impor- 
tant point  of  doctrine,  precept,  or  even 
history.  A  great  proportion,  indeed 
the  mass  of  variations  in  Hebrew  MSS., 
when  minutely  scanned,  amount  to 
nothing  more  than  the  difference  in 
spelling  a  multitude  of  English  words 
[as  honour,  honor}. 

"  Indeed,  one  may  travel  through 
the  immense  desert  (so  I  can  hardly 
help  naming  it)  of  Kennicott  and  De 
Eossi,  and  (if  I  may  ventui-e  to  speak 
in  homely  phrase)  not  find  game 
enough  to  be  worth  the  hunting.  So 
completely  is  this  chase  given  up  by 
recent  critics  on  the  Hebrew  Scrip- 
tures, that  a  reference  to  either  of  these 
famous  collators  of  MSS.,  who  once 
created  a  great  sensation  among  philol- 
ogers,  is  rarely  to  be  found." — On  the 
Old  TcMament  Canon,  p.  100. 

"  When  the  very  erudite  and  truly 
pious  Professor  Beugel,  of  Tul)ingcn, 
published  liis  New  Testament,  with  all 
the  various  readings  which  he  had  been 
able  to  discover,  many  minds  were  filled 
with  iin.xiety,  thinking  that  an  entirely 
new  Testament  v>ould  be  the  result  in 
the  end,  if  all  the  various  readings  were 
hunted  up.  They  thought  it  would  be 
better  to  leave  things  as  they  were.  But 
mark :  although  40,000  various  read- 
ings were  discovered  in  the  ancient 
MSS.,  the  New  Testament  was  liardly 
at  all  altered  thereby." — Oldhausen,  The 
Genuineness  of  the  N.  T.  Writings. — 
Clarke's  For.  Theol.  Lib.,  p.  vii. 


"  Upon  the  whole  we  may  remark 
that  the  number  and  antiquity  of  the 
MSS.  which  contain  the  whole  or  dif- 
ferent parts  of  the  New  Testament,  the 
variety  of  ancient  versions,  and  the 
multitude  of  quotations  from  these 
sacred  books  in  the  early  Christian 
writei-s  from  the  second  century  down- 
wards, constitute  a  body  of  evidence  in 
favor  of  the  genuineness  and  authen- 
ticity of  the  Christian  Scriptures  far 
beyond  that  of  any  other  book  of  equal 
antiquity." — Imp.  Vers.  New  Test.,  in- 
trod.,  p.  xxiii. 

The  whole  subject  of  various  read- 
ings, and  their  probable  causes,  has 
been  fully  and  critically  discussed,  in 
Bishop  Marsh's  excellent  lectures  and 
his  translation  of  Professor  Michueli^ 
Introduction. 

"  These  various  readings,  though 
very  numerous,  do  not  in  any  degree 
affect  the  general  credit  and  integrity 
of  the  text,  the  general  uniformity  of 
which,  in  so  many  copies,  scattered 
through  almost  all  countries  in  the 
known  world,  and  in  so  great  a  variety 
of  languages,  is  tmly  astonishing,  and 
demonstrates  both  the  veneration  in 
which  the  Scriptures  were  held  and 
the  great  care  which  was  taken  in  trans- 
cribing them.  Of  the  150,000  various 
readings  which  have  been  discovered 
by  the  sagacity  and  diligence  of  colla- 
tors, not  one  tenth  nor  one  hundredth 
part  make  any  perceptible,  or,  at  least, 
any  material,  variation  in  the  sense. 
This  will  appear  credible  if  we  con- 
sider that  every,  the  minutest  devia- 
tion, from  the  received  text,  has  been 
carefully  noted,  so  that  the  insertion  or 
omission  of  an  article,  the  substitution 
of  a  word  for  its  equivalent,  the  trans- 
position of  a  word  or  two  in  a  sentence, 
and  even  variations  in  orthography 
have  been  added  to  the  catalogue  of 
various  readings." — Conybeai-e's  Theol. 
Led.,  pp.  191.  192. 

The  number  of  these  variations  is 


ACCURACY  OF  THE  SACRED  TEXT. 


G71 


greatly  reduced,  when  we  include  only 
those  hooks  of  the  'Word  which  are 
pleuarily  inspired. 

The  laboi-s  of  the  critics  in  confirm- 
ing the  wonderful  accuracy  of  the  Word 
of  God  in  the  letter  are  thus  suiiinied 
up  by  Professor  Gaussen:  "Xs.  respects 
the  Old  Testament,  the  indefatigable 
investigations  of  the  four  folios  of 
Father  Houbigant,  the  thirty  years' 
labor  of  John  Henry  Michaelis,  above 
all,  the  great  Critical  Bible,  and  the  ten 
years'  study  of  the  famous  Kennicott 
(who  consulted  five  hundred  and  eighty- 
one  Hebrew  manuscrijJts) ;  and,  in  tine, 
Professor  Rossi's  collection  of  six  hun- 
dred and  eighty  manuscripts.  As  re- 
spects the  New  Testament,  the  no  less 
gigantic  investigations  of  Mill,  Benzel, 
Wetstein,  and  Griesbach  (who  consulted 
three  hundred  and  thirty-five  manu- 
scripts for  the  Gospels  alone) ;  the 
latest  researches  of  Xolan,  Matthaei, 
Lawrence,  and  Hug ;  above  all,  those 
of  Scholz,  with  his  six  hundred  and 
seventy-four  manuscripts  for  the  Gos- 
pels and  ninety-three  for  the  Apoca- 
lypse (without  reckoning  his  four  hun- 
dred and  fifty-six  manuscripts  for  the 
Acts  and  Epistles  and  his  fifty-three 
Lectionarife).  All  these  vast  labors 
have  so  convincingly  established  the 
astonishing  preservation  of  that  text, 
copied,  nevertheless,  so  many  thousand 
times  (in  Hebrew  daring  thirty-three 
centuries  and  in  Greek  during  eighteen 
hundred  years),  that  the  hopes  of  the 
enemies  of  religion,  in  tliis  quarter, 
have  been  subverted,  and,  as  Michaelis 
has  said, '  They  have  ceased  henceforth 
to  look  for  anything  from  those  critical 
researches,  which  they  at  first  so  warm- 
ly recommended,  because  they  expected 
discoveries  from  them,wliich  have  never 
been  made'"  (tom.  ii.,  p.  266). 

The  learned  rationalist  Eichhorn  him- 
self also  owns  that  the  different  read- 


ings of  the  Hebrew  niannscrii)ts  by 
Kennicott,  hardly  ofler  sufficient  inter- 
est to  compensate  for  the  trouble  they 
cost!  {Einleitunrj,  2  th.  s.  700.)  But 
these  very  misreckonings,  and  the  ab- 
sence of  these  discoveries,  have  proved 
a  precious  discovery  for  the  church  of 
God.  She  expected  as  much  ;  but  she 
is  delighted  to  owe  it  to  the  labors  of 
her  very  adversaries.  "  In  truth,"  says 
a  learned  man  of  our  day,  "  but  for 
those  precious  negative  conclusions 
which  men  have  come  to,  the  direct 
result  obtained  from  the  consumption 
of  so  many  men's  lives  in  these  immense 
researches,  may  seem  to  amount  to 
nothing;  and,  one  may  say,  tliat  in 
order  to  come  to  it,  time,  talent,  and 
learning  have  all  been  foolishly  thrown 
away."  ( Wiseman's  Disc,  on  the  Rela- 
tions, etc.,  ii.  Disc.  10.)  But,  as  we  have  i 
said,  this  result  is  immense  in  virtue  of 
its  nothingness,  and  all  powerful  in  vir- 
tue of  its  insignificance.  "  "When  one 
thinks  that  the  Bible  has  been  copied 
during  thirty  centuries,  as  no  book  of 
man  has  ever  been,  or  ever  will  be; 
that  it  was  subjected  to  all  the  catastro- 
phes and  all  the  captivities  of  Israel ; 
that  it  was  transported  seventy  years  to 
Babylon ;  that  it  has  seen  itself  so  often 
persecuted,  or  forgotten,  or  interdicted, 
or  burnt,  from  the  days  of  the  Philis- 
tines to  those  of  the  Selucid.ie; — wlien 
one  thinks  that,  since  the  time  of  [the 
first  advent  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour] 
J esus  Christ,  it  has  had  to  traverse  the 
first  three  centuries  of  imperial  perse- 
cution, when  persons  found  in  posses- 
sion of  the  Holy  Books  were  thrown  to 
the  wild  beasts;  next,  the  seventh, 
eighth,  and  ninth  centuries,  when  false 
books,  false  legends,  and  false  decretals, 
were  everywhere  multiplied  ;  the  tenth 
century,  when  so  few  could  read,  even 
among  princes ;  the  twelfth,  thirteenth, 
and  fourteenth  centuries,  when  the  use 
of  the  Scriptures  in  the  vulgar  tongue 
was  punished  with  death,  and  when 


672 


APPEXDIX. 


the  books  of  the  ancient  fathers  were 
mutilated,  when  so  many  ancient  tra- 
ditions were  garbled  and  falsified,  even 
to  the  very  acts  of  the  emperors,  and 
to  those  of  the  conncils ; — then  we  can 
perceive  how  necessary  it  was  that  the 
Providence  of  God  should  always  have 
put  forth  its  mighty  power,  in  order 
that,  on  the  one  hand,  the  church  of  the 
Jews  should  give  us  in  its  integrity  that 
Word  which  records  its  revolts,  which 
predicts  its  ruin,  which  describes  Jesus 
Christ ;  and  on  the  other,  that  the 
Christian  churches  (the  most  powerful 
of  whicli,  and  the  Roman  sect  in  par- 
ticular, interdicted  the  people  from 
reading  the  sacred  books,  and  substi- 
tuted in  so  many  ways  the  traditions 
of  the  middle  ages  for  the  AVord  of 
God),  should  nevertheless  transmit  to 
us,  in  all  their  purity,  those  Scrijitures 
which  condemn  all  their  traditions,  their 
images,  their  dead  languages,  their  ab- 
solution, their  celibacy  ;  which  say  that 
Eome  would  be  the  seat  of  a  terrible 
apostasy,  where  '  the  man  of  sin  would 
be  seen  sitting  as  God  in  the  temple  of 
God,  waging  war  on  the  saints,  forbid- 
ding to  marry,  and  to  use  meats  which 
God  had  created  ; '  which  say  of  images, 
'Thou  slialt  not  bow  down  to  them,'  — 
of  unknown  tongues,  'Thou  shalt  not 
use  them,' — of  the  cnp,  '  Drink  ye  all 
of  it,' — of  the  Virgin  'Woman,  what 
have  I  to  do  with  thee?' — and  of  mar- 
riage, 'It  is  honorable  in  all.'" — {Thto- 
•phmMux,  I'Jmo,  i)p.  108-170.) 

Now,  althougli  the  libraries  in  which 
ancient  C()i)ies  of  the  sacred  books  may 
be  found  have  been  called  upon  to  give 
tlieir  testimony;  althoush  the  eluci- 
dations triven  by  the  Fathei-s  of  all 
ages,  liave  been  studied  ;  althoush  the 
Arabic,  Syriac,  Latin.  Armenian,  and 
Ethiopian  versions  have  been  collated  ; 
although  all  the  manuscripts,  of  all 
countries  and  ages,  have  been  collected 
and  examined  a  thousand  times  over, 
by  countless  critics,  who  have  eagerly 


sought  out  some  new  text,  as  the  rec- 
ompense and  the  glory  of  their  wea- 
risome watchings;  although  learned 
men,  not  content  with  the  libraries  of 
the  West,  have  visited  those  of  Eussia, 
and  carried  their  researches  into  the 
monasteries  of  Mont  Athos,  Turkish 
Asia,  and  Egypt,  there  to  look  for  new 
instruments  of  the  sacred  text ; — "  noth- 
ing can  be  discovered,"  says  a  learned 
person  already  quoted,  "not  even  a 
single  reading,  that  could  throw  doubt 
on  any  one  of  the  passages  before  con- 
sidered as  certain.  All  the  variantes 
almost  without  exception,  leave  un- 
touched the  essential  ideas  of  each 
phrase,  and  bear  only  on  points  of 
secondary  importance;"  such  as  the 
insertion  or  the  omission  of  an  article, 
or  a  conjunction,  the  position  of  an  ad- 
jecti\e  before  or  after  its  substantive, 
the  greater  or  less  exactness  of  a  gram- 
matical construction. 

And  would  we  be  less  rigorous  in 
our  demands  with  respect  to  the  Old 
Testament  ? — the  famous  Indian  manu- 
script, recently  deposited  in  the  Cam- 
bridge library,  will  furnish  an  ex- 
ample. 

"It  is  thirty-three  years  since  the 
pious  and  learned  Claudius  Buchanan, 
while  visiting,  on  the  Indian  Penin- 
sula, the  Black  Jews  of  ^lalabar  (who 
are  supposed  to  be  the  remains  of  the 
first  dispersion  under  Nebuchadnez- 
zar), saw  in  their  possession  an  im- 
mense roll,  composed  of  thirty-seven 
skins,  tinged  with  red,  forty-eight  feet 
long,  twenty -two  inches  wide,  and 
which,  in  its  originally  perfect  state, 
must  have  had  ninety  Englisli  feet  of 
development.  The  Holy  Scriptures 
had  been  traced  on  it  by  different 
hands.  There  remained  one  hundred 
and  seventeen  columns  of  beautiful 
writing;  and  there  was  wanting  only 
Leviticus  and  part  of  Deuteronomy. 
Buchanan  succeeded  in  having  this 
ancient  and  precious  monument,  which 


OPINION  OF  MICHAELrS. 


673 


.•ierved  for  the  worsiiip  of  tlie  syna- 
gogue, committed  to  his  care,  and  lie  af- 
terwards deposited  it  in  tlie  Cambridge 
Library.  The  impossibility  of  sup- 
posing that  this  roll  had  been  taken 
from  a  copy  brought  by  European 
Jews,  was  perceived  from  certain  evi- 
dent marks.  Now,  Mr.  Yeates,  lately 
submitted  it  to  the  most  attentive  ex- 
amination, and  took  the  trouble  to  col- 
late it,  word  by  word,  letter  by  letter, 
with  a  Hebrew  edition  of  Van  der 
Hooght.  He  has  published  the  results 
of  his  researches.  And  what  have 
they  been?  Why,  this:  That  there 
do  not  exist,  between  the  Text  of  In- 
dia and  that  of  the  West,  above  forty 
small  differences,  not  one  of  which  is 
of  sufficient  importance  to  lead  to  even 
a  slight  change  in  the  meaning  and 
interpretation  of  our  ancient  text ;  and 
that  these  are  but  the  additions  or  re- 
trenchments of  an  1  or  a  n, — letters, 
the  presence  or  absence  of  which,  can- 
not alter  the  import  of  the  word" — 
(See  Christian  Observer,  vol.  xii.,  p. 
170;  Hornets  Iiilrod.  and  App.,  p.  95, 
ed.  1818 ;  Examen  d'un  Exemplaire  In- 
dien  du  Penlaleuque,  p.  8). — lb.,  pp. 
171,  172. 

"So  ranch  for  the  Old  Testament. 
But  let  it  not  be  thought  that  the  Prov- 
idence that  watched  over  that  sacred 
Book,  and  which  committed  it  to  the 
care  of  the  Jews  (Rom.  iii.  1,  2),  has 
done  less  for  the  protection  of  the  ora- 
cles of  the  New  Testament,  committed 
by  it  to  the  new  people  of  God.  It  has 
not  left  to  the  latter  less  cogent  motives 
to  gratitude  and  feelings  of  security" 
(lb.,  p.  174).  In  the  four  Gospels  and 
the  Apocalypse  scarcely  any  "  correc- 
tions exist  that  have  been  introduced 
by  the  new  readings  of  Griesbach  and 
Scholz,  as  the  result  of  their  immense 
researches,  which  have  any  weight  at 
all.  [In  the  entire  Testament  very 
few],  and  in  most  intances  these  con- 
sist but  in  the  difference  of  a  single 
57  2 


word,  and  sometimes  even  of  a  single 
letter"  {Jb.,  p.  190).  "  While  the  Com- 
edies of  Terence  alone  have  presented 
thirty  thousand  different  readings,  yet 
these  are  only  six  in  number,  and  they 
have  been  copied  a  thousand  times  less 
often  than  the  New  Testament"  {Ih., 
p.  196). — See  Wiseman's  Dkc,  vol.  ii., 
p.  189. 

On  this  subject  it  may  be  as  well  to 
quote  five  of  the  heads  treated  of  by 
the  celebrated  jSIichaelis.  They  are  as 
follows : — 

"  I.  B\'  the  laws  of  criticism  we  are 
able  to  distinguish,  in  most  cases,  the 
true  reading  from  the  false. 

"  II.  It  is  not  denied  that  son.e  few 
of  the  various  readings  affect  doctrines 
as  well  as  words,  and,  without  caution, 
might  produce  error ;  but  these  are  so 
few  that  the  generality  of  divines 
would  be  unable  to  recollect  a  single 
instance,  and  these  few  are  so  easily 
distinguished  by  critical  rules  that  not 
one  has  been  selected  by  the  reformers 
of  the  present  age  as  a  basis  of  a  new 
doctrine. 

"III.  On  the  other  hand,  the  dis- 
covery of  the  various  readings  has  re- 
moved many  objections  which  had  been 
made  to  the  New  Testament. 

"  V.  The  most  important  readings, 
which  make  an  alteration  in  the  sense, 
relate  in  general  to  subjects  that  have 
no  connection  with  articles  of  faith. 

"  VI.  By  far  the  greatest  number  re- 
late to  trifles,  and  make  no  alteration  in 
the  sense."— Ini.  Rep.,  I.,  N.  S.,  p.  491. 

Notwithstanding  all  this  care,  as  the 
transcribers  were  not  inspired,  "  it  will 
be  asked,"  says  Waterman,  "have  no 
errors  crept  into  the  writings  thus  de- 
livered to  us?  Are  there  no  various 
readings  ?  Have  no  words  been  added 
or  omitted  ?  Are  no  sentences  obscure? 
Have  no  transcribers  of  the  original 
manuscript  made  mistakes  ?  Undoubt- 
edly, in  all  these  respects,  the  answer 
must  be  given  in  the  affirmative.  Some 
S 


674 


APPENDIX. 


mistakes  have  been  made  by  transcrib- 
ers. Some  sentences  are  obscure.  Some 
words  have  probably  been  added  or 
omitted.  There  are  many  various 
readings.  Errors  have  crept  in." — 
Bihk  the  Word  of  God,  Lect.  8,  p.  222. 

Tlie  above  concessions,  therefore,  be 
it  remembered,  apply  to  very  few  pas- 
sages, and  often  to  unimportant  partic- 
ulars. The  integrity  of  the  Hebrew 
text  of  tlie  Old  Testament,  as  it  exists 
in  the  version  of  Von  der  Hooght,  is 
admitted  to  be  most  miraculously  pre- 
served ;  while,  with  the  exception  of  a 
few  trifling  differences,  the  Greek  edi- 
tion of  the  New  Testament  by  Gries- 
bach,  and  that  published  by  Taylor  for 
the  students  of  the  University  of  Lon- 
don, are  deserving  of  the  greatest 'con- 
fidence, in  which  the  various  readings 
are  all  mentioned  at  the  foot  of  the  page. 

It  may  be  observed,  as  most  remark- 
able, tliat  no  doctrine  of  faith  or  pre- 
cept of  life  is  dependent  on  any  doubtful 
passage ;  and  no  errors  in  the  lapse  of 
ages,  and  by  the  erroi-s  of  transcribers, 
exist,  whicli  in  the  slightest  degree  in- 
validate the  inspiration  or  impair  the 
authority  of  the  Word  of  God,  as  a 
plenarily  inspired  work. 

This  important  subject  is  ably  dis- 
cussed in  a  series  of  papers  on  Tlie  In- 
tegrity of  the  Word  of  God  in  the  Letter, 
in  the  Intellectual  Repository,  vol.  vi.  and 
vol.  i.,  K.  S.,  where  it  is  shown,  "I. 
That  Dr.  Bentley's  assertion,  that  'the 
real  te.xt  of  the  sacred  writers  does  not 
now  lie  in  any  single  manuscript  or 
edition,  but  is  dispersed  through  them 
all,'  is  highly  reasonable  ;  and  that  such 
dispersion  is  equivalent  to  preservation, 
and  aflbrds  the  means,  at  the  Lord's 
time,  of  restoration.  II.  Tliat  whetiier 
our  present  Hebrew  manuscripts  and 
printed  copies  of  tlie  AVord  are  autlien- 
tic  or  not ;  whetiier  they  all  agree,  or 
contain  many  variations;  we  have  re- 
ceived them  all,  bad,  good,  and  indiffer- 
ent, from  the  Jews;  that  Christians 


have  had  no  other  concern  in  the  mat- 
ter, than  that  of  faithfully  copying,  and, 
of  late,  collecting  together,  the  variety 
of  materials  which  the  Jews  had  pro- 
vided to  their  hands ;  and  further,  that 
the  Jews  do  not  possess  any  more  cor- 
rect copies  than  those  known  to  Chris- 
tians. III.  That  it  is  unquestionably 
true,  as  advanced  by  E.  Swedenborg, 
'that  the  Jewisli  nation  has  been  pre- 
served for  the  sake  of  the  Word  ; '  but 
'that  this  has  been  done,  not  because, 
without  them,  the  text  of  the  Old  Tes- 
tament would  have  been  corrupted  by 
Christians,  but  because,  without  them, 
it  would,  in  its  original  language,  have 
perished  altogether ; '  it  being  a  certain 
fact,  that,  during  hundreds  of  years, 
the  Hebrew  Scriptures  were  never  read, 
nor  a  word  of  the  Hebrew  language 
understood,  by  a  single  Christian.  IV. 
That  when  E.  S.  observes,  'that  the 
Word  has  been  preserved,  especially 
the  Word  of  the  Old  Testament,  as  to 
every  iota  and  apex,  from  tlie  time  in 
which  it  was  written,  and  this  by  the 
labors  of  the  Masorites; '  it  is  advanced 
by  him,  not  as  an  assertion  of  his  own, 
but  as  the  common  opinion  of  the  learned 
of  his  time,  and  not  from  his  commu- 
nication with  the  spiritual  Avorld,  from 
which  source  he  did  not  derive  a  knowl- 
edge of  natural  facts,  but  only  of  spirit- 
ual ;  wherefore,  we  are  as  much  at  lib- 
erty to  exercise  a  rational  judgment 
upon  it,  as  if  it  still  lay  only  in  the 
writings  of  the  critics,  and  had  never 
been  noticed  by  him  at  all :  also,  '  that 
when  the  nature  of  the  Masorah  is  ex- 
amined, we  must  conclude,  that  when 
E.  S.  speaks  of  the  integrity  of  the 
Sacred  Te.xt  tlirougli  the  labors  of  the 
Masorites,  lie  can  only  mean,  that  they 
have  been  instrumental  to  that  object, — 
not  that  tliey  have  secured  it  from  all 
[blemish  and]  defect  in  the  individual 
copies,  and  th.it,  with  respect  to  their 
numbering  of  the  vei-ses,  words,  and 
lettei-s,  if  we  take  this  for  an  infallible 


THE  RABBINICAL  RULES. 


675 


g.nifle,  we  must  imagine  the  Sacred 
Volume  to  be  corrupt  to  a  degree  far 
beyond  anything  tliat  was  ever  pre- 
tended. V.  Tliat  the  fact  is,  as  might 
hence  naturally  be  expected,  tliat  the 
best  Masoretic  text,  as  now  existing, 
does  actually  contain  some  indubitable 
errors,  which  are  proved  to  be  such,  by 
other  copies,  by  ancient  vei'si9ns,  by 
evident  reason,  and  by  the  sjiiritual 
sense ; "  and  that  this  view  of  the  subject 
is  sanctioned  and  recognized  by  E.  S. 
himself ;  of  which  instances  are  given. 
Very  large  portions  of  the  Word  of  the 
Old  Testament  are,  without  doubt,  cor- 
rectly given  in  his  works.  To  conclude 
this  section,  we  will  remark,  that  the 
extreme  caution  which  the  Jews  have 
always  observed  in  the  transcription  of 
the  Holy  Writings,  especially  of  the 
Pentateuch,  is  not  the  least  remarkable  ] 
feature  in  the  character  of  that  remark- 
able people.  The  manuscript  rolls  in 
their  synagogues  were  preserved  with 
uncommon  care,  in  an  ark  or  coller, 
and,  when  the  roll  containing  the  law 
was  exposed  to  the  gaze  of  the  congre- 
gation, it  formed  a  spectacle  of  unusual 
solemnity. 

The  Rabbinical  rules  relating  to  the 
preparation  and  transcription  of  the 
Sephee-Torah,  /.  e..  Book  of  the  Law, 
for  the  use  of  Synagogues,  are  no  less 
than  eighty-eight.  They  are  excessively 
strict ;  and  these  the  greatest  desire  to 
secure  textual  accuracy.  These  copies 
are  directed  to  be  made  by  sacred  scribes 
alone,  called  Sephorim,  Avho  are  set  apart 
for  this  especial  j)urpose.  The  tran- 
scriber must,  at  the  commencement  of 
his  task,  be  in  the  full  enjoyment  of 
health,  and,  from  time  to  time,  must 
leave  off  before  lassitude  supervenes. 
He  must  prepare  himself  for  his  work 
by  submitting  to  a  prescribed  course  of 
medicine,  and  by  observing  certain  pe- 
culiar ceremonials.  The  Synagogue 
roll  must  be  copied  from  ancient  and 
approved  manuscripts.    It  must  be 


written  with  pure  black  ink,  prepared 
from  materials  and  with  ceremonies  ac- 
cording to  an  ancient  Rabbinical  re- 
ceipt. The  skins  upon  which  the  law 
is  to  be  transcribed,  must  be  those  of  a 
clean  animal,  carefully  prepared  for 
that  express  purpose,  by  an  api)ointed 
individual.  The  sheets  or  skins  are  to 
be  fastened  together  with  strings  made 
of  the  sinews  of  a  clean  animal.  Each 
skin  must  contain  a  prescribed  number 
of  columns,  of  a  limited  length  and 
breadth ;  each  column  must  contain  a 
regular  number  of  lines  and  words ;  and 
all,  except  five,  must  begin  with  the 
same  letter.  The  pens  must  be  made 
of  the  quills  of  a  clean  bird,  and  the 
"  Tetragrammeton,"  or  ineffable  name 
of  Jehovah,  must  be  written  with  a  new 
pen,  devoted  to  that  exclusive  purpose ; 
before  writing  it  the  scribe  must  bathe 
his  whole  person,  and  in  writing  the 
sacred  names  of  God,  he  is  required  to 
solemnize  his  mind,  by  devotion  and 
reverence;  and,  previously  to  writing 
some  of  them,  he  must  wash  his  pen. 
He  must  not  write  a  single  word  from 
memory.  He  must  attentively  look 
upon  each  individual  word  in  his  ex- 
emplar, and  orally  pronounce  it,  before 
writing  it  down.  The  copy  must  be 
examined  within  thirty"  days  after  its 
completion.  Some  authors  say  that  the 
mistake  of  a  single  letter,  even  an  im- 
perfectly formed  letter,  much  more  a 
superfluous  one,  vitiates  the  entire 
codex ;  others  state  that  it  is  permitted 
to  correct  three  errors  in  any  one  sheet, 
but  if  more  are  found,  the  copy  is  con- 
demned as  profane,  or  unfit  for  religious 
purposes,  and,  as  the  case  may  be,  is 
I  either  cut  to  pieces  with  solemn  curses, 
or  preserved  for  private  use. 
}  In  such  a  way  did  Divine  Providence, 
acting  through  an  almost  superstitious 
reverence  for  the  very  words  of  Holy 
Writ  (for  it  was  little  more  than  super- 
stition with  the  Jews),  secure  the  au- 
thenticity of  the  text,  and  guard  the 


676 


APPENDIX. 


canon  pure  against  all  corruption. — 
See  also  Professor  Gaiissen's  Thcopneustos; 
Scott  Porter's  Principle  of  Textual  Criti- 
cism, book  ii.,  caps  i.,  ii. ;  Bishop  Marsh's 
Lectures  on  Criticism,  p.  65 ;  Hartwell 
Horn^s  Introduction  to  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures, etc. 

"  How  trifling  soever  this  scrupulous 
exactness  may  appear,  yet  it  suggests  to 
us  one  observation, — that  the  Jews  were 
religiously  careful  to  preserve  the  literal 
sense  of  Scripture ;  and,  consequently, 
notwithstanding  their  enmity  and  ob- 
stinate aversion  to  Christianity,  they 
are  not  to  be  charged  with  the  ad- 
ditional crime  of  having  corrupted  the 
Bible.'' — Chappelon,  cited  by  Gill,  pref. 
to  Disc,  on  Heb.  Lang. 

IX.  THE  EPISTLES  OF  THE  APOS- 
TLES. 

Dr.  Whitby,  quoted  with  great  appro- 
bation by  Dr.  A.  Clarke,  thus  writes  re- 
specting the  inspiration  of  the  apostles: 
and  if  what  is  advanced  be  coniined,  as 
it  ought  most  assuredly  to  be,  to  their 
Acts  and  apostolic  Epistles,  we  are  per- 
fectly agreed,  differing  with  him,  how- 
ever, toto  ccelo,  that  the  same  opinions 
are  applicable  to  the  Gospels  and  the 
book  of  Revelation;  for  these,  as  we 
have  already  proved,  were  penned  un- 
der the  highest  degree  of  inspiration, 
and,  containing  a  heavenly  meaning 
within  the  letter,  are  divinely  true  in 
every  particular. 

"  I  contend  only,"  says  he,  "  for  such 
an  inspiration,  or  divine  assistance  of 
the  sacred  writere  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment, as  will  assure  us  of  the  truth  of 
what  they  wrote,  whether  by  inspiration 
of  suggestion  or  direction  only ;  but  not 
for  such  an  inspiration  as  implies  that 
even  their  words  were  dictated,  or  their 
phrases  suggested  to  them  by  the  Holy 
Ghost.  This,  in  some  matters  of  great 
moment,  might  be  so,  St.  Paul  declaring 
that  they  'spake  the  things  which  were 
given  than  of  God,  in  the  words  which  the 


Holy  Ghost  teacheth;  1  Cor.  ii.  13,  if  that 
relate  not  to  what  the  Holy  Ghost  had 
taught  them  out  of  the  Old  Testament. 
But  that  it  was  not  always  so  is  evident, 
both  from  the  consideration  that  they 
were  liagiographers,  who  are  supposed 
to  be  left  to  the  use  of  their  own  words, 
and  from  the  variety  of  the  style  in  which 
they  write,  and  from  their  solecisms, 
which  are  sometimes  visible  in  their 
compositions ;  and  more  especially  from 
their  own  words,  which  manifestly  show 
that,  in  some  cases,  they  had  no  such 
suggestion  from  the  Holy  Ghost,  as 
doth  imply  that  He  had  dictated  those 
words  unto  them.  For  instance,  when 
St.  Paul  declares  his  will  or  purpose  to 
do  what  he  was  hindered  by  the  provi- 
dence of  God  from  doing,  as  when  he 
says  to  the  Romans,  'When  I  go  into 
Spain  I  will  come  to  you,'  chap.  xv.  24 ; 
'I  ivill  come  by  you  into  Spain,'  v.  28.  For 
though  he  might,  after  his  enlargement, 
go  into  the  West,where  St.  Clement  (Ep. 
ad  Cor.  ?  6)  says  he  preached,  and  even 
into  Spain,  as  Cyril  (Catechis.  17,  p.  204, 
c.),Epiphanius  (Ha;r.  27,  p.  107,  c),  and 
Theodoret  (in  2  Tim.  iv.  17,  and  Prafat. 
in  Psalm  cxvi.),  say  he  did ;  yet  it  is 
certain  he  did  not  designedly  go  to 
Rome,  in  order  to  an  intended  journey 
into  Spain;  and  when  he  says  to  the 
Corinthians,  'I  will  come  to  you  when  I 
pass  through  Macedonia,'  1  Cor.  xvi.  5, 
and  yet  confesses  in  his  second  epistle, 
2  Cor.  i.  15,  16,  17,  that  he  did  not 
perform  that  journey ;  for  it  is  not  to 
be  thought  the  Holy  Ghost  should  in- 
cite hiiu  to  promise,  or  even  to  purpose, 
what  he  knew  he  would  not  perform. 
This  also  we  learn  from  all  those  places 
in  which  they  do  cxj)ress  their  igno- 
rance or  doubtfulness  of  that  which 
they  are  speaking  of;  as  when  St.  Paul 
says,  '/  know  not  whether  I  baptized  any 
other,'  1  Cor.  i.  16.  And  again,  ' Pa-- 
haps  I  will  abide,  yea,  and  win  ter  with  you,' 
1  Cor.  xvi.  6.  And  when  St.  Pdersaith, 
'By  Sylvanus,  a  faithful  brother  as  I  sup- 


THE  WRITINGS  OF  PAUL. 


677 


•pose,  have  I  written  to  you'  1  Pet.  v.  12. 
For  these  words  plainly  show  that  in 
all  these  things  they  had  no  inspiration 
or  divine  assistance.  This,  lastly,  may 
be  gathered  from  all  those  j^laces  in 
whicii  they  only  do  express  their  hope, 
and  that  conditionally,  of  doing  this  or 
that,  as  in  these  words,  'I  hope  to  see  you 
in  my  journey'  Kom.  xv.  24.  'Iwill  come 
to  yon  quickly,  if  the  Lord  will,'  1  Cor.  iv. 
19.  '/  hope  to  stay  some  time  with  you,  if 
the  Lord  permit,'  1  Cor.  xvi.  7.  'I  hope 
in  the  Lord  Jesus  to  send  Timothy  shortly 
unto  you  [so  soon  as  I  shall  see  hoio  it  will 
go  with  me],'  Phil.  ii.  19,  23.  'A^id  I 
trust  that  I  myself  also  shall  come  quickly,' 
V.  24.  'These  thimjs  I  write,  hoping  to 
come  to  thee  quickly,  but  if  I  should  tarry 
that  thou  mayest  know  how  to  behave  thy- 
self in  the  church  of  God '  (1  Tim.  iii.  14, 
15).  '/  hope  by  your  prayers  to  be  given 
to  you'  (Philim.  22).  'This  will  we  do,  if 
the  Lord  permit '  (Heb.  vi.  3).  'I hope  to 
come  to  you'  (2  Ep.  John  v.  12;  3  Ep. 
V.  14).  For,  spes  est  incertce  rei  nomen, 
the  word  hope  implies  an  uncertainty ; 
whereas  the  Holy  Spirit  cannot  be  un- 
certain of  anything,  nor  can  we  think 
He  would  inspire  men  to  .speak  so  un- 
certainly. And  there  can  be  no  neces- 
sity, or  even  use,  of  a  divine  assistance 
to  enable  a  man  to  express  his  hopes, 
seeing  all  men  do,  by  natural  reflection, 
know  them."— Z)c.  A.  Clarkds  Commen- 
tary. Introduction  to  New  Testament, 
p.  V. 

To  this  very  conclusive  reasoning  of 
Dr.  Whitby,  on  the  character  of  the 
Apostolic  Epistles,  from  a  consideration 
of  their  internal  evidence,  very  much 
more  to  the  same  purport  might  be 
added.  I  will  instance  only  a  few  ex- 
amples, in  which  the  vast  difference 
between  plenary  inspiration  and  what 
the  Doctor  would  probably  call  in- 
spired direction,  will  be  most  evident 
to  every  reflecting  mind.  "Brethren,  I 
speak  after  the  manner  of  men "  (Gal. 
iv.  13  ;  Kom.  vi.  9).  "  /  thank  God  that 
57* 


/  baptized  none  of  you  but  Crispus  and 
Gaius ;  lest  any  shmdd  say  that  I  had 
baptized  in  my  own  name"  (1  Cor.  i.  14, 
15).  "Who  then  is  Paul,  and  who  is 
Apollos,  but  ministers  by  whom  ye  believed, 
even  as  the  Lord  gave  to  every  man"  (1 
Cor.  iii.  5 ) .  "  /  speak  this  by  permission, 
and  not  of  commandment "  (1  Cor.  vii.  6). 
"  To  the  rest  speak  I,  not  the  Lord."  "  / 
give  my  judgment  as  one  that  hath  ob- 
tained mercy  of  the  Lord  to  be  faithful." 
"I  think  also  that  I  have  the  Spirit  of  God  " 
(1  Cor.  vii.  12,  25,  40).  "  I  speak  not  by 
commandment;  but  by  occasion  of  the  for- 
wardness of  others."  (2  Cor.  viii.  8.) 
"  When  Peter  was  come  to  Antioch  I  ivith- 
stood  him  to  the  face  because  he  was  to  be 
blamed  "  (Gal.  ii.  11).  "  The  cloak  that  I 
left  at  Troas  ivith  Carpus,  when  thou  com- 
est,  bring  with  thee,  and  the  books,  but  es- 
pecially the  parchments"  (2  Tim.  iv.  13). 
Language  like  this  never  could  fall 
from  the  lips  of  a  plenarily  inspired 
writer.  "  That  which  I  speak,  I  speak  it 
not  after  the  Lord,  but  as  it  were  foolishly, 
in  this  confidence  of  boasting"  (2  Cor.  xi. 
17). 

The  author  of  Tracts  for  the  Times, 
Ixxxvii.,  pertinently  observes,  that 
"  [there  are]  strong  indications  which 
all  must  have  noticed  throughout  St. 
Paul's  Epistles,  that  he  discloses  and 
withholds  Christian  knowledge  and 
mysteries,  according  to  the  meetness 
of  those  to  whom  he  was  writing  to  re- 
ceive them." — P.  11. 

Hence,  the  Apostle  Paul,  speaking 
of  the  peculiar  adaptation  of  his  relig- 
ious instructions  to  the  varied  charac- 
ters and  circumstances  of  those  wliom 
he  addressed,  says  in  1  Cor.  ix.  20-22, 
"Unto  the  Jews  I  became  as  a  Jetv,  that  I 
might  gain  upon  the  Jews ;  to  them  that 
are  under  the  law,  as  under  the  law,  that  I 
might  gain  them  that  are  under  the  law  ;  to 
them  that  are  without  law,  as  without  law, 
{being  not  without  law  to  God,  but  wider 
the  law  to  Christ,)  that  I  might  gain  them 
that  are  without  km.   To  the  weak  became 


678 


APPEXDIX. 


I  as  weak,  that  I  might  gain  the  weak :  I 
am  made  all  things  to  all  men,  that  I 
might  by  all  means  save  some,  and  this  1 
do  for  Ike  Gospel's  sake."  Thus  teach- 
ing us,  that  his  preaching  and  writings 
are  to  be  regarded  as  accommodations  of 
the  Gospel  to  the  particular  states  and 
circumstances  of  both  Jews  and  Gentiles. 

Dr.  Beyer,  Professor  of  Greek  to  the 
Consistory  of  Gottenburg,  having  asked 
Swedenborg  the  reason  why,  in  ex- 
plaining the  spiritual  sense  of  the 
Word  in  his  Arcana  Coelestia,  he  never 
quoted  from  the  Apostolic  Epistles,  he 
replied  from  Amsterdam,  as  follows, 
under  date  of  April  15,  1766 : 

"  With  regard  to  the  writings  of  St. 
Paul,  -and  the  other  Apostles,  I  have 
not  given  them  a  place  in  my  Arcana 
Ccelestia,  because  they  are  dogmatic 
[or  doctrinal]  writings  merely,  and  not 
written  in  the  style  of  the  Word,  as  are 
those  of  tlie  Prophets,  of  David,  of  the 
Evangelists,  and  the  Revelation  of  St. 
John.  The  style  of  the  Word  consists, 
throughout,  in  correspondences,  and 
thence  eflects  an  immediate  communi- 
cation with  heaven  (see  Doctrine  of  the 
New  Jerusalem  concerning  the  Sacred 
Scripture,  n.  113) ;  but  the  style  of 
these  dogmatic  writings  is  quite  differ- 
ent, having  indeed  a  communication 
with  heaven,  but  only  mediately  or  in- 
directly. The  reason  why  the  Apos- 
tles wrote  in  this  style  was,  that  the 
2Cew  Christian  Cliurch  was  then  to  be- 
gin through  them ;  consequently,  the 
same  style  as  is  used  in  the  Word 
would  not  have  been  proper  for  such 
doctrinal  tenets,  which  required  plain 
and  simple  language,  suited  to  the 
cajiacities  of  all  readers. 

"  Nevertheless,  the  writings  of  the 
Apostles  are  very  goo<l  books  for  the 
church,  inasmuch  as  they  insist  on  the 
doctrine  of  charity  and  faith  thence 
derived,  as  strongly  as  the  Lord  him- 
self lias  done  in  the  Gospels,  and  in 
the  Revelation  of  St.  John,  as  will  ai>- 


pear  evidently  to  any  one  who  studies 
these  writings  with  attention." — New 
Jerusalem  Magazine,  1790,  p.  140. 

"The  letters  he  [the  Apostle  Paul] 
wrote,  were  intended  for  those  who 
were  already  Christians,  whose  relig- 
ious nature  was  already  awakened, 
who  had  already  enjoyed,  in  this  awak- 
ening, the  revelations  of  Christianity. 
His  writings,  therefore,  were  designed, 
not  so  much  to  be  a  revelation  of  truth, 
as  a  further  explication  of  it.  Based 
upon  a  revelation  already  made,  they 
were  adapteel  simply  to  bring  the  ideas 
involved  into  a  more  explicit  and 
somewhat  reflective  form,  and  thus  to 
furnish  us  with  an  inspired  authority 
for  the  value  of  systematic  theology  in 
the  Church." — ^lorelFs  Philosophy  of 
Religion,  p.  140. 

Dr.  Orville  Dewey,  writing  on  the 
original  use  of  the  Epistles,  observes, 
that "  they  were  particularly  called  forth 
by  the  exigencies,  the  difliculties,  the 
trials,  of  the  primitive  Christians.  .  .  . 
They  took  their  form  from  circum- 
stances; and  with  those  circumstances 
we  have,  and  can  have,  but  a  partial 
acquaintance.  .  .  .  Such,  for  instance, 
are  the  answers  to  questions,  the  solu- 
tion of  difficulties,  the  settlement  of  dis- 
putes, which  have  long  since  jiassed 
away.  Such,  too,  is  what  relates  to  the 
use  of  prophetical  and  miraculous  pow- ' 
ers,  to  nieats  offered  to  idols,  etc.  These 
things  do  not  now  concern  us ;  because 
we  have  no  miraculous  powers,  and 
there  are  no  idols  to  solicit  our  ofier- 
ings.  Paul  adapted  his  religious  in- 
structions to  the  men  whom  he  ad- 
dressed,— to  their  peculiar  character, 
circumstances,  difficulties,  and  specula- 
tions."— Works,  p.  808. 

"  Thus  the  form  and  character  of  St. 
Paul's  Epistles  are  evidently  derived 
from  circumstances  of  his  early  life,  his 
country,  his  family,  his  occupation,"  etc. 
— Dr.  W.  T.  Powell's  Discourses  (xv.), 
pub.  by  Dr.  T.  Balgny,  177C. 


THE  APOSTOLIC  WRITINGS. 


679 


The  following;  excellent  remarks  of 
the  late  Bishop  of  Durham,  Dr.  Maltbv, 
on  the  writings  of  the  Apostle  Paul,  ex- 
press, with  a  critical  authority  which 
must  command  the  respect  of  all  intel- 
ligent Christians,  the  estimate  in  which 
we  hold  these  compositions.  I  quote 
from  a  Sermon  preached  before  tlie 
Univei-sity  of  Cambridge,  Marcli  31, 
1805,  from  2  Peter  iii.  15,  16.  "Even 
as  our  beloved  brother  Paul  ako  aecordincj 
to  the  wisdom  given  unto  him  hath  written 
unto  you  ;  as  also  in  cdl  his  epistles,  speak- 
ing in  them  of  these  things;  in  which  are 
some  things  hard  to  be  understood,  which 
they  that  are  unlearned  and  unstable  wrest, 
as  they  do  also  the  other  Scriptures,  unto 
their  own  destruction." 

"  Most  epistolary  writings  are  obscure, 
unless  we  be  perfectly  acquainted,  with 
the  situation  of  tlie  parties,  the  design 
with  which  they  wrote,  and  the  circum- 
stances to  which  they  allude.  It  is  in- 
deed of  considerable  use  in  the  inter- 
pretation of  a  letter,  or  series  of  letters, 
when  the  chain  of  correspondence  is 
preserved  entire,  and  when  the  occasion 
Avliich  called  forth  the  answer  is  pre- 
served together  with  the  reply.  It  is 
well  known  that  many  of  St.  Paul's 
epistles  were  addressed  to  persons  who 
had  solicited  his  advice  upon  peculiar, 
and  sometimes  local  and  temporary, 
emergencies.  It  is  equally  well  known 
that  not  one  of  the  letters  addressed  to 
him  are  extant,  nor  is  there  any  other 
method  of  ascertaining  the  occasions 
upon  which  he  wrote,  than  what  is  sup- 
plied by  the  letters  themselves.  Many 
of  the  epistles  turn  principally  upon 
controverted  points;  upon  questions, 
which,  from  changes  in  the  external 
condition  of  the  Christian  world,  have 
ceased  to  be  agitated ;  and  which,  to  us 
(who  are  not,  like  the  contemporaries 
of  St.  Paul,  proselytes  from  Judaism  or 
heathenism)  seem  to  be  of  little  or  no 
moment.  Such,  for  instance,  are  the 
disputes,  of  which  we  have  so  many 


traces  in  these  epistles,  concerning  the 
eflicacy  and  duration  of  the  Mosaic 
economy;  the  admission  of  Gentiles 
into  the  church  of  Christ ;  the  necessity 
of  combining  the  Jewish  ritual  with  the 
Christian  faith  ;  and  upon  many  subor- 
dinate points,  relative  to  the  ceremonies 
and  superstitions  both  of  Jews  and 
heathens. — Moreover,  as  the  Apostle 
wrote  upon  some  topics,  which,  liowever 
clear  at  the  time,  are  since  become  ob- 
scure ;  so  does  he,  upon  one  occasion,* 
at  least,  studiously  and  even  avowedly 
hold  back  a  part  of  his  meaning ;  and 
upon  otherSjf  he  refers  his  readers  to 
those  oral  communications,  which  had 
been  previously  made  to  them,  and  of 
which  no  distinct  vestiges  are  preserved 
to  us  in  Holy  Writ.  We  may  indeed 
venture  to  suppose,  that  the  epistles 
which  he  wrote  to  one  set  of  convert.s, 
were  not  always,  even  in  his  own  days, 
intelligible  to  another. 

"  It  appears,  then,  that  these  jaarts  of 
the  Sacred  Volume  from  various  causes 
are,  in  point  of  fact,  obscure :  and  that, 
according  to  the  more  obvious  import 
of  St.  Peter's  words,  in  the  version 
adopted  by  our  church,  the  Apostle  ac- 
knowledged their  difficulty,  in  the  very 
age  when  the  circumstances  alluded  to 
were  recent ;  and  when  the  language  in 
which  they  were  written,  was  the  native 
tongue  of  many,  and  well  understood  by 
all,  to  whom  they  were  addressed.  Yet 
to  these  epistles,  which  above  all  other 
parts  of  the  New  Testament,  have  un- 
avoidably and  in's-incibly  become  ob- 
.scure  in  their  phraseology,  in  their 
allusions,  and  in  the  peculiar  direction 
of  the  reasoning  which  they  contain,  to 
these  epistles,  which  have  so  long  exer- 
cised the  talents,  and  so  often  baffled 
the  exertions  of  the  most  diligent,  the 
most  judicious,  and  the  most  learned 
expositors ;  I  say,  to  these  very  epistles, 

*  2  Thess.  ii.  5,  6. 

tlCor.  xi.  2;  2  Cor.  xiii.  2;  Gal.  iv.  13; 
1  Thess.  iii.  4;  2  Tim.  ii.  2  ;  iii.  14. 


680 


APPENDIX. 


the  attention  of  men,  altogether  illiter- 
ate, or  very  scantily  fiirnislied  with 
literature,  has  been  chiefly  devoted. 
Guided,  not  by  the  original  language 
of  Scripture,  but  by  translations ;  not 
by  the  practices  or  notions  of  the  Apos- 
tolic times,  but  of  our  own ;  not  by  care- 
ful, sober,  and  unprejudiced  comparison 
of  argumentative  and  critical  exposi- 
tions, but  by  their  own  zeal ;  they  have 
drawn  from  them  conclusions  unwar- 
ranted by  the  general  tenor  of  the  Holy 
Writings,  contrary  in  many  instances 
to  our  clearest  perceptions  of  the  Divine 
Attributes,  and  upon  some  occasions  re- 
volting to  common  sense,  common  jus- 
tice, and  common  humanity  : — to  com- 
mon sense,  when  they  indiscriminately 
reject  and  deride  the  usefulness  of  learn- 
ing ;  to  common  justice,  when  they  as- 
sert that  the  Deity,  without  any  regard 
to  himian  actions,  has  selected  some  of 
his  creatures  for  final  salvation,  and 
others  for  final  perdition ;  to  common 
humanity,  when  they  maintain  that  all 
who  are  not  the  preachers  and  believers  ' 
of  what  they  call  vital  Christianity,  are 
graceless,  helpless,  hopeless  outcasts 
from  the  favor  of  their  Creator,  their 
Redeemer,  and  their  Sanctifier. 

"The  habit  of  depreciating  good 
works;  the  disposition  to  depend  upon 
faith  alone ;  the  opinion  that  grace  com- 
municated to  the  elect  supersedes  the 
necessity  of  their  endeavoi-s  to  be  vir- 
tuous; the  merciless  exclusion  of  all 
other  Christian  individuals  from  the 
possibility  of  acceptance  with  God ; 
these  surely  are  peculiarities  wliicli 
neitlier  reason  nor  revelation  would 
permit  us  to  consider  as  favorable  to  tlie 
innocence,  ortlie  spiritual  improvement, 
or  the  future  happiness,  of  their  advo- 
cates."— MuUbifs  Sermons,  1819,  vol.  i., 
pp.  412-433. 

"  In  tlie  Epistles  there  is  perceptible 
a  well  marked  perMiial  element,-i-tlie 
writer  speaking  liere  and  tliere  solely 
in  his  own  name,  and  from  his  own  feel- 


ings, quite  independently  of  the  Spirit 
(Tertullian,  .Jerome)."  —  Warrington's 
Inspiration  of  Scripture,  p.  36. 

Dr.  Arnold,  "when  admitted  by  Arch- 
bishop Howley  to  priest's  orders,  pro- 
posed doubts,  not  merely  on  the  author- 
ship, but  the  canonicity  of  the  Epistle  to 
the  Hebrews." — Dr.  Stanley's  Letter  to  the 
Bishop  of  London  on  Subscription,  p.  27. 

"On  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  the 
greatest  diversity  of  ojiinion  prevails 
among  critics  as  to  its  claims  to  canonical 
authority  and  Pauline  origin.  Some 
denying  both  of  these,  and  some  admit- 
ting the  former  whilst  they  repudiate 
the  latter.  .  .  .  On  no  subject,  perliaps, 
in  the  department  of  the  higher  criti- 
cism of  the  New  Testament,  have  opin- 
ions been  more  divided,  and  more  keenly 
discussed,  than  on  this.  Of  those  who 
have  rejected  the  claims  of  the  Apostle 
Paul  to  the  aulhoi-ship  of  this  Epistle, 
some  have  advocated  those  of  Barnabas, 
others  those  of  Luke,  others  those  of 
Clement  of  Rome,  others  those  of  Silas, 
others  those  of  Apollos,  othei-s  those  of 
some  unknown  Christian  of  Alexandria, 
and  others  tliose  of  some  '  Aiiostolic 
man,'  whose  name  is  no  less  unknown. 
.  .  .  That  which  ascribes  this  produc- 
tion to  Apollos,  was  first  suggested  by 
Luther,  and  it  has  been  in  more  recent 
times  adopted  by  Henniann,  Ilertholdt, 
De  AVette,  Bleek,  and  apparently  also 
by  Tholuck." — See  Kitto's  Cyclop,  of 
Bib.  Li7.— art. 

"  The  notion  of  God  appeased  by  a 
sacrifice,  and  remitting,  in  considera- 
tion of  it,  his  wratli  against  those  who 
had  offended  him, — this  notion  of  God, 
wliich  science  repels,  was  equally  re- 
pelled, in  s{)ite  of  all  that  his  nation, 
time,  and  training  had  in  them  to  fa- 
vor it,  by  the  profound  religious  sense 
of  Paul.  In  none  of  his  Epistles,  is 
the  reconciling  work  of  Christ  really 
presented  under  this  aspect.  One  great 
ejiistle  fliere  is,  which  does  present  it 
under  this  aspect, — the  Epistle  to  the 


THE  PAULINE  EPISTLES. 


681 


Hebrews.  If  other  proof  were  want- 
ing, this  alone  would  make  it  impossi- 
ble that  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews 
should  be  Paul's;  and  indeed,  of  all 
the  epistles  which  bear  his  name,  it  is 
the  only  one  which  may  not,  in  spite 
of  the  hesitation  caused  by  some  diffi- 
culties, be  finally  attributed  to  him. 

"  The  tradition  which  ascribes  to 
Apollos  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews, 
derives  corroboration  from  the  one  ac- 
count of  him  which  we  have,  that  '  he 
was  an  eloquent  man,  and  mighty  in 
the  Scriptures.'  The  Epistle  to  the 
Hebrews  is  just  such  a  performance  as 
might  naturally  have  come  from  'an 
eloquent  man,  and  mighty  in  the  Scrip- 
tures,' and  in  whom  the  intelligence, 
and  the  power  of  combining,  type-es- 
tablishing, and  expounding,  somewhat 
dominated  the  religious  perceptions." 
— Matthew  Arnold's  St.  Paul  and  Prot- 
estantism, Cornhill  Macj.,  1869,  p.  616. 

Dr.  Arnold  asserts  that  "  the  Apostle 
Paul  expected  that  the  world  would 
come  to  an  end  in  the  generation  then 
existing.  .  .  .  Shall  we  say,  then,"  he 
adds,  "that  St.  Paul  entertained  and 
expressed  a  belief,  which  the  event  did 
not  verify  ?  We  may  safely  say  so, 
safely  and  reverently,  in  this  instance ; 
for  here  he  was  most  certainly  speak- 
ing as  a  man,  and  not  by  revelation,  as 
it  has  been  providentially  ordered  that 
our  Lord's  express  words  on  this  point 
have  been  recorded." — [Matt.  xxiv. 
36.]  See  Epistles  to  the  Thessalo- 
nians. — Sermons  on  the  Christian  Life, 
etc.,  p.  489. 

Kitto  says  "that  the  Pauline  Epis- 
tles offered  great  difficulties,  was  already 
felt  in  the  earliest  times."  And  fur- 
ther: "All  the  [general]  Epistles  of 
the  Apostle  Paul,  except  the  one  to  the 
Eomans,  were  called  forth  by  circum- 
stances and  peculiar  occasions  in  the 
affairs  of  the  communities  to  which 
they  were  addressed."  And  he  adds, 
that  "  not  all  Paul's  Epistles  were  pre- 


served ;  it  is  at  least  evident  from  1 
Cor.  V.  9,  that  a  letter  to  the  Corin- 
thians has  been  lost ;  and  from  Col. 
iv.  16,  it  has  been  concluded  that  an- 
other letter  to  the  community  of  Lao- 
dicea  lias  likewise  been  lost." — Oijc. 
Bib.  Lit.,  art.  Epistles- 
Archdeacon  Paley  has  shown  that 
"six  of  the  subscriptions  of  Paul's 
Epistles  are  false  or  impossible ;  tliat 
is,  they  are  either  absolutely  contra- 
dicted by  the  contents  of  the  epistle, 
or  are  difficult  to  be  reconciled  wdth 
them ;  viz.,  1  Cor. ;  Gal. ;  1  Thess. ;  2 
Thess. ;  1  Tim.,  and  Titus.  I  do  not," 
he  concludes,  "attribute  any  aiithority 
to  these  [or  the  other  five]  subscrip- 
tions. I  believe  them  to  have  been 
conjectures  founded  sometimes  upon 
loose  traditions,  but  more  generally 
upon  a  consideration  of  some  partic- 
ular text,  without  sufficiently  compar- 
ing it  with  other  parts  of  the  Epistle, 
with  different  Epistles,  or  with  history. 
....  They  are  to  be  considered  as 
only  ancient  scholia." — Hor.  Pauli.,  pp. 
87,  88. 

In  his  Christian  Theology  and  Modern 
Skepticism,  1872,  the  Duke  of  Somerset, 
speaking  of  the  Pauline  Epistles,  says, 
"they  present  to  us  a  most  interesting 
phase  in  the  progress  of  religious 
thought,  they  assist  to  elucidate  an  im- 
portant movement  in  the  history  of 
Christianity ;  but  when  we  are  solemn- 
ly asked  to  call  these  Epistles  the 
Word  of  God,  a  feeling  of  religious 
reverence  forces  us  to  withhold  our 
assent." 

"That  Jerome  considered  Paul's 
epistles  as  of  merely  human  origin, 
appears  from  his  accusing  Paul  of  sole- 
cisms and  errors  of  grammar,  alleging, 
that  he  spoke  truly  of  himself  when  he 
said  he  was  rude  of  speech ;  of  course 
no  good  man  would  thus  speak  of  books 
which  he  believed  to  be  written  by 
divine  inspiration." — Int.  Rep.,  vol.  v., 
p.  104. 


682 


APPENDIX. 


Paul  was  brought  up  at  Tarsus, 
amongst  heathens.  He  quotes  part  of 
a  verse  from  the  Phoenomena  of  Ara- 
tus  (a  poet  of  Cilicia,  the  native  coun- 
try of  Paul,  lived  300  B.  C),  against 
the  Epicurean  pliilosophers  at  Athens. 
"  For  we  his  children  are "  (Acts  xvii. 
28),  originally  spoken  of  the  heathen 
deity  Jupiter,  and  dexterously  applies 
it  to  the  true  God.  In  1  Cor.  xv.  33, 
he  quotes  a  senary  iambic  which  is 
supposed  to  be  taken  from  Menanders 
lost  comedy  of  Thais,  rendered  "  Evil 
communications  corrupt  good  man- 
ners." And  in  his  Epistle  to  Titus, 
Bishop  of  Crete  (Tit.  i.  12 1,  he  makes 
an  extract  from  Epimenides,  a  Cretan 
poet,  whom  he  styles  a  prophet,  and 
whose  writings,  by  the  ancient  hea- 
thens, were  regarded  as  oracles.  The 
general  import  of  the  passage  is,  that 
''  The  Cretans  were  a  false  people ;  and 
united  in  their  character  the  ferocity 
of  the  wild  beast,  with  the  luxury  of 
the  domesticated  one."  Xo  one  can 
regard  this  as  of  plenary  inspiration. 
See  Porson's  Works;  Allans  Juclgl.,  p. 
288 ;  Hartwdl  Honi^s  Introd.,  vol.  ii., 
pt.  1,  p.  347;  vol.  i.,  p.  172. 

"  The  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  so  dif- 
ferent in  its  conception  of  faith,  and  in 
its  Alexandrine  rhythm,  from  the  doc- 
trine and  language  of  St.  Paul's  known 
epistles,  lias  its  decree  of  discrepance 
explained  by  ascribing  it  to  some  com- 
panion of  the  Apostle ;  and  minute 
reasons  are  found  for  fixing  with  prob- 
ability on  Apollos." — Dr.  R.  M'iUiatns, 
Essays  and  Heviews,  9th  ed.,  p.  84. 

"  The  second  of  the  Petruic  Epistles, 
having  alike  external  and  internal  evi- 
dence against  its  genuineness,  is  neces- 
sarily surrendered  as  a  whole  

The  second  chapter  may  not  improba- 
bly be  a  quotation ;  but  its  quotcr,  and 
the  author  of  the  rest  of  the  Epistle, 
need  not,  therefore,  have  been  St.  l*e- 
ter."— 76.,  p.  85. 

In  conclusion,  much  doubt  and  con- 


troversy have  always  existed  in  the 
Christian  church  respecting  the  authen- 
ticity and  genuineness  of  the  Apostolic 
writings,  as  will  be  seen  by  the  follow- 
ing sketch. 

Eichhom,  in  the  7th  vol.  of  his  Krit- 
ische  Schri/ten,  affirms  that  the  Epistles 
to  Timothy  and  Titus  were  not  written 
by  Paul,  and  that  the  superscription 
and  introduction  are  erroneous. 

Bauer  has  attacked  the  genuineness 
of  the  three  pastoral  epistles;  and 
Schleiermacher  that  of  the  1st  Ep.  to 
Timothy. — Kitto's  Cyc.  Bib.  Lit.,  art. 
Epistles. 

Jerome  doubted  whether  the  Epistle 
to  Philemon  was  Paul's.  Eusebius  says 
that  "  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews  was 
not  received  by  all." — Lardner's  Gospel 
Hist.,  vol.  v.,  p.  24.  Origen  affirms  that 
"  no  man  can  tell  who  was  the  author 
of  it."  Erasmus  questioned  its  author 
and  authority.  "  Hypollitus  writes  that 
this  EiHstle  is  not  Paul's." — lb.,  vol.  iii., 
p.  393.  "  Irenajus  doubted  its  genuine- 
ness."— lb.,  vol.  v.,  p.  88.  It  was  not 
received  by  the  Latin  churches  till  the 
time  of  Jerome.  Tertulllan  ascribes  it 
to  Barnabas ;  others  have  attributed  it 
to  Timothy,  to  Alexander,  to  Apollos 
(Monthly  Mag.,  Mar.,  1815),  and  by  tra- 
dition only  is  it  attributed  to  Paul. 
Several  of  the  Fathers,  and  many 
learned  moderns,  agree  in  rejecting  its 
Paidine  origin.  And  F.  W.  ^vewman 
says,  "  That  this  Epistle  is  not  from  tlie 
hand  of  Paul,  had  very  long  seemed  to 
me  an  obvious  certainty, — as  long  as  I 
had  any  delicate  feeling  of  Greek  style." 
— Phases  of  Faith,  p.  100.  Erasmus 
affirms  that  the  Epistle  of  Jamesdoes  not 
savor  of  an  Apostolic  gravity.  Cajetan 
doubted  of  the  author,  and  insists  upon 
its  being  of  less  authority.  Luther 
stigmatized  it  as  ''Episiola  Stratninea," — 
an  Epistle  of  straw, — or  worthless;  be- 
cause it  corrected  the  mistakes  of  Jew- 
ish Christians  on  the  doctrine  of  justi- 
iicatiou  by  faith  alone,  and  enforces 


JEWISH  CANON  OF  OLD  TESTAMENT. 


683 


good  works  and  moral  duties  as  essen- 
tial to  salvation.  Perceiving,  after- 
wards, tliat  this  extreme  censure,  in 
supi)ort  of  a  fond  opinion,  gave  offence, 
lie  is  said  to  have  retracted  it. — See 
WctsteMs  New  Test.,  vol.  ii.,  p.  658 ; 
BlactwaWs  Sacred  Classics,  vol.  i.,  p.  301. 
Erasmus  doubted  the  genuineness  of  the 
2d  Epistle  of  Peter ;  Eusebius  marked 
it  as  being,  according  to  some,  of  doubt- 
ful authority.  Both  Eusebius  and 
Erasmus  affirm  that  the  2d  and  3d 
Epistles  of  John  were  not  written  by 
that  Apostle,  but  by  some  other  writer, 
probably  of  the  same  name.  Cajetan 
also  doubted  of  the  authorship. — See 
Bishop  Hall's  Peace  of  Home,  b.  i.,  p.  31. 
A  very  snflicient  reason  for  their  early 
disputed  authority,  was  the  fact  that 
tliey  were  private  Epistles,  and  did  not, 
in  all  probability,  become  public  till 
long  after  the  Apostle's  decease ;  neither 
the  2d  or  the  3d  John  are  to  be  found 
in  the  Peschito  Syriac  version. — See 
Greek  Testament  of  the  London  Univ. 
Cajeta  doubted  the  authority  of  Jude. 
Michaelis  agrees  with  several  writers 
in  the  early  ages  of  Christianity,  in  re- 
jecting it  as  spurious,  because  the  apoc- 
ryphal books  of  Enoch  and  of  the  As- 
cension of  Moses,  were  supposed  to  be 
quoted  in  it. — See  Dr.  A.  Clarke,  Hart- 
icell  Horfie,  Townsend  and  Dr.  Benson. 

"  St.  Paul  writes  like  a  Christian 
teacher,  exhibiting  all  the  emotions  and 
vicissitudes  of  human  feeling,  speak- 
ing, indeed,  with  authority,  but  hesi- 
tating in  different  cases,  and  more  than 
once  correcting  himself,  — corrected,  too, 
by  the  course  of  events  in  his  expecta- 
tioh  of  the  coming  of  Christ." — Jewell, 
Melius  Prof,  of  Greek  in  the  Univ.  of  Ox- 
ford, Essays  and  Reviews,  pp.  345,  346. 

X.  THE   JEWISH   CANON  OF  THE 
OLD  TESTAMENT. 
"  It  is  well  known  that  the  Jews  di- 
vide the  sacred  books  of  the  Hebrew 
Bible  into  three  classes,  the  Law,  the 


Projihefs,  and  the  Holy  Writings,  called 
in  tlie  Hebrew  Chetubim,  Cetubim,  or 
Kethubim,*  and  in  the  Greek,  Hagio- 
grapha,  that  is.  Holy  Writings." — See 
Bishop  Mark's  Comparative  View.  p.  384. 
This  triple  division  is  regarded  as  of 
the  highest  antiquity.  The  Son  of 
Sirach  is  thought  to  allude  to  it  in  his 
preface  to  the  book  of  Ecclesiasticus, 
wi-itten  and  published  about  a  hundred 
and  thirty  years  before  the  Christian 
era  {Wolf.  Bib.  Heb.,  vol.  i.,  p.  255), 
where  he  mentions  "the  Law,  the 
Prophets,  and  the  other  books  of  the 
Fathers,"  called  also  "  other  books  of  his 
country,"  and  "  the  remaining  books." 
This  threefold  division  of  the  writings 
comprehended  in  the  Jewish  canon,  is 
still  retained,  though  some  books  in- 
cluded by  Josephus  in  the  second  class 
are  now  found  in  the  third.  The  Jewish 
classification  is  known  to  have  varied 
at  different  periods,  but  no  record  has 
enabled  any  one  to  ascertain  either  the 
causes  of  such  alterations,  or  the  times 
when  they  were  made.  In  the  Hagio- 
grapha,  called  by  Josephus,  "  Hymns 
to  God,  and  Documents  or  Maxims  of 
Life  for  the  use  of  Men  "  ( Cont.  App., 
lib.  i.,  sec.  viii.,  tom.  ii.,  p.  441 ;  Jenning^ 
Ant.,  p.  593),  are  placed,  not  only  the 
Proverbs,  Job,  Song  of  Songs,  Euth, 
Ecclesiastes,  Esther,  Ezra,  Nehemiah, 
and  Chronicles,  but  also,  the  Psalms, 
the  Lamentations,  and  Daniel.  ( Allen's 
Mod.  Jud.,  pp.  3,  4.)  The  Law  and  the 
Prophets  were  regarded  as  written  by 
the  highest  degree  of  inspiration,  called 
the  Holy  Spirit,  and,  with  the  exception 
of  the  Psalms,  Daniel,  and  the  Lamen- 
tations, the  Hagiographa  was  considered 
as  "  written  by  men  who  had  no  public 
mission  as  prophets,"  and  as  composed 


*  The  name  Chetubim,  or  Kethubim,  is 
first  met  with  in  Epiphanius,  for  there  was 
no  strictly  technical  name  belonging  to  it 
before  the  Christian  era ;  but  it  wns  variously 
called,  and  most  generally,  by  the  name  of 
writings. 


684 


APPENDIX. 


under  an  inferior  degree  of  inspira- 
tion. 

On  this  subject  Kitto  observes :  "  The 
Rabbinical  writers  maintain  that  the 
autliors  of  the  Cetubim  enjoyed  only 
the  lowest  degree  of  inspiration,  as  they 
received  no  immediate  communication 
from  the  Deity,  like  that  made  to  Moses, 
to  whom  God  spake  face  to  face ;  and 
that  they  did  not  receive  their  knowl- 
edge through  the  medium  of  visions 
and  dreams,  as  was  the  case  with  the 
prophets  of  the  second  class ;  but  still 
they  felt  the  Divine  spirit  resting  on 
them,  and  inspiring  them  with  sugges- 
tions. This  is  the  view  maintained  by 
Abarbanel,  Kimchi,  Maimonides  and 
Elias  Levita." —  Bib.  Cyc,  art.  Hagio- 

GRAPHA. 

Abarbanel  maintains,  however,  that 
Daniel's  spirit  was  that  of  true  proph- 
ecy. Jacchiades,  another  Rabbi,  states, 
that  Daniel  attained  to  the  highest 
pitch  of  prophecy,  and  the  Talmud 
ranks  him  with  Zechariah  and  Malachi. 
{Allen's  Mod.  Jiid.,  p.  4-6.)  In  Dan.  i. 
4,  he  is  described  as  a  man  "  skilful  in 
all  wisdom.  Daniel  was  received  as 
genuine  from  tlie  earliest  times,  as  ap- 
peal's from  the  books  of  Maccabees,  and 
according  to  Josephus,  who  bestows 
upon  it  more  commendation  than  upon 
any  other  book  of  the  Old  Testament. 
{Stuart,  Antiq.,  lib.  x.)  It  was  ex- 
hibited to  Alexander,  within  200  years 
after  tlie  prophet's  decease  {Ant.  xx.  4 ; 
xi.  8) ;  and  together  with  tlie  other 
Scriptures,  was  translated  by  the  LXX. 
many  years  before  Antiochus  Epi- 
phanes ;  but  what  is  of  more  authority 
than  all,  is,  that  Daniel  is  expressly 
called  a  prophet  by  our  Lord,  in  Matt, 
xxiv.  15;  Mark  xiii.  14." — (See  Lnrd- 
ner's  Works,  8vo,  vol.  ii.,  p.  201,  and 
Winll(fs  Prelim.  Dis.  to  Daniel.) 

"Tlie  Jews,"  says  Prideaux,  "place 
the  prophecies  of  Daniel  only  among 
the  Hagiographa :  and  they  serve  the 
Psalms  of  David  after  the  same  rate. 


The  reason  which  they  give  for  it  in 
respect  of  both,  is,  that  they  lived  not 
the  prophetic  manner  of  life,  but  the 
courtly ;  David  in  his  own  palace,  as 
Icing  of  Israel,  and  Daniel  in  the  palace 
of  the  king  of  Babylon,  as  one  of  the 
chief  counsellors  and  ministers  in  the 
government  of  that  empire." — Com- 
ment.,  Svo,  vol.  i.,  p.  206.  iloreover, 
the  Psalms  were  not  completed  till  the 
Babylonish  caj)tivity,  and  were  not  all 
written  by  David. — (See  Ps.  cxxxvii.) 

Walton  suspects  that  the  book  of 
Daniel  was  not  publicly  read  by  the 
Jews,  lest  it  should  give  offence  to  the 
princes  to  whom  they  were  subject, 
since  it  contains  in  the  letter  sucli  man- 
ifest predictions  of  the  change  and  ruin 
of  the  greatest  Idngdoms  under  which 
they  lived ;  so,  many  suspect  the  Apoc- 
alypse, or  book  of  Revelation,  was  not 
immediately  published  or  received  in 
the  Christian  church  on  this  account, 
because  many  calamities  to  the  Roman 
empire  were  supposed  to  he  predicted 
in  the  literal  sense.  And  that  if  there 
be  any  just  ground  of  conclusion  tliat 
the  book  of  Daniel  was  not  tran.slated 
by  the  LXX.,  it  was  omitted  lest  it 
should  offend  Ptolemy,  and  was  after- 
wards translated  into  Greek  by  some 
other  Iiand,  and  included  in  the  Hagio- 
gra])ha. — Proleg.  ix.,  sec.  51. 

Theodoret  and  Jerome  blame  the 
Jews  for  placing  the  Lamentations  and 
Daniel  in  the  lowest  division  of  the 
Scriptures,  most  evidently  dividing 
them  into  two  classes,  distinguished  by 
a  superior  and  inferior  degree  of  inspi- 
ration. Josephus  includes  the  Latnen- 
tations  with  Jeremiah,  as  properly 
forming  one  book.  The  Psalms  are  not 
only  mentioned  by  our  Lord,  in  Luke 
xxiv.  44,  but  are  evidently  separated 
from  the  class  of  books  witli  which  they 
have  so  long  been  a.«sociated,  and,  be- 
sides this,  are  constantly  cited  in  the 
Gospels,  as  containing  divine  predic- 
tions, etc.  That  the  Psalms  are  strictly 


DIFFERENT  STYLES  OF  SCRIPTURE. 


685 


prophetical  of  the  Messiah,  of  whom 
David,  tlie  inspired  writer  of  the  greater 
portion  of  them,  wiis  an  eminent  type, 
all  must  allow.  But  on  account  of  their 
poetical  form,  and  their  use  in  worship, 
as  also  that  some  of  them  appeared  to 
have  been  written  so  late  as  tlie  Baby- 
lonish captivity,  the  Jews  inserted  the 
whole  book  in  the  Hagiographa.  The 
last  reason  has  been  thought  by  some 
sufficient  to  account  for  Daniel  being 
included  in  the  same  division.  The 
Law  of  Moses,  then,  the  Prophets,  and 
the  Psalms,  which  our  Lord  affirms 
(Luke  xxiv.  44)  treat  especially  of 
Himself,  and  which  lie  thus  stamps,  as 
it  were,  with  his  own  divine  signet,  will 
include  all  those  books,  and  those  only, 
which  Swedenborg  enumerates,  as  truly 
constituting  the  Word  of  the  Old  Tes- 
tament.— See  also,  Nobles  Plenary  Inspi- 
ration, Appendix  ii. ;  "  An  attempt  to 
discriminate  between  the  Books  of  Plenary 
Inspiration,  contained  in  the  Bible,  and 
those  written  by  the  Inspiration  generally 
assigned  to  the  whole." 

The  prophets  are  divided  into  ante- 
rior and  posterior.  The  anterior  proph- 
ets comprising  tlie  books  of  Joshua, 
Judges,  the  two  books  of  Samuel,  and 
the  two  books  of  Kings,  and  were  so 
called  because  they  wrote  by  inspiration 
concerning  those  things  which  had  hap- 
pened anterior  to  their  time.  The  pos- 
terior prophets,  comprising  the  four 
greater,  and  twelve  lesser  proj^hets, 
were  so  called,  because  they  wrote  by 
inspiration  concerning  those  things 
which  were  to  happen  piosterior  to  their 
time. 

The  various  arrangements  of  the 
canon  by  the  Jews  were  most  probably 
made  under  the  fanciful  notion,  that 
the  higher  degree  of  inspiration  in- 
cluded as  many  books  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment as  there  are  letters  in  the  TIebrew 
alphabet, — like  ihe  alphabetical  divi- 
sions of  Ps.  cxix.  and  others.  It  is  a 
somewhat  singular  coincidence  that  the 
58 


plenarily  inspired  Books,  according  to 
Swedenborg,  reckoning  the  Pentateuch 
one  book ;  the  two  Books  of  Samuel, 
and  the  two  Books  of  the  Kings,  as  only 
two,  agreeably  to  ancient  usage ;  and  tlie 
Books  of  Jeremiah  and  Lamentations 
as  one  book,  as  Josephus  did ;  they 
make,  in  all,  twenty-two, — precisely  the 
number  required. 

Xr.  THE  FOUR  DIFFEKENT  STYLES 
IN  WHICH  THE  WORD  OF  GOD  IS 
"WRITTEN. 

"There  are  four  diflferent  styles  in 
which  the  Word  of  God  is  written. 
The  first  was  in  use  in  the  most  ancient 
"[or  Adamic]  church ;  whose  method  of 
expressing  themselves  was  such,  that 
when  they  mentioned  earthly  and 
worldly  things,  they  thought  of  the 
spiritual  anH  celestial  things  which 
they  represented ;  so  that  they  not  only 
expressed  themselves  by  representa- 
tives, but  also,  reduced  their  thoughts 
into  a  kind  of  series  of  historical  par- 
ticulare,  in  order  to  give  them  more 
light,  and  in  tliis  they  found  the  great- 
est delight.  This  style  is  meant  when 
Hannah  prophesied,  saying,  '  Speak  ye 
what  is  high  ;  let  what  is  ancient  come 
forth  from  your  mouth'  (1  Sam.  ii.  3). 
Such  representatives  are  called  by  David 
'  Dark  sayings  of  old '  (Ps.  Ixxviii.  2- 
4).  From  the  posterity  of  the  most 
ancient  church,  Moses  received  wliat 
he  wrote  concerning  the  creation,  the 
Garden  of  Eden,  etc.,  till  the  time  of 
Abram  [Gen.  xi.  27].  The  second  style 
is  the  historical,  occurring  in  the  books 
of  Moses  from  the  time  of  Abram,  and 
afterwards  in  Joshua,  Judges,  Samuel, 
and  the  Kings,  in  which  the  historical 
facts  actually  occurred  as  they  are  re- 
lated in  the  letter,  although  all  and 
each  of  them  contains  things  altogether 
dill'erent  in  the  internal  sense.  The 
third  style  is  prophetical,  whicJi  took 
its  rise  from  that  which  was  esteemed 
as  highly  in  the  most  ancient  church ; 


636 


APPENDIX. 


this  style,  however,  is  not  connected, 
and  in  appearance  historical,  like  that 
of  tlie  most  ancient  church,  but  is  broken 
and  interrupted,  being  scarcely  ever  in- 
telligible except  in  the  internal  sense. 
In  this  are  contained  the  greatest  ar- 
cana, succeeding  each  other  in  a  beauti- 
ful and  orderly  connection,  relating  to 
the  internal  and  external  man,  to  the 
various  states  of  the  church,  to  heaven 
itself,  and  in  their  inmost  sense  to  the 
Lord.  The  fourth  style  is  that  of  the 
Psalms  of  David,  which  is  intermediate 
between  the  prophetic  style,  and  that 
of  common  speech ;  here,  under  the 
person  of  David,  as  a  King,  the  Lord 
is  treated  of  in  the  internal  sense." — ' 
A.  C.  66. 

XII.  THE  AXCIENT  WORD. 

"  That  previous  to  the  Word  which 
was  given  by  Moses  and  the  prophets 
to  the  people  of  Israel,  men  were  ac- 
quainted with  sacrificial  worship,  and 
prophesied  from  tlie  mouth  of  Jehovah, 
may  appear  from  what  is  recorded  in 
the  books  of  Moses :  Ex.  xxxiv.  13 ; 
Dent.  vii.  5 ;  chap.  xii.  3 ;  Numb.  xxv. 

1,  2,  3 ;  chap.  xxii.  40;  chap,  xxiii.  1, 

2,  14,  29,  30;  Numb.  xxiv.  17;  chap, 
xxii.  13,  IS;  chap,  xxiii.  3,  5,  8, 16,26; 
chap.  xxiv.  1,  13;  Dent,  xxxii.  7,  8; 
chap.  xiv.  14-20;  Psalm  ex.  4.  The 
Word  among  the  ancients  was  written 
by  mere  correspondences.  It  was  used 
by  the  natives  of  the  land  of  Canaan, 
and  its  confines,  as  of  Syria,  Jlesopo- 
tamia,  Arabia,  Chaldea,  Assyria,  Egypt, 
Zidon,  Tyre,  and  Nineveh  ;  the  inliabi- 
tants  of  all  whicli  kingdoms  were  in- 
itiated into  representative  worship,  and 
consequently  were  skilled  in  the  science 
of  correspondences.  When  in  process 
of  time  that  Word  began  to  be  generally 
falsified,  it  was  removed  l)y  the  divine 
Providence  of  tlie  Lord,  and  at  last  was 
lost,  and  another  Word,  written  by  cor- 
respondences less  remote,  was  given, 


which  was  the  Word  published  by  the 
prophets  amongst  the  childi-en  of  Is- 
rael. 

"That  the  ancients  had  a  Word,  is 
evident  from  the  writings  of  Moses,  who 
mentions  it,  and  also  gives  quotations 
from  it,  Numb.  xxi.  14,  15,  27-30  ;  and 
that  the  historical  parts  of  that  Word 
were  called  the  Wars  of  Jehovah,  and 
the  prophetical  parts,  Enunciations. 
From  the  historical  parts  of  that  Word, 
Moses  has  given  this  quotation, '  Where- 
fore it  is  said  in  the  booli  of  the  Wars 
of  Jehovah,  I  marched  into  Snpli,  and 
the  rivers  of  Arnon,  and  the  channel 
of  the  rivers ;  that  turned  aside  where 
Ar  dwelleth,  and  stopped  at  the  border 
of  Moab,'  Numb.  xxi.  14,  15:  by  the 
wars  of  Jehovah  mentioned  in  that 
Word,  as  in  ours,  the  Lord's  combats 
with  the  hells  are  meant  and  described, 
and  his  victories  over  them,  when  he 
should  come  into  the  world :  the  same 
combats  are  also  meant  and  described 
in  many  passages  in  the  historical  part 
of  our  Word,  as  in  the  wars  of  Joshua 
with  the  inhabitants  of  the  land  of  Ca- 
naan, and  in  the  wai-s  of  the  judges, 
and  of  the  kings  of  Israel.  From  the 
prophetical  parts  of  that  Word,  Moses 
has  given  this  quotation :  '  Wherefore 
say  the  Enunciators,  Come  into  Ilesh- 
bon ;  the  city  of  Sihon  shall  be  built 
and  strengthened;  for  there  is  a  fire 
gone  out  of  Heshhon,  a  flame  from  the 
city  of  Sihon ;  it  hath  consumed  Ar  of 
Moab,  and  the  possessoi-s  of  the  liigh 
places  of  Arnon.  Woe  to  thee,  Moab ! 
thou  art  undone,  O  people  of  Chemosh  ! 
He  hath  sent  his  sons  that  escaped,  and 
his  daughters,  into  captivity  unto  Sihon 
I  king  of  the  Amorites ;  we  have  shot 
them  with  darts.  Ileshbon  is  perished 
even  unto  Dibon,  and  we  have  laid  waste 
even  unto  Nophah,  which  reacheth  unto 
Medeba,'  Numb.  xxi.  27-30:  the  trans- 
lators render  it,  Thoy  that  speak  in 
proverbs,  but  they  are  more  properly 
called  Enunciators,  and  their  coniposi- 


'TJIM  ANCIENT  WORD. 


687 


tions,  Prophetical  Enunciations,  as  may 
appear  from  the  signification  of  tlic  word 
Moshalim  in  the  Hebrew  tongue,  wliidi 
not  only  means  proverbs,  but  also  pro- 
phetical Enunciations;  as  in  Numb, 
xxiii.  7,  18;  chap.  xxiv.  3,  15:  it  is 
there  said  that  Balaam  uttered  his  Enun- 
ciation, which  was  also  a  prophecy  con- 
cerning the  Lord ;  his  Enunciation  is 
called  Moshal,  in  the  singular  number: 
it  may  be  further  observed,  that  the  pas- 
sages tlience  quoted  by  Moses  are  not 
proverbs,  but  prophecies.  That  that 
Word,  like  ours,  was  divinely  inspired, 
is  plain  from  a  passage  in  Jeremiah, 
where  nearly  the  same  expressions  oc- 
cur: 'A  fire  shall  come  forth  out  of 
Heshbon,  and  a  flame  from  the  midst 
of  Sihon,  and  shall  devour  the  corner 
of  Moab,  and  tlie  crown  of  the  head  of 
the  sons  of  Shaon.  Woe  be  unto  thee, 
O  Moab !  the  people  of  Chemosh  perisli- 
eth  ;  for  thy  sons  are  taken  away  cap- 
tives, and  thy  daughters  captives,'  chap, 
xlviii.  45, 46.  Beside  these,  mention  is 
also  made  of  a  prophetical  book,  called, 
The  Book  of  Jasher,  or,  the  book  of  the 
Upright,  by  David  and  by  Joshua ;  by 
David  in  the  following  passage :  '  David 
lamented  over  Saul,  and  over  Jonathan ; 
also  he  bade  them  teach  the  children  of 
Judah  the  bow ;  behold  it  is  written  in 
the  book  of  Jasher,'  2  Sam.  i.  17,  IS; 
and  by  Joshua  in  this  passage ;  '  Joshua 
said.  Sun,  stand  thou  still  upon  Gibeon, 
and  thou  moon,  in  the  valley  of  Ajalon ; 
is  not  this  written  in  the  book  of  Jasher,' 
or  the  Book  of  the  Upright."  Josh.  x. 
12,  13.— ;S'.  S.,  n.  101,  102,  103.  T.  C. 
R.  265.   A.  R.  21. 

"  The  prevalence  of  religious  worship 
from  the  most  early  ages  of  the  world, 
and  the  universal  knowledge  of  a  God 
amongst  the  inhabitants  of  the  globe, 
with  some  notion  of  a  life  after  death, 
are  not  to  be  ascribed  to  men,  nor  to 
their  self-derived  intelligence,  but  to 
the  ancient  Word,  and  in  succeeding 
times  to  the  Israelitish  Word.  From 


these  two  sources,  religious  knowledge 
was  propagated  through  all  parts  of 
India,  with  its  islands  ;  through  Egypt 
and  Ethiopia  into  the  kingdoms  of  Af- 
rica; from  the  juaritime  parts  of  Asia 
into  Greece  ;  and  from  thence  into  Italy. 
But  as  the  Word  could  not  be  written 
otherwise  than  by  representatives,which 
are  such  earthly  existences  as  corre- 
spond with  heavenly  ones,  and  are  con- 
sequently significative  of  them,  tliere- 
fore  the  religious  notions  of  the  gentiles 
were  clianged  into  idolatry,  and  in 
Greece  were  turned  into  fables:  and  the 
divine  properties  and  attributes  were 
considered  as  so  many  separate  gods, 
governed  by  one  supreme  Deity,  whom 
they  called  Jove,  possibly  from  Jeho- 
vah. That  they  had  a  knowledge  of 
Paradise,  of  the  flood,  of  the  sacred  fire, 
of  the  four  ages,  beginning  with  that 
of  gold,  and  ending  with  that  of  iron, 
by  which  in  the  Word  are  signified  the 
four  states  of  the  church,  as  in  Daniel, 
chap.  ii.  31-35,  is  well  known.  That 
the  ^lahometan  religion,  which  suc- 
ceeded and  destroyed  the  former  relig- 
ious persuasions  of  many  nations,  was 
taken  from  the  Word  of  both  Testa- 
ments, is  also  well  known." — S.  S.,  u. 
177.  T.  a  R.,  n.  275. 

"  In  the  writings  of  Moses,  chiefly  in 
the  beginning  of  Genesis,  where  occur 
documents  of  a  much  higher  antiquity 
than  Moses'  own  time." — Dr.  J.  Herni- 
ga^  Notes  to  Dr.  Seller's  Biblical  Her- 
meneutics,  trans,  by  Rev.  Dr.  W.  Wright, 
p.  93. 

"  That  the  book  of  Genesis  was,  in 
part,  composed  or  compiled  from  pre- 
viously existing  documents,  or  from 
true  traditionary  accounts  existing  in 
the  church  at  the  time  of  its  compo- 
sition by  Moses,  is  a  point  which  is  now 
very  generally  admitted  among  those 
who  are  conversant  with  Biblical  crit- 
icism." This  was  also  the  oi^inion  of 
Vitringa,  Le  Cane,  Calmet,  and  Astruc. 
— See  the  Introduction  of  Home,  Eichhorn, 


688 


APPENDIX. 


Jahn,  and  Serthollet;  Dr.  Pye  Smith's 
Cong.  Lert.,  p.  207 ;  and  Stuart  on  the 
0.  T.  Canon,  p.  54;  Dr.  Henderson  on 
Divine  Inspiration,  p.  312,  and  note,  p. 
485. 

That  there  was  a  Bible  before  our 
Bible  is  indicated  in  the  book  before  us 
[^uTisen's  Egypf s  Place  in  Universal 
History],  rather  than  proved  as  it  might 
be."- — Dr.  R.  Williams,  Essays  and  Re- 
views, 9th  ed.,  p.  62. 

XIII.  VrUY  WAS  NOT  THE  INTER- 
NAL SENSE  OF  THE  WORD  RE- 
VEALED BEFORE? 

Swedenborg  says,  that  "  the  spiritual 
sense  of  the  ^V'ord  was  not  revealed 
before,  because  if  it  had  been,  the 
church  would  have  profaned  it,  and 
thereby  have  profaned  the  sanctity  of 
the  AVord  itseK:  and  the  case  would 
have  been  according  to  what  the  Lord 
says  in  ^latthew :  '  If  thine  eye  be  evil, 
thy  whole  body  shall  be  full  of  dark- 
ness; if,  therefore,  the  light  that  is  in 
thee  be  darkness,  how  great  is  that 
darkness.'  vi.  23.  By  eye,  in  the  spir- 
itual sense  of  the  \Yord,  is  meant  the 
understan<Hng." — D.  P.,  n.  264. 

And,  again,  on  the  same  subject  he 
says,  another  "reason  why  the  science 
of  correspondences,  which  is  the  key 
to  the  .spiritual  sense  of  the  Word,  was 
not  [fully]  disclosed  to  earlier  ages, 
was,  because  the  Christians  of  the  prim- 
itive church  were  men  of  such  great 
simplicity,  that  it  was  impossible  to 
disclose  it  to  them  ;  for  had  it  been  dis- 
closed, they  would  liave  found  no  use 
in  it,  nor  would  they  have  understood 
it.  [That  the  wise  among  them,  how- 
ever, have  had  .some  perception  of  its 
existence,  is  plain  from  the  luimerous 
extracts  we  have  made  from  tlieir  writ- 
ings. They  moreover  considered  that 
it  was  well  to  withhold  t!ieir  mysteries 
from  men  indiscriminately,  and  hence 
their  doctrine  and  duty  of  reserve.] 


After  those  first  ages  of  Christianity, 
there  arose  tbick  clouds  of  darkness, 
and  overspread  the  whole  Christian 
world,  in  consequence  of  the  establisli- 
ment  of  the  Papal  dominion.  But  after 
the  Reformation,  inasmuch  as  men  be- 
gan to  divide  faith  from  charity,  and  to 
worship  God  under  three  persons,  con- 
sequently three  Gods,  whom  they  con- 
ceive to  be  one,  therefore  at  that  time 
heavenly  truths  were  concealed  from 
them ;  for  if  they  had  been  discovered 
they  would  liave  been  falsified,  and 
would  have  been  abused  to  the  confir- 
mation of  faith  alone,  without  being  at 
all  applied  to  charity  and  love :  thus 
also  men  would  have  closed  heaven 
against  tliemselves." — S.  S.,  n.  24. 

XIV.  THE  AUTHORIZED  ENGLISH 
VERSION  OF  THE  BIBLE. 

It  must  not  be  forgotten,  what  in- 
deed might  naturally  be  expected,  and 
is  now  generally  acknowledged  among 
the  learned,  that  in  numerous  instances 
the  common  English  translation  of  the 
Holy  Word,  incorrectly  or  imperfectly 
convej"s  the  meaning  of  the  divine 
original.  The  translatore  were  not 
plenarily  inspired  men.  A  literal  and 
faithful  translation  of  the  Word  is 
now  a  great  desideratum  in  the  New 
Church.  For  the  want  of  it,  the 
science  of  correspondences,  when  ap- 
plied, frequently  fails  to  educe  a  just, 
intelligible,  and  consecutive  sense.  It 
will  aflford  some  aid  to  the  ordinary 
reader  to  know,  1st. — That  in  many 
instances  the  marginal  readings  are 
more  faithful  renderings  than  the  text 
(exmp.  Isa.  i.  18;  v.  1).  2d.— That 
in  all  those  passages  where  the  term 
LOKI)  is  printed  in  the  Old  Testament 
in  capital  Icttei-s,  the  originsil  is  Jeho- 
vah (exmp.  Isa.  xliii.  10,  11,  12; 
Ezek.  xxxiii.  11).  And  3d. — Tiiat 
the  words  printed  in  italics  have  no 
corresponding  expressions  in  the  origi- 


THE  AUTHORIZED  VERSION. 


689 


nal,  and  in  many  places  oua;lit  to  have 
been  omitted  (exnip.  Psalm  ii.  2; 
cxxxiii.  3). 

Dr.  A.  Clarice  affirms  in  liis  Preface 
to  the  Bible,  that  in  the  Common  Ver- 
sion there  arc  "  many  thomand  errors  in 
the  Italics,  which  make  God  to  speak  what 
he  never  did  speak."  Dr.  Trapp  writes 
as  follows:  "Our  English  translation  of 
the  Bible,  though  in  the  main  a  good  one, 
is  in  some  places  intolerably  faulty." 
Blackwall  asserts,  that  "  the  former  trans- 
lation, though  amended  by  the  present  in 
several  places,  is  yet  equal  to  it  in  very 
many,  and  superior  in  a  considerable 
number:"  and  that  "innumerable  in- 
stances might  be  given  of  faulty  transla- 
tions of  the  divine  original." — See  Clas- 
sics (1731),  pref.  Dr.  Waterland  says, 
"  our  present  iramlation  is  undoubtedly 
capable  of  very  great  improvement." — 
Script.  Vindic.,  part  iii.,  p.  64.  J. 
Wesley  writes,  "  /  do  not  say  that  our 
common  English  version  is  incapable  of 
being  brought,  in  several  places,  nearer  to 
the  original."  Bishop  Lowth  calls  it 
"o  version  of  second-hand,"  and  speaks 
of  a  new  translation  as  "  a  necessary 
work." — Prelim.  Dissert,  to  Isaiah,  p.  69. 
Professor  Dr.  Symonds  says,  "  Whoever 
examines  our  version  in  present  use,  will 
find  that  it  is  ambiguous  and  incorrect, 
even  in  matters  of  the  highest  impoi-tance.'' 
— Observations  on  the  Expediency  of 
Revising  the  Present  Version,  1789. 

Bishop  Marsh  says,  "We  cannot  pos- 
sibly pretend  that  our  authorized  version 
does  not  require  amendment."  Durell 
affirms,  that  "  the  version  now  in  use  in 
many  places  does  not  exhibit  the  sense  of 
the  text,  and  mistakes  it,  besides,  in  an  in- 
finite number  of  instances." — Crit.  on  Job, 
1772,  pref.  Dr.  Blayney  remarks,  that 
"  the  common  version  is  far  from  what  it 
should  he,  and  has  mistaken  the  true  sense 
of  the  Hebrew  in  not  a  few  places." — Pre- 
lim. Disc,  to  Jeremiah,  1789.  And  Dr. 
Kennicott  suggests,  that  "great  improve- 
ments might  now  be  made,  because  the  Ue- 
58*  2 


brew  and  Greek  languages  have  been  much 
cultivated  and  far  better  understood,  since 
the  year  1600." — Remarks,  etc.,  1787, 
p.  6. 

The  Rev.  J.  Oxlee,  in  a  letter  to  the 
Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  in  1845,  as- 
serts that  "  Many  gross  perversiom,  not 
to  say  mistranslations,  of  the  sacred  text, 
have  been  occasioned  by  dogmatical  preju- 
dices, and  sectarian  zeal." — Pp.  137, 
138. 

A  writer  in  the  Biblioth.  Lit.  avows 
that  "  the  common  English  version  has 
many  considerable  faults,  and  very  much 
needs  another  review." —  1723,  p.  72. 
And  Pilkington  emphatically  observes 
that  "  Many  of  the  inconsistencies,  impro- 
prieties, and  obscurities,  are  occasioned  by 
the  translators  misunderstanding  the  true 
import  of  the  Hebrew  words  and  phrases, 
showing  the  benefit  and  expediency  of  a 
more  correct  and  intelligent  translation  of 
the  Bible." — Remarks,  1759,  p.  77. 

Professor  Selwyn  observes,  that  "  the 
very  fact  of  the  Translators  having  often 
placed  one  interpretation  in  the  text, 
and  another  in  the  margin,  and  their 
conscientious  practice  of  distinguishing, 
by  a  different  type,  the  words  introduced 
by  themselves,  as  required  by  a  differ- 
ence of  idiom,  sufficiently  disclaims  all 
assumption  of  infallibility,  and  invites 
the  endeavors  of  succeeding  times  to 
the  perfecting  of  this  noble  work.  .  .  . 
The  importance  of  this  work  of  improve- 
ment is  enhanced  a  hundredfold,  by  the 
circumstances  of  these  latter  times,  by 
the  wonderful  extension  of  the  English 
language  over  the  world,  and  by  the  in- 
creasing efforts  made  to  multiply  trans- 
lations of  the  Scriptures  into  the  tongues 
of  heathen  nations  and  islands,  for  which 
our  authorized  version  forms  the  general 
basis.  ...  I  will  mention  [among  others] 
one  good  result  to  be  hoped  for,  from 
the  undertaking  of  an  authorized  re- 
vision. It  is  the  quickening  impulse 
that  will  be  given  to  sacred  studies,  both 
in  criticism  and  interpretation.  Let  us 
T 


690 


APPENDIX. 


no  longer  be  deterred  from  this  good 
work,  by  vague  fears  of  unknown  diffi- 
culties. Neither  let  us  give  way  to  the 
ungrounded  fear  that  the  reverence  and 
love  of  the  people  for  the  English  Bible, 
as  a  whole,  will  be  weakened  by  the 
correction  of  some  defective  renderings ; 
their  reverence  and  love  rest  on  a  far 
wider  and  deeper  basis." 

Professor  Xoyes  observes,  that  "  more 
may  be  done  to  make  the  Sacred  Writ- 
ings understood  and  respected,  by  a  re- 
vised translation  of  them,  than  in  any 
other  single  mode.  ...  It  would  do 
more  for  the  cau.se  of  revealed  religion 
than  many  an  elabora.te  argument  in  its 
defence." 

"Kespectable  and  excellent,  a.s  our 
common  version  is,  considering  the 
time  and  circumstances  under  wliich  it 
was  made,"  remarks  Dr.  J.  Pye  Smith, 
"  no  person  will  contend  tliat  it  is  in- 
capable of  important  amendment.  A 
temperate,  impartial,  and  careful  re- 
vision, would  be  an  invaluable  benefit 
to  the  cause  of  Christianity ;  and  the 
very  laudable  exertions  wliich  are  now 
made  to  circulate  the  Bible,  render  such 
a  revision,  at  the  present  time,  a  matter 
of  still  more  pressing  necessity." 

For  additional  opinions,  etc.,  see  Neiv- 
comi^s  Hist.,  Vieiv  of  the  Eng.  Bib.  Tram- 
latioTut ;  An  Essay  fnr  a  Neiv  Translation 
of  the  Bible,  London,  1727,  by  H.  R.,  etc., 
etc.  Throughout  his  voluminous  works, 
Swedenborg  lias  adopted  a  new,  more 
literal,  and  more  accurate  rendering 
into  the  Latin  language,  of  those  por- 
tions of  the  Word  which  he  explains  or 
quotes.  He  sometimes  translated  into 
the  Latin  from  the  original,  and  at 
otliers  used  the  excellent,  but  literal 
version  of  Schmidius.  Tlie  translation 
of  his  works  into  English,  therefore, 
supplies  a  more  correct  rendering  of 
numerous  portions  of  the  Word  than 
our  authorized  English  version. 


XV.  DEGREES. 

A  clear  understanding  of  the  subject 
of  degrees,  is  of  so  much  importance  to 
a  right  comprehension  of  the  Word 
of  God,  and  the  science  of  correspond- 
ences, and  has  been  so  amply  unfolded 
and  so  clearly  illustrated  by  Sweden- 
borg,  that  I  cannot  refrain  from  pre- 
senting to  the  intelligent  and  earnest 
reader  the  following  extracts : 

"  That  Degrees  arc  of  two  kinds.  Degrees 
of  Altitude,  and  Degrees  of  Latitude. — 
The  knowledge  of  degrees  is,  as  it  were, 
the  key  to  open  the  causes  of  things, 
and  enter  into  tliem  :  Avithout  it  scarcely 
anything  of  cause  can  be  known,  for 
without  it,  the  objects  and  subjects  of 
both  worlds  appear  so  general  [nnivoca) 
as  to  seem  to  have  nothing  in  them  but 
what  is  seen  with  the  eye ;  when  never- 
theless, this,  respectively  to  the  things 
which  lie  interiorly  concealed,  is  as  one 
to  thousands,  yea  to  myriads.  The  in- 
terior things  which  lie  hid,  can  by  no 
means  be  discovered,  unle.<s  degrees  be 
understood  ;  for  exterior  things  advance 
to  interior  things,  and  these  to  inmost, 
by  degrees ;  not  by  continuous  degrees, 
but  by  discrete  degrees.  Decrements 
or  decreasings  from  grosser  to  finer,  or 
from  denser  to  rarer,  or  rather  incre- 
ments and  increasings  from  finer  to 
grosser,  or  from  rarer  to  denser,  like 
that  of  light  to  shade,  or  of  heat  to 
cold,  are  called  continuous  degrees. 
But  discrete  degrees  are  entirely  difler- 
ent :  they  are  in  the  relation  of  prior, 
posterior,  and  postreme,  or  of  end,  cause, 
and  effect.  They  are  called  discrete 
degrees,  because  the  prior  is  by  itself, 
the  posterior  by  itself,  and  tlie  postreme 
by  itself;  but  still,  taken  together,  they 
make  a  one.  The  atmospheres  which 
are  called  aether  and  air,  from  highest 
to  lowest,  or  from  tlie  sun  to  the  earth, 
are  discriminated  into  such  degrees; 
and  are  as  simples,  the  congregates  of 
these  simples,  and  again  the  congregates 


DISCRETE  AND  CONTINUOUS  DEGREES. 


691 


of  tliese  congregates,  which  taken  to- 
gether, are  called  a  composite.  These 
last  degrees  are  discrete,  because  they 
exist  distinctly;  and  they  are  under- 
stood by  degrees  of  altitude;  but  the 
former  degrees  are  continuous,  because 
they  continually  increase;  and  thev- 
are  understood  by  degrees  of  latitude. 

"All  and  singular  the  things  which 
exist  in  the  spiritual  and  natural  worlds, 
coexist  at  once  from  discrete  and  contin- 
uous degrees,  or  from  degrees  of  altitude 
and  degrees  of  latitude.  That  dimension 
which  consists  of  discrete  degrees  is 
called  altitude,  and  that  which  consists 
of  continuous  degrees  is  called  latitude : 
their  situation  relatively  to  sight  does 
not  change  their  denomination. 

"  Without  a  knowledge  of  these  de- 
grees nothing  can  be  known  of  the  dif- 
ference between  the  three  heaven.s,  or 
of  the  difference  between  the  love  and 
wisdom  of  the  angels,  or  of  the  differ- 
ence between  the  heat  and  light  in  which 
they  are,  or  of  tlie  difference  between 
the  atmospheres  which  surround  and 
contain  them. 

"  Jloreover,  without  a  knowledge  of 
these  degrees,  nothing  can  be  known 
of  the  difference  of  the  interior  facul- 
ties of  the  mind  in  men :  or,  therefore, 
of  their  state  as  to  reformation  and  re- 
generation; or  of  the  difference  of  the 
exterior  faculties,  which  are  of  the  body, 
as  well  of  angels  as  of  men ;  and  nothing 
at  all  of  the  difference  between  spiritual 
and  natural,  or  therefore  of  correspond- 
ence ;  yea,  of  any  difference  of  life  be- 
tween men  and  beasts,  or  of  the  differ- 
ence between  the  more  perfect  and  the 
imperfect  beasts ;  or  of  the  differences 
between  the  forms  of  the  vegetable 
kingdom,  and  between  the  materials 
which  compose  the  mineral  kingdom. 
Whence  it  may  appear,  that  those  who 
are  ignorant  of  these  degrees,  cannot 
from  any  judgment  see  causes;  they 
only  see  effects,  and  judge  of  causes 
from  them,  which  is  done  for  the  most 


part  by  an  induction  continuous  with 
edects ;  when  nevertheless  causes  do 
not  produce  effects  by  continuity,  but 
discretely,  for  a  cause  is  one  thing,  and 
an  effect  another ;  there  is  a  difference 
as  between  prior  and  posterior,  or  as 
between  the  thing  forming  and  the 
thing  formed."—!).  L.  W.,  n.  184,  185. 

"  All  things  which  exist  in  the 
world,  of  which  trinal  dimension  is 
predicated,  or  which  are  called  com- 
pound, consist  of  degrees  of  altitude  or 
discrete  degrees.  But  to  illustrate  this 
by  example.  It  is  well  known  by  oc- 
ular experience  that  eacli  muscle  in 
the  human  body  consists  of  very  mi- 
nute fibres,  and  that  these  fasciculated, 
constitute  those  larger  ones,  called 
moving  fibres,  and  that  bundles  of 
these  produce  the  compound  which  is 
called  a  muscle.  It  is  the  same  with 
tlie  nerves ;  verv  small  nervous  fibres 
are  put  together  into  larger  ones, 
which  appear  like  filaments,  and  by  a 
collection  of  such  filaments  the  nerve 
is  produced.  It  is  also  the  same  in 
the  other  compaginations,  confascicula- 
tions,  and  collections  of  which  the  or- 
gans and  viscera  consist ;  for  tliese  are 
compounds  of  fibres  and  vessels  va- 
riously fashioned  by  similar  degrees. 
The  case  is  the  same  also  with  all  and 
every  thing  of  the  vegetable  kingdom, 
and  with  all  and  every  thing  of  the 
mineral  kingdom :  in  wood  there  is  a 
compagination  of  filaments  in  three- 
fold order ;  in  metals  and  stones  there 
is  a  conglobation  of  parts  also  in  three- 
fold order.  These  considerations  show 
the  nature  of  discrete  degrees,  namely, 
that  one  is  formed  from  another,  and 
by  means  of  the  second,  a  third,  or 
composite ;  and  that  each  degree  is 
discrete  from  another." — D.  L.  W.,  n. 
190. 

"That  in  successive  order  the  first 
degree  constitutes  the  highest,  and  the 
third  the  lowest ;  but  that  in  simulta- 
neous order,  the  first  degree  constitutes 


692 


APPENDIX. 


the  inmost,  and  the  third  the  outrac^;. 
There  is  successive  order,  and  simul- 
taneous order :  the  successive  order  of 
these  degrees  is  from  highest  to  lowest, 
or  from  top  to  bottom.  The  angelic 
heavens  are  in  this  order ;  the  third 
lieaven  is  the  liigliest,  the  second  is 
the  middle,  and  the  first  is  the  lowest ; 
such  is  their  relative  situations :  in 
similar  successive  order  are  the  states 
of  love  and  wisdom  there  with  the 
angels,  as  also  of  heat  and  light,  and 
likewise  of  the  spiritual  atmospheres ; 
in  similar  order  are  all  the  perfections 
of  forms  and  powers  there.  When  the 
degrees  of  altitude,  or  discrete  degrees, 
are  in  successive  order,  they  may  be 
compared  to  columns  divided  into 
tliree  degrees,  by  which  tliere  is  an 
ascent  and  descent ;  in  the  superior 
mansion  of  which  are  the  things  the 
most  perfect  and  most  beautiful,  in  the 
middle  the  less  perfect  and  less  beau- 
tiful, and  in  the  lowest  the  still  less 
perfect  and  less  beautiful.  But  simul- 
taneous order,  which  consists  of  simi- 
lar degrees,  has  anotlier  appearance : 
in  this  the  highest  tilings  of  successive 
order,  which,  as  w:is  said,  are  the  most 
perfect  and  most  beautiful,  are  in  the 
inmost,  inferior  things  in  the  middle, 
and  the  lowest  things  in  the  circum- 
ference. They  are  as  in  a  solid  sub- 
stance consisting  of  those  three  degrees, 
in  the  middle  or  centre  of  which  are 
the  most  subtle  parts,  about  it  are  parts 
less  subtle,  and  in  the  extremes,  which 
constitute  the  circumference,  there  are 
parts  composed  of  these,  and  conse- 
quently more  gross :  it  is  like  that  col- 
umn, which  was  spoken  of  above,  sub- 
siding into  a  i)lane,  whose  highest  part 
constitutes  tlie  inmost,  whose  middle 
part  the  middle,  and  its  lowest  the  ex- 
treme. 

"Since  the  liighcst  of  successive  or- 
der is  tlie  inmost  of  simultaneous  order, 
and  tiic  lowest  is  the  outmost,  tlierefore 
in  the  AVord,  superior  signifies  interior, 


.".nd  inferior  signifies  exterior ;  and  up- 
wards and  downwards,  and  height  and 
depth  signify  the  same. 

"  In  every  ultimate  there  are  dis- 
crete degrees  in  simultaneous  order : 
the  moving  fibres  in  every  muscle,  tlie 
fibres  in  every  nerve,  and  the  fibres 
and  vessels  in  every  viscus  and  organ, 
are  in  such  order ;  in  their  inmost  are 
the  most  simple  and  perfect  things, 
whereof  their  outmost  is  composed.  A 
similar  order  of  those  degrees  is  in 
every  seed,  and  in  every  fruit,  and  in 
every  metal  and  stone ;  the  parts  of 
them,  of  wliich  the  whole  consists,  are 
such ;  in  inmost,  intermediate,  and 
outmost  principles  of  the  parts,  are  in 
tliose  degrees,  for  they  are  successive 

'  compositions,  or  confasciculations,  and 

j  conglobations,  from  simples,  which  are 
their  first  substances  or  niaterials. 

"  In  a  word,  there  are  such  degrees 
in  every  ultimate,  thus  in  every  efl'ect ; 
for  every  ultimate  consists  of  prior 
things,  and  these  of  their  first ;  and 
every  effect  consists  of  a  cause,  and  this 

,  of  an  end  ;  and  the  end  is  the  all  of  tlie 
cause,  and  the  cause  is  the  all  of  the 

j  effect,  and  the  end  constitutes  the  in- 
most, the  cause  -  the  middle,  and  the 
effect  the  ultimate.    That  the  case  is 

j  the  same  witli  the  degrees  of  love  and 
wisdom,  of  heat  and  light,  and  with  the 
organic  forms  of  tlie  affections  and 
thoughts  in  man  will  be  seen  in  what 
follows.  The  series  of  these  degrees  in 
successive  order  and  simultaneous  order, 
is  also  treated  of  in  the  Doctrine  of  the 
Xew  Jerusalem  concerning  the  Saa-ed 
Scriptures,  n.  38,  and  elsewhere ;  where 

]  it  is  shown  that  there  are  similar  de- 

'  grees  in  all  and  every  part  of  the  Word." 

j  —D.  L.  W.,  n.  20r)^208. 

"  That  the  ascending  and  descending 

I  degrees,  wliicli  are  calle<l  prior  and  pos- 
terior, and  degrees  of  altitude  or  dis- 
crete degrees,  are  in  their  power  in  their 

I  ultimate,  may  be  confirmed  by  all  those 

I  things  which  were  adduced  by  way  of 


DISCRETE  DEGREES. 


693 


confirmation  from  sensible  and  percep- 
tible things  in  the  preceding  pafres  ;  but 
here  I  choose  to  confirm  them  only  by 
efforts,  powers,  and  motions,  in  dead  sub- 
jects and  in  living  subjects.  It  is  well 
known  that  endeavor  of  itself  does  noth- 
ing, but  that  it  acts  by  powers  corre- 
sponding to  it,  and  by  them  produces 
motion  ;  hence  that  endeavor  is  tlie  all 
in  the  powers,  and  through  the  powers 
in  the  motion ;  and  motion  being  the 
ultimate  degree  of  endeavor,  that  by 
this  it  produces  its  efficacy.  Endeavor, 
power,  and  motion,  are  not  otherwise 
connected  than  according  to  degrees  of 
altitude,  conjunction  by  which  is  not 
by  continuity,  for  they  are  discrete,  but 
by  correspondences ;  for  endeavor  is  not 
power,  nor  power,  motion  ;  but  power 
is  produced  by  endeavor,  being  en- 
deavor excited,  and  motion  is  produced 
by  power ;  wherefore  there  is  no  potency 
in  endeavor  alone,  or  in  power  alone, 
but  in  motion,  which  is  their  product. 
That  this  is  the  case  still  appears  doubt- 
ful, because  it  ha-s  not  been  illustrated 
by  application  to  things  sensible  and 
perceptible  in  nature;  but  nevertheless 
such  is  their  progression  into  potency. 

"  Let  us  apply  these  principles  to 
living  endeavor,  living  power,  and  liv- 
ing motion.  The  living  endeavor  in  a 
man,  who  is  a  living  subject,  is  his  will 
united  to  his  understanding;  the  living 
powers  in  him  are  what  constitute  the 
interiors  of  his  body,  in  all  of  which 
there  are  moving  fibres  variously  inter- 
woven; and  living  motion  in  him  is 
action,  which  is  produced  through  those 
powers  by  the  will  united  to  the  under- 
standing. The  interiors  of  the  will  and 
understanding  constitute  the  first  de- 
gree, the  interiors  of  the  body  constitute 
the  second,  and  the  whole  body,  which 
is  their  complex,  constitutes  the  third 
degree.  That  the  interiors  of  the  mind 
have  no  potency  but  by  powers  in  the 
body,  and  that  powers  have  no  potency 
but  by  action  of  the  body,  is  a  well 


known  fact.  These  tliree  do  not  act  by 
continuity,  but  discretely  ;  and  to  act 
discretely  is  to  act  by  correspondences. 
The  interiors  of  the  mind  correspond 
to  the  interiors  of  tlie  body,  and  tlie  in- 
teriors of  the  body  to  its  exteriors,  by 
which  actions  exist ;  wherefore  the  two 
former  are  in  potency  by  means  of  the 
exteriors  of  the  body.  It  may  seem  as 
if  endeavor  and  powers  in  a  man  are  in 
some  potency,  although  there  is  no  ac- 
tion, as  in  dreams  and  states  of  rest ;  but 
in  these  cases  the  determination  of  en- 
deavors and  powers,  fall  on  the  common 
moving  principles  of  the  body,  which 
are  the  heart  and  lungs ;  but  when  the 
action  of  these  ceases,  the  powers  also 
cease,  and  the  endeavor  with  the  pow- 
ers."—!). L.  W.,  n.  218,  219. 

"The  ancient  Egyptians  believed  in 
the  unity  of  the  Godhead,  and  ex- 
pressed his  attributes  by  Triads."  It 
is  remarkable  that  the  ancient  trinities 
of  the  Hindoos,  as  well  as  the  Egyp- 
tians, emblematized  the  male  principle, 
the  female  principle,  and  the  offxpring, 
and  that  this  is  identical  with  the 
early  Chinese  philosophy. 

According  to  Pythagora.s,  the  sym- 
bol of  all  things,  or  fulness,  was,  the 
Monad,  or  active  principle,  or  Father; 
the  Duad,  or  passive  principle,  or 
Mother;  and  the  result,  or  operation 
of  both  united. 

The  pliilosopher  Damascius  a,sserts, 
that,  "  throughout  the  world  a  Triad 
shines  forth,  which  resolves  itself  into 
a  Monad."  And  also,  that  this  doc- 
trine was  the  fundamental  principle  of 
tlie  Orphic  philosophy.  Voscins  ob- 
-serves  that  this  idea  holds  a  principal 
place  in  the  mythology  of  the  ancients. 
— See  Priichard's  Analysis  of  Egyptian 
Mythology,  pp.  39-47. 

Numberless  pantheistic  superstitions 
and  absurd  cosmogonies,  etc.,  were 
founded  on  the  corruptions  of  this 
pliilosophy,  as  it  became  more  de- 
praved and  sensual. 


691 


APPENDIX. 


The  three  degrees  of  initiation  into 
the  ancient  mysteries  of  Egypt,  Greece, 
etc.,  were,  without  doubt,  derived  from 
the  above  doctrine  of  discrete  degrees. 
Among  various  nations  the  number 
tliree  always  conveys  the  idea  of  ful- 
ness and  perfection. 

I  take  the  present  opportunity  of 
observing,  that  the  signs,  symbols,  and 
three  degrees  of  Free-Masonry,  are  a 
peculiar  compound  of  a  few  corre- 
spondences, adopted  from  the  ancient 
cavern  mysteries,  most  probably  from 
those  of  the  Sun-worship  of  Heliopolis, 
and  phrases  and  figures  borrowed  from 
the  symbolic  sculpture,  painting,  etc., 
of  more  modern  times,  and  incorpo- 
rated into  ceremonies  which,  on  mere 
assumption,  without  the  slightest  evi- 
dence, are  said  to  have  originated  with 
the  building  of  Solomon's  temple.  (See 
the  works  of  Hutchinson,  Preston,  Capt. 
G.  Smith,  Dr.  Ashe,  Dr.  Oliver,  etc., 
on  Free- Masonry.) 

The  Christian  symbols  of  the  middle 
ages,  with  the  exception  of  some  coin- 
cidences, most  likely  accidental,  were 
not  correspondences  at  all,  but  only 
enigmatical  comparLsons,  often  very 
obscure.  A  large  proportion  of  them 
were  derived  from  heathen  mytholo- 
gies and  Jewish  traditions.  The  re- 
mainder were  founded  upon  some 
fanciful  associations  or  resemblances, 
which  particular  objects  and  their  hal> 
itudes,  mystic  words  and  signs,  arbi- 
trary marks  and  combinations,  the 
forms  and  properties  of  tlie  vestments, 
utensils,  and  instruments  connected 
with  religious  worship,  and  the  various 
professions  and  trades,  etc.,  were  sup- 
posed to  bear  to  certain  moral  rules 
and  sentiments,  regarded  as  necessary 
for  the  right  direction  and  government 
of  the  conduct.  Tliis  symbolism  was 
further  used  to  designate  the  presumed 
or  admitted  qualities  of  persons;  or 
was  ajjplied  to  distinguish  them  from 
each  other.    It  was  also  employed  as  a 


tropical  vehicle  of  doctrinal  mysteries 
and  monastic  professions,  vows,  charms, 
etc.,  and  for  the  purposes  of  secret  asso- 
ciation and  recognition.  (See  Glossary 
of  Architecture,  and  Pugin's  Glossai-y  of 
Ecclesiaslical  Ornament  and  Costume.) 

Vitruvius  informs  us  that  the  Ionic 
order  of  Grecian  architecture  was 
formed  on  the  model  of  woman,  and 
the  Doric  on  that  of  man.  Architec- 
ture is  called  by  De  Stael  and  Goethe 
"  frozen  music."  "  A  Gothic  church," 
said  Coleridge,  "is  a  petrified  relig- 
ion." 

"  All  styles  of  architecture  are  hiero- 
glyphics upon  a  large  scale;  exhibit- 
j  ing  to  the  heedful  eye,  forms  of  wor- 
'  ship  widely  differing  from  each  other; 
j  and  jiroving,  that  in  almost  every  re- 
I  ligion  with  which  we  are  acquainted, 
the  form  of  the  temple  ws  the  hiero- 
'  gram  of  its  god,  or  of  the  peculiar  opin- 
j  ions  of  its  votaries."— J5arcZitt'//'s  Tem- 
I  pies,  p.  55. 

j  "  In  the  most  ancient  monuments  of 
India  and  Egypt,  as  in  those  of  the 
middle  ages,  architecture,  statuary,  and 
painting,  are  the  material  expressions 
of  religious  thought." — Poi-ial^s  Des 
Colenrs  Si/mboligues. 

The  science  of  Correspondences  being 
lost,  the  abstract  ethics  of  Christianity 
were  thus  sought  to  be  extensively  im- 
printed on  tlie  memory  and  conscience. 
In  correspondence  there  is  nothing 
arbitrary  or  fanciful.  The  thing  sig- 
nified must  be  the  proximate  cause  of 
that  to  whicli  it  corresponds,  and  be 
recognized  in  its  form  and  use.  The 
former  must  live,  so  to  speak,  witliin 
the  latter,  as  the  soul  lives  in  the  body, 
or  as  thought  enshrines  itself  in  speech, 
or  as  the  intellect  exists  in  the  eye,  or 
as  the  aflections  of  tlie  heart  animate 
the  countenance ;  all  which  act  to- 
gether as  cause  and  effect. 

"  Even  in  the  most  remote  periods  of 
liistorv,  three  was  considered  a  mystic 
number,  and  regarded  with  reverence. 


ANCIENT  TRIADS. 


695 


Tlie  Assyrians  had  their  triads.  In 
ancient  I'-gypt  every  town  and  district 
had  its  own  triad,  which  it  worsliipped, 
and  whicli  was  a  union  of  certain  attri- 
butes, the  third  member  proceeding 
from  the  other  two.  Sir  Gardiner  Wil- 
kinson, in  his  Ancient  Egijpiiaiis,  \o\. 
iv.,  eh.  xii.,  p.  230,  mentions  a  stone, 
with  the  words,  'one  Bail,  one  Athor; 
one  Akovi ;  hail  Father  of  the  'World! 
hail  triformous  God!'  Thorns,  in  his 
Dissertation  on  Ancient  Chinese  Vases, 
says,  '  The  Chinese  have  a  remarkable 
preference  for  tlie  number  three ;  they 
say.  One  produced  two,  two  produced 
three,  and  three  produced  all  things.' 
The  Buddliists,  who  are  of  Modern  date 
in  China,  use  the  term  'The  threefold 
precious  One.'  The  Taow  sect  liave 
also  their  'three  pure  ones.'  In  the 
Hindoo  religion  combinations  of  three 
are  equally  frequent.  They  have  sev- 
eral Trimasties  or  Tremastis,  three 
principal  deities,  —  Brahma,  Vishnu, 
and  Mahadera;  another  triad  is  Brah- 
ma. Vishnu,  and  Siva,  including  a  mys- 
tical union  of  three  principal  rivers, 
the  Ganges,  Yamuna,  and  Sarawati. 
Siva  has  three  eyes ;  the  sun  is  called 
three-bodied ;  the  triangle  with  the 
Hindoos  is  a  favorite  type  for  tlie  tri- 
une-coequality,  hence  the  pentagram  (a 
figure  composed  of  two  equilateral  tri- 
angles, placed  with  the  apex  of  one 
towards  the  base  of  the  other,  and  so 
forming  six  triangles  by  the  intersec- 
tions of  their  sides),  is  in  great  favor 
with  them ;  further,  they  use  three 
mystic  letters,  to  denote  their  deity 
(seven  is  also  a  mystic  number  with 
them  and  other  ancient  races),  and 
many  other  combinations  of  three.  The 
same  preference  for  this  number  is  ob- 
servable in  the  Greek  and  Roman  myth- 
ology, which  mentions  three  theocracies, 
three  graces,  three  fates,  three  harpies, 
three  syrens,  three  heads  of  Cerberus, 
etc.  And,  taking  three  as  a  unit,  3X3 
muse.s,  3X4  principal  gods  (Dii  ma- 


jores),  and  3X4  labors  of  Hercules," 
etc. — Lanvood  and  Iloltcn's  llislory  of 
Sign  Boards,  p.  2G9. 

"According  to  the  theology  of  the 
Chaldeans,  Egyptians,  and  ancient 
Greeks,  in  every  order  of  things  [or 
degrees],  a  triad  is  the  immediate  prog- 
eny of  a  monad  And  hence  it  is 

said  in  one  of  the  Chaldean  oracles.  In 
every  world  a  triad  shines  forth,  of  which  a 
monad  is  the  riding  principle." — See  Tay- 
lor's lamblicus,  pref ,  p.  viii. 

"  Parmenides,  in  Plato,  distinguishes 
three  divine  unities  subordinate;  the 
first,  of  that  which  is  perfectly  and 
most  properly  one  [perfect  love  or  good- 
ness] ;  the  second,  of  that  which  is  called 
by  him  one-many  (a  perfect  intellect), 
[perfect  wisdom  or  all  truths]  ;  the  third, 
of  tliat  which  is  thus  expressed  one  and 
many  [or  love  and  wisdom  in  union, 
operating  all  divine  uses]." — See  Cud- 
worth's  Intel.  Sys.,  vol.  ii.,  p.  40. 

Origen  observes  that  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures contain  a  triple  sense,  analogous  to 
the  triple  constitution  of  man.  The 
sentiments  of  the  Holy  Scriptures  are 
to  be  impressed  upon  our  minds  in  a 
threefold  manner,  in  order  that  whoso- 
ever belongs  to  the  simpler  sort  of  per- 
sons, may  receive  edification  from  the 
flesh  of  the  Scripture  (this  we  call  their 
obvious  or  literal  meaning),  but  he  who 
is  somewhat  more  advanced,  from  its 
soul ;  but  whosoever  is  perfect,  and 
similar  to  those  to  whom  the  apostle 
alludes,  where  he  says,  '  we  speak  wis- 
dom '  .  .  .  .  from  the  spiritual  law 
which  contains  a  shadow  of  good  things 
to  come  ;  for  as  man  consists  of  spirit, 
body,  and  soul,  so  also  the  Holy  Writ 
which  God  has  planned  to  be  granted 
for  the  salvation  of  mankind."  —  De 
Princip.,  iv.,  108  ;  the  passage  is  trans- 
lated by  Dr.  Credner,  article  Inter- 
pretation, Kinds  Bib.  Cyc. 

A  faint  and  imperfect  idea  of  this 
sublime  doctrine  is  found  in  Dr.  H. 
More's  Threefold  Cabala. 


696 


APPENDIX. 


1  JOHX  T.  7,  8. 

The  long,  learned,  and  frequent  dis- 
putations respecting  the  authenticity 
and  genuineness  of  the  seventli  vei"se, 
in  no  way  affect  the  present  argument. 
I  may  here  observe,  that  it  is  now  gen- 
erally allowed  to  have  been  spuriously 
introduced  into  an  ancient  copy  of  the 
1st  Ep.  of  John.  It  exists,  however, 
with  some  verbal  differences,  in  the 
Greek  MS.  kno\\Ti  by  the  title  of  the 
"  Codex  ]\Iontfortianiis,"  in  Trinity  Col- 
lege, Dublin — supposed  to  be  the  Codex 
Britannicus,  of  Erasmus,  which  Martin 
of  Utrecht  considered  to  be  as  old  as 
the  eleventh  century,  and  Dr.  A.  Clarke 
regarded  as  a  production  of  about  tlie 
thirteenth,  but  which  Person,  Gries- 
bach,  and  Bishop  Marsh  considered  as 
written  so  late  as  the  fifteenth  or  six- 
teenth ;  it  is  also  found  in  the  Greek 
MS.  entitled  "  Codex  Ottobonianus,"  in 
the  Vatican  Library,  a  MS.  of  the  fif- 
teenth century  (collated  by  Scholz ;  see 
also  Dr.  Wiseman).  Tlie  first  Greek 
writer  who  cited  the  passage,  appears 
to  have  been  the  translator  of  the  Latin 
acts  of  the  Council  of  Lateran,  which 
was  lield  A.  D.  1215.  It  is  also  quoted 
in  the  fourteenth  century  by  Manuel 
Calecas,  a  Dominican  monk.  It  is  in- 
serted in  several  of  the  MSS.  of  the 
Latin  Vulgate,  but  not  in  the  most  an- 
cient. It  is  cited  by  Vigilius,  Bishop 
of  Thrapsus,  in  .Africa,  and  also  by  a 
contemporary  .Vfrican  writer,  Victor 
Vitensis,  in  liis  HL-ttory  nf  the  Vandal 
Persecution,  A.  D.  484,  wlien  four  hun- 
dred bishops  of  Africa  were  called  upon 
to  give  an  account  of  the  Christian  faith 
to  an  Arian  king  and  persecutor. 
Some  of  the  Latin  writers,  as  Virgilius, 
Ambrose,  etc.,  according  to  Dr.  A. 
Clarke,  insert  tlie  passage  thus :  "  There 
are  three  that  bare  record  in  heaven, 
the  Father,  the  Word,  and  the  Holy 
Spirit,  and  tliese  three  are  one  in  Christ 
Jesus  ;"  or  as  translated  by  Scott  Por- 


I  ter,  a  distinguished  L'nitarian  :  "  There 
are  three  who  utter  testimony  in  heaven, 
the  Father,  the  "Word,  and  the  Spirit, 
and  in  Chhist  Jesus  they  are  one." 
See  also  Biblioth.  Sussex;  Bishops  Marsh 
and  Horsley  ;  Travii^s  Letter  to  Gibbon  ; 
Parson's  Letters,  1.  iv.,  and  Dr.  H. 
War^s  Works,  p.  243 ;  where  the  prin- 
cipal arguments  and  opinions  in  favor 
of,  and  against,  the  authenticity  of  these 
verses,  etc.,  may  be  seen. 

XVI.  DRr^tDISM. 
Dniidism  was  the  religion  of  the 
Ancient  Britons,  and  was  considered  by 
the  Gauk  as  having  originated  with 
them.  Julius  C»sar  gives  some  accoimt 
of  the  Druids  in  his  De  Bell.  Gall :  lib. 
vi.,  c.  1 ;  but  as  his  information  was  only, 
or  chiefly,  derived  from  hearsay  evi- 
dence, it  cannot  be  altogether  implicitly 
received. 

Druidism  appears  to  have  existed 
prior  to  the  patriarchal  history.  In  one 
form  or  other,  it  was  the  prevailing  re- 
ligion and  philosophy  of  Europe,  and 
possessed  many  close  affinities  with  the 
religion  which  was,  at  the  same  period, 
common  to  Egypt,  Phoenicia,  Syria, 
Persia,  Babylonia,  Xineveh,  and  all  the 
East.  The  term  Druid  is  considered  to 
be  a  compound  of  Deru,  an  oak,  and 
Gwyddon,  wise  men. 

The  worship  was  conducted  in  cireuLir 
temple.*,  often  comprising  a  trine  of 
circles,  and  at  altars  in  the  open  air, 
imder  trees,  in  groves,  or  on  mountains, 
or  liills,  and  in  these  respects  it  appears 
to  have  resembled  the  representative 
worship  of  the  Ancient  Church.  Tliey 
liad  three  orders  of  priests  or  bards, 
who  were  also  physicians.  The  chief 
ruling  priest,  or  presiding  bard,  was 
clothed  in  a  robe  of  cerulean  blue,  wore 
a  garland  of  oak  leaves,  and  a  tiara  of 
gold ;  the  second,  or  oviale  bard  class, 
was  clad  in  light  green, — a  color  which 
appears  to  have  designated  science  and 
philosophy  ;  and  the  third  was  clad  in 


DRUIDISM. 


697 


white  linen,  or  with  a  pnrple  border,  | 
fastened  by  a  girdle  in  which  appeared 
the  crystal  stone  set  in  gold,  in  refer- 
ence to  religion  and  morality,  or  the  j 
miion  of  truth  and  charity,  and  their  j 
purifying  results  in  the  mind  and  life. 
They  regarded  the  oak,  from  which  the 
garlands  of  the  chief  priests  were 
gathered,  with  peculiar  veneration. 
The  mistletoe,  a  parasite  of  the  oak,  was 
estimated,  for  its  medicinal  virtues,  at 
the  highest  value,  and  designated 
"  Healer  of  all."  The  three  joys  of  the 
bards  of  the  Isle  of  Britain,  are  declared 
to  have  been:  "the  increase  of  knowl- 
edges ;  the  reformation  of  manners  ;  and 
the  triumph  of  peace."  The  original 
British  harp  was  strung  with  hair,  and 
consisted  of  twelve  strings. 

From  ancient  MSS.  relating  to  Brit- 
ish Druidism,  and  recently  brought  to 
light.* — Much  of  their  ancient  learn- 
ing, hitherto  deemed  unintelligible,  like 
much  of  the  mythology  of  the  Greeks 
and  Romans,  may  be  reduced  to  some 
degree  of  order  and  sense ;  and  it  then 
shows  its  original  connection  with  the 
science  of  correspondences. 

Though  the  worship  of  the  Ancient 
Church  had  become  idolatrous  so  early 
as  the  Patriarchal  age  (.Josh.  xxiv.  2 ; 
Ex.  xxxiv.  13),  yet  it  retained,  for  many 
generations,  more  or  less  of  its  original 
representative  character.  Druidism  has 
been  often  misrepresented  and  misun- 
derstood, in  consequence  of  confound- 
ing its  pure  with  its  corrupt  era. 

They  worshipped  the  Sun,  as  the  most 
glorious  representative  image  of  God, 
and  a  remnant  of  these  observances  is 
still  extant  in  Ireland,  in  the  Beltein 

*  These  MSS.  have  been  printed  under  the 
title  of  Myfyrian  Archaiolocjy ;  they  were  care- 
fully transcribed  by  the  late  Owen  Jones, 
of  London,  a  iiative  of  Denbighshire,  and 
eventvially  published,  in  three  volumes,  at 
his  sole  expense.  These  volumes  were  pub- 
lished in  London,  in  the  year  1801,  under 
the  supervision  of  three  editors,  Owen  Jones, 
Edward  Williams,  and  William  Owen. 
59 


bonfires  and  fairs  of  the  1st  of  May. 

In  the  idolatrous  observances  of  IVfoloch, 
another  name  for  the  sun,  the  priests 
and  people  leaped  from  the  flames.  In 
later  and  more  degraded  times,  luiman 
sacrifices  were  doubtless  offered,  and 
children  were  cast  into  the  fire,  as  pro- 
pitiations for  sin,  as  is  evident  from  the 
frequent  testimony  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment, and  from  ancient  history. 

The  Hebrew  and  oriental  nations 
called  the  name  of  the  supreme  God, 
Baal  (lord,  in  the  sense  of  master,  or 
he  that  rules  and  sid)dues), — a  name 
afterwards  superstitioush'  and  blas- 
phemously attributed,  in  every  variety 
of  form,  to  the  idols  of  those  countries. 
The  Druids  denominated  him  Bel  (Cel- 
tic). 

The  Hebrew  word  Shaddai,  or  Sad- 
dai,  denoting  the  Almighty,  succoring, 
aiding,  and  assisting,  had  also  its  coun- 
terpart in  the  West ;  for  the  word  Sea- 
dah  was  one  of  the  characteristic  names 
of  Bel.  The  Druids  also  addressed  God, 
and  spoke  of  Him  under  the  expressive 
epithet  of  Hu,  signifying  the  self-exist- 
ent Being ;  he  that  i%  and  the  near  re- 
lation between  this  word  and  "  I  am  that 
lam,"  must  strike  the  most  careless. 

The  British  Druids,  among  a  multi- 
tude of  heterogeneous  notions,  super- 
stitions, dogmas,  absurd  customs,  and 
inhuman  ceremonies,  introduced  in  the 
lapse  of  ages,  and  which  ultimately 
degenerated  into  a  system  of  abominable 
crnelt}'  and  licentiousness,  appear,  not- 
withstanding, to  have  retained  from 
ancient  times,  and  preserved  even  to  a 
late  age,  some  ideas  derived  through 
the  commercial  intercourse  of  the  Phoe- 
nicians. From  these  ancient  sources 
their  philosophy,  which  combine  a 
system  of  ethics  and  theology,  under 
the  cover  of  symbolic  types,  the  human 
mind  had  to  pass  through  three  decrees, 
circles,  regions,  or  spheres;  viz.,  1.  In- 
choation  ;  2.  Progression ;  and  3.  Con- 
summation.   In  the  1st  degree  man 


698 


APPENDIX. 


collects  knowledge,  in  order  to  be  ac- 
quainted with  his  duty ;  in  the  2d  he 
acquires  moral  strength,  to  enable  him 
to  discharge  it ;  and  in  tlie  3d  he  at- 
tains a  state  of  perfection.  Tliey  fur- 
ther tauglit  that  in  passing  through  the 
prior  degree,  man,  by  negligence  and 
misconduct,  might  retrograde,  and  fall 
into  the  lowest  states  of  existence.  The 
stages  of  degradation  Avere  described  as 
threefold.  The  mediums  of  man's 
progress  in  states  of  exaltation  were 
likewise  described  as  threefold,  viz., 
1.  Humility  [or  obedience  of  life]  ;  2. 
Truth  [orillumination  of  the  intellect]  ; 
and,  .'>.  Mercy  [or  love  influenciug  all 
the  aflections  of  the  will].  If  man  fell 
into  states  of  degradation,  it  was  taught 
that  he  could  only  be  renewed  again  by 
passing  througli  principles ;  and  medi- 
ating changes  and  gradations,  and 
knowledge,  benevolence,  and  power,  were 
represented  as  the  trinal  weapons  witli 
which  he  was  to  obtain  the  victory  in 
his  conflict  with  his  passions  and  pro- 
pensities. Man's  future  slate  of  exist- 
ence was  tauglit  to  be  an  eternal  pro- 
gression towards  the  perfections  of  De- 
ity. "With  them,  tlie  animal  life  was 
wholly  evil ;  the  human  life,  a  mixed 
condition  of  being,  and  tlie  future  life, 
a  state  of  unmingled  and  ever-increas- 
ing happiness.  The  changes  from  one 
state  to  another  they  denominated 
"transmigration." 

Tlie  ancient  Druids  appear  to  have 
believed  originally  in  one  supreme,  in- 
visible, omnipotent,  and  omnipresent 
Deity,  whose  body  or  form,  as  defined 
by  Pvtliagoras,  was  as  the  glorious  liglit, 
but  whose  soul  or  essence  was  tlie  eter- 
nal truth.  They  held  the  doctrine  of 
the  true  nature  of  the  soul,  and  the 
metempsychosis  as  indicating  diangcs 
of  mental  condition;  thus  it  was  sym- 
bolically and  not  literally  understood, 
till  their  woi>>hip  became  idolatrous. 
They  described  principles  "in  the 
mind,"  according  to  correspondeuce, 


representing  them  under  the  forms  of 
men,  beasts,  birds,  trees,  etc.  They 
taught  that  knowledge  and  virtue  are  the 
only  qualifications  which  can  dignify 
and  ennoble  man,  and  that  ignorance 
and  vice  inevitably  overwhelm  him  with 
degradation  and  contempt ,  that  right 
or  wrong  conduct  dejiended  on  the  in- 
fluence of  these  principles  in  the  mind, 
and  prepared  them,  on  the  one  hand, 
for  eternal  felicity ;  or,  on  the  other, 
for  never-ending  misery.  They  de- 
scribed man's  life  in  the  world  to  come, 
as  exactly  corresponding  with  his  state. 
Their  ancient  and  uncorrupted  Triads 
are  most  remarkable,  and  are  often  as 
true,  and  as  philosophically  just,  as  they 
are  beautiful  and  interesting.  Among 
many  otliers  are  the  following: 

"  The  three  consummate  perfections 
of  God  are: — The  one  infinite  life;  in- 
finite knowledge ;  and  infinite  plenitude 
of  power. 

"  Three  things  [or  principles],  which 
are  the  causes  productive  of  living 
beings: — The  divine  love,  of  which  is 
the  all-perfect  wisdom  :  the  divine  wis- 
dom, in  the  perception  of  all  possible 
means  ;  and  the  divine  jiower,  which  is 
by  the  joint  will  [or  union]  of  the  di- 
vine love  and  wisdom. 

"  There  are  three  things  of  which 
God  necessarily  consists : — The  greatest 
life;  the  greatest  knowledge;  and  the 
greatest  power:  and  of  wliat  is  greatest 
there  can  be  no  more  than  one  of  any- 
thing. 

"  The  three  grand  poAvei-s  of  the  soul 
[are]: — Affection;  understanding;  and 
will  [or  determination],  or  tlie  conjunc- 
tion of  the  understanding  and  the  af- 
fection. 

The  three  grand  operations  of  the 
mind  or  man  [are] : — To  think  ;  to 
choose  ;  and  to  ]>crfi)rni. 

"  The  three  branches  of  wisdom  [are]  : 
The  wisdom  whicli  relates  to  (lod  ;  the 
wisdom  which  relates  to  mankind  ;  and 
the  wisdom  which  relates  to  oneself:  tlie 


BETUi'LLIA,  OR 


LIVING  STONES. 


699 


three  knowledges  which  appertain  to 
wisdom  [are]  :  The  knowledge  of  God ; 
the  knowledge  of  mankind ;  and  the 
knowledge  of  one's  own  heart." 

In  the  patriarchal  history,  we  read 
that  Jacob  tarried  all  night  at  a  place 
called  Luz,  which  means  in  English  a 
bending,  and  also  a  separalion  or  depart- 
ure. And  he  took  the  stone  he  had 
used  as  a  pillow,  and  set  it  up  for  a  pil- 
lar, and  consecrated  it  by  pouring  oil 
upon  the  top  of  it ;  and  called  it  Beth- 
el, which  means  the  house  of  God,  and  he 
took  it  as  the  witness  of  a  solemn  vow. 
(Gen.  xxviii.  11-22.)  The  pillar  and 
the  heap  were  constituted  witnesses  of  a 
covenant,  and  of  a  boundary,  or  separa- 
tion :  and  the  place  is  called  Mizpeh,  or 
Mizpah,  q  watch^Jower,  sentinel,  etc. — See 
Dr.  A.  Clarke;  Cassel's  Lexicon. 

From  Bethel  is  derived  Barthulia, 
Betliyllia,  Baithylia,  or  living  stones  of 
the  Phwnicians,  which,  consecrated  by 
being  anointed  with  oil,  were  the  repre- 
sentative images  of  living  truth,  or  truth 
alive  in  the  natural  degree.  From  this 
signification  the  apostle  Peter  calls 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  was  the 
AxoiNTED,  "  a  living  stone."  And  as 
the  patriarch  called  the  stone  he  set  up 
and  consecrated  "  God's  house,"  so  the 
apostle  exhorts  those  that  "  have  puri- 
fied their  souls  in  obeying  the  truth, 
through  the  Spirit,  and  unfeigned  love 
of  the  brethren  (1  Pet.  i.  22),  to  lay 
aside  all  malice,  and  all  guile,  and  hy- 
pocrisy, and  envies  and  all  evil  speak- 
ings," and  as  new-born  babes,  "  to  desire 
the  sincere  milk  of  the  Word,  that  they 
might  grow  thereby  ; "  and  "  that  com- 
ing unto  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  as  unto 
a  living  stone,  they  also,  as  lively  stones, 
are  built  up  a  spiritual  house."  (1  Pet. 
ii.  2-5.) 

The  Baetylia,  Bethyllia,  or  living  or 
anointed  stones,  so  celebrated  in  an- 
tiquity, and  to  which  divine  honors 
were  paid,  especially  by  the  Phoenicians, 
who  had  commercial  intercourse  with 


all  nations,  particularly  the  British 
Isles,  where  those  monuments  abound, 
were  originally  of  a  similar  class.  These 
became  abused  to  idolatrous  purposes ; 
thence,  they  were  strongly  prohibited. 
See  Lev.  xxv.  1 ;  Amos  iii.  14.  When 
consecrated  they  were  supposed  to  be 
instinct  with  the  power  and  energy  of 
some  divinity.  "The  practice,"  says 
Bishop  Lowth,  "was  very  common  in 
different  ages  and  places.  Arnobius, 
lib.  i.,  gives  an  account  of  his  own  jjrac- 
tice  in  this  respect :  '  Si  quando  con- 
spexiam  lubricatum  lapidem,  et  ex  olivi 
unguine,  sorditatum  ;  tanquam  inessit 
vis  prcEsens,  adulabar,  afl'abar,  et  bene- 
ficia  poscebam  nihilsentientedetrumes' 
(Lsa.  Ivii.  G).  Which  may  be  translated 
as  follows :  '  If  at  any  time  I  beheld  an 
anointed  stone,  as  if  there  had  been  a 
power  inherent  in  it,  I  made  my  obeis- 
ance to  it.  I  addressed  myself  unto  it, 
and  requested  benefits  from  it,  not  at 
all  considering  it  a  stock.'  Such  were 
the  Baetylia,  or  living  stones  of  the  an- 
cient Phoenicians.  Hence  the  use  of 
the  image  of  the  apostle  Peter." 

In  accommodation  to  the  prejudices 
of  the  mass  of  the  people  who  idola- 
trously  worshipped  stone  pillars,  or 
obelisks,  the  earlier  Christians  substi- 
tuted crosses  of  various  kinds,  or  cut 
them  upon  the  upper  stones,  or  placed 
them  upon  the  pillars  or  their  bases, 
as  the  symbols  of  redemption,  and  to 
enforce  the  self-denying  doctrine  of  the 
Christian  religion.  Hence  the  origin 
of  boundary  crosses,  market  crosses,  se- 
pulchral crosses,  way-side  crosses,  and 
those  erected  as  memorials  of  battles, 
murders,  or  fatal  events,  and  in  re- 
membrance of  the  dead.  They  ajipear  to 
have  been  first  cut  on  the  top  of  single 
upright  stones  {Britton),  and  afterwards 
ornamented  by  degrees,  until  finally 
they  were  most  elaborately  finished. 
"  That,  however,  which  began  in  pious 
consideration  to  the  weakness  of  man, 
ended  in  confirming  that  weakness, 


700 


APPENDIX. 


and  in  substituting  a  superstition  al- 
most heatlien  for  the  spiritual  doc- 
trines of  Christianity." — Rev.  H.  H. 
Milman. 

Legends  are  connected  with  most  of 
the  druidical  circles,  implying  that  the 
stones  were  originally  petrified  men 
and  women  at  a  wedding,  a  festival,  or 
a  dance. 

Stonehenge  was  called  the  giants' 
dance. 

Stanton  Drew  is  said  to  have  been  a 
wedding  party  petrified. 

Dance  Main  implies  the  dance  of 
stones,  once  young  women,  who  danced 
there  on  the  Sabbath  day. 

Eollrich,  a  band  of  marauding  sol- 
diers turned  into  stones. 

Similar  legends  exist  also  in  other 
countries.  They  are  connected  with 
fairies  and  demons. 

"The  prohibition  to  worship  stones 
by  the  earlier  Christian  Ecclesiastical 
laws  and  ordinances,  and  which  with- 
out doubt  relate  to  these  monuments, 
attest  the  antiquity,  and  greatly  con- 
tributed to  their  destruction." — Wright, 
p.  63. 

For  many  of  the  foregoing  extracts 
I  am  greatly  indetited  to  a  series  of 
able  and  excellent  papers  on  Dniidism, 
by  T.  W.,  in  the  1st  vol.  of  the  Anglo- 
American  New  Church  Itepository,  to 
which  I  refer  the  reader.  See  also 
Tolantra  Hist,  of  the  Dniid.t;  Witli^im.'^s 
Dniopculia ;  Davie-^s  Celtic  Researches, 
and  Mythology  of  the  British  Druids; 
Hulbert's  Religion  of  Britain;  Roberlg's 
Hist,  of  the  Isle  of  Man  ;  Bov!lnis(^s  Hist, 
of  Cornwall;  Rosens  Tech.  Anglic.;  Weav- 
er's Mon.  Ant. ;  Identity  of  the  Relig- 
ions called  Druidical  and  Hehreiv ;  and 
James's  Mamuil  of  British  Druidum. 

The  pyramids  of  Egypt,  India,  and 
Mexico, — the  Druidical  remains  of 
Stonehenge,  and  at  a  distance  of  twenty 
miles  from  them,  tho.se  of  Abiiry  in 
Wiltshire,  vStanton  Drew,  or  the  stone 
town  of  the  Druids  in  Somersetshire, — 


Eollwright  of  Eollrich,  in  Oxfordshire, 
Arber-low  in  Derbyshire,  and  the 
Hurlers  and  Dance-Man  in  Cornwall : 
the  sepulchral  mounds  known  by  the 
name  of  cairns,  carnes,  or  cardnedes 
(in  Welsh  carydd,  and  in  French  gal- 
gals),  that  is  a  heap  of  stones ;  also 
cromlehs,  cromleichs,  or  cromlechs ; 
Kist-vaens,  or  "  stone-chests,"  called  in 
the  Channel  Islands,  Antels  or  altars 
(Gen.  xii.  7,  8 ;  xxvi.  25),  and  Pequi- 
lays  (that  is,  "heaps  of  stones"),  but 
which  Wright  supposes  are  "sepulchral 
chambers  denuded  of  their  mounds;" 
tolmen,  or  stones  of  passage,  and  in 
French  dolmen,  or  stone  tables,  as 
Kits-Coty  House,  in  Kent,  Chun-Quoit, 
in  Cornwall,  etc. ;  and '  Druidical  cir- 
cles or  orals  of  stone  (.Josh.  iv.  5) ;  the 
upright  rude  pillars,  ma.ssive  pyram- 
idal blocks  of  stone,  and  obelisks, 
which  are  found  scattered  all  over  the 
habitable  globe,  and  on  most  of  which 
"  no  tool  of  man  had  been  lifted  "  ( Ex. 
XX.  25 ;  Deut.  xxvii.  4,  5),  were  raised 
as  memorials  of  afTection ;  as  sepul- 
chral monuments,  both  of  honor  and 
infamy  (Gen.  xxxv.  20 ;  Josh.  vii.  26) ; 
as  record.s  of  victories  and  exploits ;  in 
remembrance  of  special  mercies  and 
events;  as  witnesses  of  contracts  and 
covenants  (Gen.  xxxi.  51,  52) ;  or  as 
attestations  of  faithfulness ;  those  known 
in  North  Wales  by  the  name  of  "  men 
pillars;"  those  set  up  for  boundaries, 
land  marks,  or  way  marks  (Jer.  xxxi. 
31 ) ;  called  in  England  hoar-stones,  or 
by  some  dialectic  name,  such  as  hare- 
stones,  war-stones,  wor-stones,  hoor- 
stones,  her-stones,  etc. ;  together  with 
the  March-stones,  held  sacred  by  the 
Eomans;  had  all,  without  doubt,  llieir 
real  origin  in  the  correspondence  of 
stones,  though  so  early  used  for  idol- 
atrous and  impious  purposes.— See 
Orose's  Antiq.,  \o\.  i.,  p.  135;  Pinker- 
ton's  Collect,  part  x.,  p.  261 ;  Smith's 
Michaclis,  vol.  iii.,  p.  374  ;  Hulbert's  Re- 
ligions of  Britain,  p.  22 ;  Weavei'^s  Man, 


REMAINS  OF  DRUID  WORSHIP. 


701 


Ant. ;  ILiinper^s  Observations  on  Pillars 
of  Memorial;  Dr.  A.  Clarke,  in  loe.  ; 
Camden's  Britannia;  Stukeley's  Stone- 
henge ;  and  Wright's  Celt.  Rom.  and 
Siu.  Ant. 

StDiiclienge,  an  Anglo-Saxon  word 
meaning  "  hanging-stones,"  and  built  of 
hewn  stones,  arranged  in  ti-iliths,  the 
most  stupendous  remains  of  Druid  wor- 
ship, the  grand  national  temple,  was 
doubtless,  at  first,  representative,  in 
all  its  arrangements  and  particulars, — 
though  that  worship  was  soon  after- 
wards greatly  corrupted,  and  the  knowl- 
edge of  representatives  became  lost  in 
superstition  and  idolatry.  With  the 
serpentine  temple  at  A  bury,  it  appears 
to  have  combined  the  adoration  of  the 
sun,  moon,  and  stars,  and  the  worship 
of  the  serpent.  In  all  probability,  their 
religious  maxims,  rites,  and  ceremonies, 
which  also  comprehended  tlieir  laws  and 
customs,  were  derived  from  the  Phoe- 
nicians, and  originated  in  Heliopolis, 
called  in  the  AVord,  On  (Gen.  xli.  45 ; 
xlvi.  20).  Stonehenge  was  called  by 
the  ancient  Britons  Choir  Ghaur,  that 
is  great  church.  Others  have  considered 
it  to  mean  "The  circular  plan  of  assem- 
bly." This  and  the  other  Druid  circles 
or  ovals  were  used  not  only  as  places 
for  worship,  sacrifices,  and  augury  ;  for 
the  celebration  of  festivals  and  other 
Druidical  rites ;  but  is  also  supposed 
that  they  were  used  for  forums  ;  for  the 
inauguration  of  priests  and  kings ;  for 
the  use  of  general  assemblies ;  for  the 
meeting  of  councils,  local  and  national ; 
for  the  promulgation  of  laws ;  and  for 
elections  and  as  seats  of  judgment.  In 
Gaelic  they  are  denominated  clactans, 
which  means  "  places  of  worship."  Dr. 
Jamieson,  in  his  Historical  account  of 
the  Culdees,  says,  "that  at  this  day, 
'going  to  and  from  church,'  and  'going 
to  and  from  the  stones,'  are  phrases 
used  synonymously"  (b.  25).  Moses 
erected  twelve  pillars  of  stones  at  the 
foot  of  Jilount  Sinai ;  and,  about  forty 
59* 


years  afterwards,  Joshua  pitched  twelve 
stones  in  Gilgal,  as  a  memorial  of  the 
passage  of  the  Israelites  through  Jordan, 
which,  in  after  ages,  became  a  place  of 
idolatrous  worship.  Gilgal  means,  in 
English,  a  circle.  When  the  covenant 
was  ratified  between  Laban  and  Jacob 
(Gen.  xxxi.  44-49),  Jacob  set  up  a  stone 
as  a  pillar  of  witness,  and  commanded 
his  brethren  to  gather  stones,  and 
"make  a  heap,"  and  they  did  eat  there- 
on. Laban  called  it  Jegar-sahadutha, 
which  is  a  pure  Chaldee  word ;  but 
Jacob  called  it  Galeed,  which  is  a  pure 
Hebrew  word  of  the  same  meaning, 
translated  by  Calmet,  "  the  circle  of  wit- 
ness," and  by  Dr.  Oliver  and  Dr.  A. 
Clarke,  "  heap  or  round  heap  of  wit- 
ness." Camden  informs  us  that  it  is 
the  custom,  "  in  several  places,  to  cast 
heaps  of  stones  on  the  graves  of  male- 
factors and  self-murderers ; "  thence 
he  supposes  it  was  that  "the  worst  of 
traitors  were  called  Karn-hhadron," 
a  cam  thief  (Josh.  viii.  29 ;  2  Sam. 
xvii.). 

The  term  cromleh  has  been  derived 
from  the  Amoric  word  crum,  crooked  or 
bowing,  and  leh,  stone,  in  supposed  allu- 
sion to  the  reverence  which  persons 
paid  to  them  by  bowing.  Toland  says 
that  cromleh  means  a  bowing-stone  ;  but 
Rowland  derives  the  name  from  the 
Hebrew  words  signifying  "  a  devoted  or 
consecrated  stone."  "  It  was  usual,"  re- 
marks Bryant,  "  among  the  Egyptians, 
to  place  with  much  labor  one  vast  stone 
njjon  another,  for  a  religious  memorial. 
The  stones  they  thus  placed,  they  some- 
times poised  so  equally,  that  they  were 
affected  with  the  least  external  force ; 
nay,  a  breath  of  wind  would  sometimes 
make  them  vibrate." — Anal.  Mythol.,\o\. 
iii.,  in  Moore,  p.  30.  These  rocking- 
stones  and  rock  basins,  as  the  Chese- 
W^ring,  in  Cornwall,  etc.,  which  were 
formerly  regarded  as  Druidical,  are 
now  concluded  by  geologists  not  to  be 
artificial,  but  the  result  of  natural  causes ; 


702 


APPENDIX. 


they  nevertheless  received  superstitious 
veneration. 

The  Druid  religion  is  equally  appli- 
cable to  Gaul.  It  was  unlawful  to  com- 
mit their  maxims,  doctrines,  and  mys- 
teries, to  writing.  At  the  time  of  Julius 
Csssai-'s  invasion  of  Britain,  he  found 
the  Druid  religion  most  corrupt  and 
idolatrous,  and  mixed  with  Pagan  my- 
thology. They  ofiered  human  sacri- 
fices ;  though  modern  discoveries  have 
made  it  extremely  likely  that  the  cus- 
tom was  far  from  ancient.  Many  of 
their  traditions,  maxims,  and  doctrines, 
as  recorded  by  various  ancient  writers, 
point  to  a  much  higher  state  of  civiliza- 
tion and  philosophy  than  we  find  re- 
corded by  the  Roman  emperor,  and  -it 
is  difficult  to  reconcile  their  existence, 
much  less  their  origin,  to  so  low  and 
degraded  a  condition. 

Enough  has  been  said  to  show  the 
true  origin  not  only  of  their  doctrines, 
but  also  of  those  records,  whicli  for  ages 
to  come  will  show  tliat  the  science  of 
correspondences  was  once  widely  dif- 
fused, and  we  can  trace  the  operations 
of  Divine  Providence  in  preserving 
the.se  memorials,  which  throw,  when 
riglitly  viewed,  so  powerful  a  light  on 
the  Holv  Word. 


XVII.  THE    PYTIIAGOKEAN  DOC- 
TRINE OF  METEMPSYCHOSIS. 

"The  doctrine  of  metempsychosis, 
or  transmigration,  is  found  almost  every- 
where. In  Greece,  and  Rome,  and 
Egypt,  and  the  East,  it  is  seen,  and  in 
forms  more  or  less  disguised,  traces  of 
it  are  discernible  in  nearly  all  the  re- 
ligions of  which  we  know  anything  dis- 
tinctly. Differing  somewhat  in  detail, 
it  was  always  substantially  as  follows. 
He  who  is  not  good,  passes  at  death 
into  tlie  form  of  some  kindred  animal, 
and  tlience  into  anothet  and  another, 
until  the  circle  of  expiation  being  com- 
pleted, he  becomes  again  a  man,  and  a 


redeemed  and  happy  one.    Kow  this 
doctrine  was  taught  very  earnestly  by 
Pythagoras ;  a  man  whom  we  can  sneer 
at  only  when  we  can  forget  the  vast 
influence  he  exerted  in  his  own  day  and 
through  such  men  as  Plato  ever  since, 
and  the  golden  truths  still  discemlble 
j  in  the  fragmentary  remnants  of  his 
j  doctrines,  and  the  fact  that  the  system 
j  of  the  universe  established  by  Coperni- 
cus was  but  a  revival  of  his  own,  and 
the  many  other  indications  of  the  extent 
and  accuracy  of  his  knowledge.  How, 
I  then,  could  he  have  taught  such  a  folly  ? 
But  are  we  sure  that  it  was  all  folly, 
I  that  it  contains  no  certain,  no  valuable 
!  truth  ?    Let  us  a.sk  if  the  science  of 
'  correspondence  can  explain  it.  Man, 
the  microcosm,  or  little  world,  as  Pyth- 
agoras and  Plato  and  so  many  of  tlie 
ancients  called  him,  represents  the  uni- 
verse. Thus,  all  animals  that  ever  were 
'  or  can  exist,  live  by  virtue  of  the  fact 
that  they  severally  represent  some  of 
the  elements,  faculties,  or  qualities  of 
the  human  character.    Goodness  does 
not  consist  so  much  in  the  absence  of 
any  of  tlie^e,  as  in  the  presence  of  all 
and  their  due  subordination,  and  their 
harmonious  performance  of  their  sev- 
eral functions. 

"  [When]  a  man  begins  to  reform 
[his  character,  he]  is  penetrated  with 
a  profound  sense  of  evil.  He  becomes 
aware,  perhaps,  tliat  he  is  lost  and 
b>iried  in  foul  and  gross  gluttony,  and 
in  his  remorse  he  feels  that  he  is  not  a 
man,  that  sin  has  transformed  him,  that 
he  is  no  better  than  a  hog!  He  says 
with  the  Psalmist,  '  I  am  as  a  be.vt  be- 
fore thee ! '  And  he  repents  and  reforms 
and  casts  this  sin  away.  Then  he  dis- 
covers that  his  ferocity  makes  him  a 
tiger,  and  the  same  process  again  re- 
lieves him ;  and  then  it  may  be  he  sees 
in  himself  the  cunning  of  the  fox,  or 
other  and  yet  otlier  faults  which  dis- 
figure and  conceal  his  human  nature. 
So  he  goes  on,  until  humility,  self-ac- 


DOCTRINE  OF  METEMPSYCHOSIS. 


703 


knowledgment,  repentance,  and  reform, 
Lave  cast  out  the  devils  and  restored 
him  to  the  power,  tlie  consciousness, 
and  the  liappiness  of  nianliood.  Now, 
we  know  that  Pythagoras  had  an  inner 
and  secret  doctrine  never  published, 
and  taught  only  in  private  to  the  initi- 
ated under  the  most  solemn  obligation 
of  seeresy.  Is  it  too  much  to  suppose 
that  these  two  doctrines,  the  inner  and 
the  outer,  had  some  relation  to  each 
other?  "What  would  he  have  gained  by 
teaching  the  doctrine  as  we  have  stated 
it  above,  to  the  gross  and  grovelling 
world  about  him  ?  What  better  thing 
could  he  do  than  to  teach  them  the  same 
truth  in  the  lower  form  of  the  metem- 
psychosis, as  he  gave  it  to  the  public? 
It  is  to  be  noticed  that  this  doctrine,  in 
its  lower  and  grosser  form,  is  adapted 
to  do  for  the  lower  and  grosser  classes 
of  minds,  the  very  same  good  which 
the  same  doctrine  in  its  higher  form  is 
able  to  confer  upon  minds  in  a  con- 
dition to  receive  it  and  be  subject  to  its 
influence.  They  who  would  not  resist 
gluttony,  or  ferocity,  or  low  cunning, 
because  they  disfigured  their  spiritual 
humanity,  might  do  so,  if  they  were 
persuaded  that  they  must  expiate  these 
sins  in  the  bestial  forms  and  life  of  the 
hog,  the  tiger,  and  the  fox.  In  this 
lower  form,  its  influence  upon  minds  to 
which  it  was  then  fitted,  would  elevate 
those  which  were  capable  of  improve- 
ment into  a  capacity  of  hearing  and 
profiting  by  the  higher.  This  would 
be  in  exact  conformity  with  the  law 
which  prevails  over  the  relation  between 
internal  and  external  truth.  On  simi- 
lar grounds,  I  account  for  the  universal 
prevalence  of  the  doctrine  of  metempsy- 
chosis, which  Pythagoras  himself  de- 
rived from  Egypt.  Apply  this  law  to 
the  Bible,  and  we  shall  come  to  this 
result,  that  observance  of  the  precepts 
of  the  literal  sense  is  precisely  the  way 
in  which  we  may  be  elevated  into  the 
purer  atmosphere,  where  the  voice  of 


an  inner  law  may  be  heard.  80,  too, 
there  are  applications  of  the  science  of 
correspondences  to  the  ancient  classical 
mythology,  which  often  makes  it  sig- 
nificant. Sysipluis  and  Tantalus,  and 
the  like,  are  no  longer  the  wild  and 
meaningless  creations  of  fantasy,  and 
we  can  understand  their  permanence, 
and  charm,  and  power,  amid  the  beau- 
tiful cultivation  of  the  Greek  mind. 
Pegasus,  the  winged  horse,  again  alights 
upon  Helicon,  and  opens  a  new  Hippo- 
crene,  and  again  Minerva  tames  his 
fire,  and  gives  him  to  the  warrior  who 
is  called  to  do  battle  with  the  monster 
Chimera." — Parsoiii^  Essays,  Am.  ed., 
pp.  91-96. 

"  No  doubt  was  ever  entertained  that 
the  Pythagorean  doctrine  was  purely 
Egyptian.  Pythagoras  was  initiated 
in  their  mysteries,  and  is  reported  to 
have  been  the  disciple  of  Souchedes, 
an  Egyptian  chief,  prophet,  or  high- 
priest." — Clem.  Stromata.,  lib.  i.,  cited 
by  Pritchard. 

"In  the  ancient  dialect  of  Astrono- 
my, the  earth  was  said  to  enter  succes- 
sively into  the  constellations  of  the 
ram,  the  bull,  tHe  goat,  etc.,  and  thus 
to  pass  from  one  animal  into  another, 
until  she  had  gone  through  all  the 
signs  of  the  zodiac.  Now,  as  deceased 
souls  remain  for  some  time  in  the 
sphere  of  the  earth,  thus  travelling  the 
constellations,  they  were  said,  in  a  lan- 
guage that  has  been  completely  misun- 
derstood, to  transmigrate  into  animals, 
particularly  into  such  as  predominated 
at  the  time  of  their  decease." — See 
Abbe  Pluche's  Hist,  of  the  Heav.,  vol.  i., 
p.  242. 

Plato  asserted,  like  the  Brahmins 
of  the  isresent  day,  not  only  the  trans- 
migration of  men  and  beasts,  but  even 
vegetables;  and  the  fire-philosophers 
of  the  sixteenth  century  gave  credit  to 
the  same  doctrine.  "  Both  Ficinus 
and  Darwin  ascribe  materialism  to 
Plato,  asserting  that  his  doctrine  of 


APPENDIX. 


conscious  spiritual  existence,  after  a 
change  of  matter,  was  merely  allegori- 
cal, and  that  th.e  degradation  of  men 
into  brutes,  alluded  to  the  brutalization 
of  the  passions." — Maid  oj  Penmore, 
note,  p.  161. 

"  The  Druids  were  believers  in  the 
metempsycliosis,  or  transmigration  of 
souls,  as  C'sesar  savs :  '  In  primis  hoc 
volunt  permudere,  non  interire  animas, 
sed  aJj  aliis  post  mortem  transire  ad 
alios.'  The  Druids,  like  other  priests, 
had  two  doctrines, — a  sacred  and  a 
vulgar.  No  doubt  Caesar's  account  of 
the  metempsychosis  belonged  to  the 
vulgar  religion,  while  the  true  mean- 
ing involved  some  mystic  knowledge 
of  the  natural  [and  mental]  history 
of  man.  Serranus,  the  French  trans- 
lator of  Plato,  supposes  the  doctrine 
of  the  metempsychosis  to  be  mythic, 
and  to  have  some  allusion  to  future 
resurrection.  Ficinus  asserts  that  it  is 
allegorical,  and  must  be  understood 
of  the  manners,  affections,  and  tem- 
pers of  men.  That  it  was  allegorical 
there  can  be  very  little  doubt.  Py- 
thagoras learnt  this  doctrine  in  Egypt; 
and  all  the  world  is  witness  how  tlie 
Egyptians  concealed  the  most  impos- 
ing doctrines  under  tlie  cloak  of  fa- 
bles [or  allegories]." — Idmtity  of  the 
Mdigions  called  Druidical  and  Hebrew, 
p.  5G. 

"  Apullius  was  not  truly  turned  into 
an  ass;  or  Ulysses'  fellows  into  swine; 
or  Lycon  into  a  wolf ;  or  Nebucliad- 
nezzar  into  an  ox, — but  only  in  their 
minds  into  beastly  qualities;  they  de- 
generated from  the  use  of  reason,  not 
liaving  all  that  while  eitlier  lost  the 
shajjc  of  linman  bodies,  or  the  essence 
of  reiisonable  souls." — Itos(,^s  Mysta- 
got/us  Poeticus,  or  Musis  Interpreter, 
1675,  p.  245. 

"Though  there  are  not  in  men's 
bodies  the  souls  of  beasts,  yet  there  are 
too  many  qualities  of  beasts,  and  best- 
ial dispositions." — lb.,  p.  157. 


XA'III.THE  HIEROGLYPHICS,  HIE- 
ROGLYPHS, OR  SACRED  WRIT- 
INGS XSH  ENGRAVINGS,  AND 
THE  REPRESENTATIVE  I3IAGES 
OF  THE  EGYPTIANS. 

I  shall  preface  this  section  with  a 
brief  account  of  the  remarkable  cir- 
cumstances which  led  to  an  acquaint- 
ance with  some  of  the  principles 
of  alphabetical  hieroglyphics,  always 
mixed  up,  however,  with  ideographical 
or  symbolic  signs.  Of  the  most  ancient 
and  sacred  hieroyhjjyhicSjit  will  be  sliown 
that  the  science  of  correspondences 
will  alone  furnish  an  explanation, — of 
which,  indeed,  they  were  remains. 

While  the  French  troops  were  car- 
rying on  the  war  in  Egypt,  and  a  com- 
mission of  learned  men,  associated  Avith 
the  expedition,  were  exploring  this 
ancient  country,  with  a  view  to  ad- 
vance the  ai-ts  and  sciences,  one  divi- 
sion of  the  army  occupied  tlie  village 
of  Easchid,  or  Eesehid,  whidi  we  call 
Rosetta,  and  the  engineers  were  em- 
ployed, in  August,  179S,  upon  some 
military  Avorks.  As  they  were  digging 
the  foundations  of  Fort  St.  Julian,  on 
the  eastern  mouth  of  tlie  2vile,  near 
Rosetta,  M.  Boussard  discovered  a  large, 
mutilated,  oblong  block  of  black  gran- 
ite, which  was  covered  witli  a  consid- 
erable portion  of  a  trigramniatical  in- 
scription, in  different  characters,  and 
which,  according  to  the  late  reseai-ches 
of  Harris,  was  originally  placed  in  a 
temple  of  Turn,  or  Tomos,  the  .setting 
sun,  erected  to  that  god  by  Pharaoh 
Necho  (see  Birch's  Ilieroglifi^hs).  It  was 
subsequently  surrendered  to  General 
Hutchinson,  who  ])resented  it  to  George 
ni. ;  it  is  now  in  the  British  Museum. 

"  The  upper  portion  of  this  block  is 
inscribetl  with  fourteen  lines  of  hiero- 
glyphics, all  mutilated  by  the  fracture 
of  the  stone.  Immediately  below  them 
are  thirty-two  lines  in  the  demotic,  or 
euchorial  charauter,  but  little  injured 


EGYPTIAN  IIIEROGLYPUICS. 


705 


by  fracture  or  defacement.  Unfortu- 
nately, this  portion  is  at  once  the  most 
perfect,  and  the  least  important,  of  tlie 
three.  The  lowest  portion  of  the  block 
contains  fifty-four  lines  of  Greek,  of 
which  tlie  first  twenty-seven  are  perfect 
and  uninjured ;  the  remainder  are  all, 
more  or  less,  nnitiiated  at  the  end  of  the 
lines,  by  an  oblique  fracture  inclining 
inwards,  so  that  the  extent  of  mutila- 
tion regularly  increases,  as  the  inscrip- 
tion approaches  its  termination,  and  the 
last  line  is  the  most  imperfect  of  all." 
—  O.iburn's  Monumental  Hist,  of  Eyypt, 
p.  14. 

The  Greek  portion  of  the  inscription  * 
was  in  a  great  measure  perfected  by  the 
conjectural  emendations,  and  translated 
by  the  critical  skill  of  the  celebrated 
Professor  Porson,  and,  some  years  after 
his  decease,  was  published  in  vol.  xvi., 
Trans,  of  (he  Soc.  Ant.  A  fac-simile 
copy  of  the  original  was  circulated 
among  all  the  learned  men  in  Europe. 
Dr.  lieyne,  also,  and  others,  contributed 
to  its  completion  and  interpretation. 
This  inscription  is  a  statute  of  the 
Egyptian  priests,  setting  forth  the 
services  rendered  to  his  country  by 
Ptolemy  V.,  or  Ptolemy  Epiplianes,! 
and  decreeing,  in  the  name  of  the 
priests  assembled  at,  Memphis,  his 
apotheosis,  and  the  various  honors  to 
be  paid  to  him.  Ptolemy  Epiphanes 
was  the  fifth  successor  of  Sagus,  or 
Sotor,  the  Macedonian  general,  to  whom 
Egypt  was  assigned,  in  the  partition  of 
the  empire  of  Alexander  the  Great. 
The  only  other  instance  which  appears 
to  be  known  of  a  king  of  Egypt  being 
made  a  God  in  his  lifetime,  is  in  the 
case  of  his  remote  predecessor.  Horus, 
the  last  Pharaoh  of  the  XVIII.  dynasty. 

*  "  The  Greek  translation  is  a  loose  para- 
phrase, aiming  at  nothing  more  than  the 
general  scope  and  import  cf  the  original." 
— Osbum,  Mem.  Hist,  of  Egypt,  pp.  50.  51. 

t  Epiphanes  means  thing  forth,  as  a  deity ; 
—a  God  confessed. 

2 


The  Greek  inscription  suggested  the 
idea  which  was  soon  confirmed,  tliat  the 
same  decree  was  the  subject  of  the  two 
other  inscriptions,  which  were  written 
in  two  distinct  kinds  of  Egyptian  char- 
acters,— the  sacred  or  hieroglyphic,  and 
the  enchorial,  Coptic,  or  native  char- 
acter of  the  country. 

The  Egyptian  writing  has  been  di- 
vided into  various  kinds,  a.s,  the  pure, 
or  picture ;  the  linear,  or  emblematic  ; 
the  phonetic,  or  writing  by  sound  ;  and 
tlie  demotic,  or  epistolary.  Clement  of 
Alexandria  informs  us  that  the  Egyp- 
tians made  use  of  three  sorts  of  char- 
acters. But  among  these  they  had  also 
many  secret  systems  of  communication. 
Bin  AVashih  affirms,  that  there  existed 
a  great  number  of  hieroglyphic  alpha- 
bets. In  the  ancient  Book  of  Job,  writ- 
ten in  great  part  according  to  the  science 
of  correspondences  (not  in  a  connected 
series  like  the  inspired  Word  of  God), 
somewhat  similar  to  the  Egyptian  hiero- 
glyphics, mention  is  expressly  made  of 
the  primitive  species  of  idolatry  prev- 
alent in  the  East,  viz.,  the  adoration  of 
the  sun  and  moon  (xxxi.  26,  27),  and 
also  of  the  most  ancient  mode  of  writing 
by  sculpture  (xix.  23,  24).  "The  writ- 
ing in  use,  among  the  ancient  Egyptians, 
was  called  by  the  Greeks  hieroglyphics, 
that  is  sacred  engravings  or  reliefs,  be- 
cause they  saw  the  temples  of  Egypt 
covered  with  inscriptions  in  that  writ- 
ing, and  because  the  scribes  of  it  be- 
longed to  an  order  of  the  priesthood." 
Osbur.  Mon.  Hist.  Eg.,  vol.  i.,  p.  22. 

The  antiquity  of  Egypt  is  proverbial 
among  all  nations.  Lucian  in  lib.  De 
Syria  Dea,  writes,  "  that  the  Egyptians 
are  said  to  be  the  first  among  men  that 
had  a  conception  of  God,  and  a  knowl- 
edge of  sacred  concerns.  They  were 
also  the  first  that  had  a  knowledge  of 
sacred  names."  Conformably  to  this, 
also,  an  oracle  of  Apollo,  quoted  by 
Eusebius,  as.serts,  that  "  the  Egyptians 
were  the  first  that  disclosed,  bv  infinite 
U 


706 


APPEXDIX. 


actions,  the  path  that  leads  to  the  Godi."' 
— Jamblicus  on  the  Mysteries  of  the  Egyp- 
tians, etc.,  by  Taylor,  note,  p.  295.  "  The 
Egyptians  have  always  been  acknowl- 
edged as  the  most  ancient  people  ;  from 
whom  laws,  arts,  sciences,  and  cere- 
monies, were  first  derived  to  other  coun- 
tries."— Mixret's  Rites  of  Funeral,  An- 
cient and  Modern,  trans,  by  Lorrain, 
1683,  p.  1.  Egypt  is  also  called  by 
Bunsen  "the  oldest  monumental  nation 
in  the  world." — Ec/ypt's  Place  in  Univ. 
Hint.,  pref.,  p.  xxiv.  He  adds :  "  We 
have  no  hesitation  in  asserting  at  once, 
that  there  exist  Egyptian  monuments, 
the  date  of  which  can  be  accurately 
fixed,  of  a  higher  antiquity  than  those 
of  any  other  nation  known  in  history, 
viz.,  above  live  thousand  years." — lb., 
p.  xxviii. 

It  was,  doubtless,  in  that  early  age, 
that  hieroglyphics  had  their  origin  for 
correspondences,  of  a  still  more  remote 
date,  which  were  succeeded  by  the  plio- 
netic,  hieratic,  and  demotic  alphabets, 
the  oldest  of  which  does  not  carry  us 
back  furtlier  than  about  1500  years 
B.  C.  From  this  period  hieroglyphics 
and  correspondences  became  corrupted, 
and  their  true  significance  was  finally 
lost,  or  perverted  to  idolatrous  super- 
stitions, and  fanciful  cosmogonies  and 
worsliip.  Brj'ant,  therefore,  in  liis 
Anal,  of  Ancient  Mythol.,  truly  says,  that 
"  AVe  must  make  a  material  distinction 
between  the  hieroglyi)hics  of  old,  when 
ICgypt  wiis  under  her  own  kings,  and 
those  of  later  date,  wlicn  that  country 
was  under  the  government  of  the 
Greeks;  at  which  time  their  learning 
was  greatly  impaired,  and  their  ancient 
mythology  ruined." — i.,  332. 

Egyptian  writing  has  been  arranged 
as  follows:  1.  Hieroglyphic  (Herod), ot 
hierographic  (the  writing  of  tlie  gods, 
Manetho,X\\e  learned  priest),  sculptured 
characters,  expressed  aliihabetically, 
figuratively,  or  symbolically.  The 
largest  jjroportion  by  far  is  what  C'ham- 


pollion  le  Jeune  calls  phonetic.  2.  Hi- 
eratic, a  cursive  way  of  writing,  called 
also  sacerdotal,  from  being  in  general 
use  by  the  priests  or  sacred  scribes,  and 
which  is  identical  with  that  of  the 
hieroglyphics  from  which  it  has  de- 
scended (Clem.  Alex.).  All  the  MSS. 
in  this  character  exhibit  a  tachygraiihy, 
or  short-hand  of  the  hieroglyphical 
writing,  and  it  appeai-s  to  have  been 
chiefly  employed  in  the  transcription 
of  texts  and  inscriptions,  connected  with 
sacred  subjects.  3.  Enchorial  (Kosetta 
Stone),  called  by  the  Greek  authors, 
demotic  (demode),  or  popular  (Diod.), 
because  it  was  the  common  writing  of 
the  country  ;  this  was  also  denominated 
epistoloijraphic,  or  epistolary  (Clem. 
I  Alex.),  and  was  derived  from  the  hie- 
ratic, as  tlie  hieratic  was  derived  from 
j  the  liieroglyphic,  and  has  been  divided 
j  into  the  mimic,  the  tropic,  and  the 
I  enigmatic  (Goulianol).  It  admits  of 
symbolic,  figurative,  and  alphabetic 
characters.  The  alphabetic  occurs  most 
frecjuently,  tlie  figurative  is  the  least 
used,  and  tlie  symbolic  is  chiefly  con- 
fined to  express  ideas  connected  with 
Egyptian  theology.  (See  PettigraL's 
Hist.  E(iyp.  Mummies,  p.  144 ;  Osburn's 
Mon.  Hist,  of  Eg.,  vol.  i.,  p.  22 ;  Cham- 
pollion,  de  I'Ecrituie  Hie.  d'Anc.  Egypt; 
Birch's  Hieroglyphics,  p.  1.) 

Though  this  entire  subject  is  at  pres- 
ent involved  in  considerable  obscurity, 
yet  it  is  certain  tliat  the  true  liiero- 
glyphics,  or  sacred  writings,  the  signi- 
fication of  which  was  for  ages  confined 
to  the  priestliood,  apjicar  to  be  those, 
and  those  only,  the  arcana  of  which 
the  science  of  correspondences  is  des- 
tined to  unfold.  Zocga,  a  learned  Dane, 
was  tlie  firet  person  who  suggested  that 
the  elliptic  ovals,  now  termed  cartouches, 
contain  proper  names ;  and  he  first  em- 
l)loyed  the  word  phonetic,  from  the 
(ircek,  expressive  of  sound.  See  his 
book  On  Obelisks,  1797  ;  and  also  Glid- 
don's  Ancient  Egypt,  pp.  3,  5.    But  the 


HIEROGLYPHICS. 


707 


group  of  proper  names  in  tlie  demotic 
text  of  tlie  Rosetta  Stone,  was  diseovered 
by  De  Lacy.  Tlie  inscription  on  the 
stone  we  have  stated  is  trilinguar,  or 
rather  trigrammatic:  the  first  or  upper 
portion  containing  one  of  the  numerous 
hieroglyphic  alphabets  ;  the  second,  or 
•middle  one,  is  that  known  as  the  eucho- 
rial,  or  the  poptilar  character,  which 
it  is  asserted  was  the  Coptic,  as  yet  free 
from  the  admixture  of  Gi'eek  words 
(see  Bunsen's  Eyi/pt's  Place  in  History, 
p.  314) ;  and  the  third  is  Greek,  but,  as 
we  have  remarked,  a  mere  loose  para- 
phrase. The  event  recorded  of  this 
stone  took  place  at  Memphis,  and  the 
stone  appears  to  have  been  engraved  in 
the  ninth  year  of  the  reign  of  the  be- 
forementionod  Ptolemy,  or  196  years 
before  the  Christian  era,  and  belongs, 
says  Bunsen,  in  the  work  just  cited,  "to 
the  time  of  the  lowest  decline,  as  regards 
languacje,  character,  and  hieroglyphic 
structure."  "  The  language,"  says  Os- 
burn,  "  was  rapidly  undergoing  changes ; 
the  hieroglyphic  art  had  become  de- 
graded; the  arrangement  is  vile,  and 
the  arrangement  clumsy."  So  that, 
after  all,  it  affords  but  little  information 
on  the  subject  of  the  true  ancient  hiei-o- 
ghjphic't.  The  most  learned  and  pro- 
found classic,  Cojitic,  and  Arabic  schol- 
ars, and  the  most  eminent  archfeologists 
and  Egyptologists,  have  employed  the 
most  extensive  learning,  the  most  acute 
penetration,  and  persevering  industry, 
in  the  investigation  of  tliese  inscriptions, 
and  have  ascertained  the  meaning  of  so 
many  of  the  letters,  syllables,  and 
words,  "which  the  signs  represented," 
as  to  give  the  greatest  interest  and  im- 
portance to  many  other  historical  docu- 
ments of  Egypt,  and  the  papyri  MSS., 
containing  biographical  records,  legal 
contracts,  funeral  ceremonies,  and  va- 
rious customs.  But,  "though  the  stone 
has  now  been  familiar  to,  the  scliolai-s 
of  Europe  for  half  a  century,  a  complete 
translation  of  its  symbols  still  remains  a 


desideratum."  —  Chamber.'^  Inf.  for  the 
People,  art.  AECHiEOi.. 

While  the  labors  of  learned  men 
have  thus  thrown  considerable  light  on 
the  hieroglyphic  and  phonetic  alphabets, 
and  have  thence  illustrated  the  later 
antiquities,  and  the  comparatively  mod- 
ern history  of  Egypt,  when  symbolic 
signs  had  become  phonetic,  they  have 
effected,  as  yet,  but  little  in  decijiher- 
ing  the  most  ancient  and  pure  hiero- 
glyphics. "  Everywhere,  I  conceive," 
says  Salt,  "the  real  hieroglyphics  and 
phonetic  characters  will  be  found  to  be 
mingled  together ;  and  this,  of  course, 
will  require  a  double  study." — Salt's 
Phonetic  SyMem  of  Hiero.  Even  the 
sacred  symbols  were  used,  not  as  the 
representatives  of  things,  but  also  of 
sounds  (see  the  marvellous  discoveries 
of  Dr.  Young  and  Champollion,  and  the 
critical  researches  of  Lepsius),  so  that 
even  the  phonetics  bear  a  double  mean- 
ing. "The  ideographic  signs,"  adds 
Gliddon,  "abound  in  Egyptian  le- 
gends." "  Hieroglyphic  characters," 
according  to  Bunsen,  "  were  adopted 
in  phonetic  writing  at  a  very  early  pe- 
riod. The  new  empire,  that  is  the  ISth 
dynasty  of  the  Egyptians,  commenced 
a  little  before  Moses,  and  on  the  mon- 
uments of  that  age,  the  Egyptian  writ- 
ing continued  phonetic,  with  figurative 
signs." — See  Eg.  pi.  in  Hist.,  pp.  4,  8. 
"All  the  Greek  annalists,"  says  he, 
"belong  to  the  latest  times  of  Egypt; 
most  of  them  to  an  age  when  the  old 
myths  were  multiplied  and  adulter- 
ated."— lb.,  p.  414.  It  must  also  be 
remembered  that  only  a  very  small 
proportion  of  the  existing  monuments 
and  inscriptions  of  Egypt  have,  as  yet, 
been  examined.  What  has  been  done, 
however,  with  any  degree  of  certainty, 
only  serves  to  confirm  what  Sweden- 
borg  has  advanced  on  this  perplexing, 
yet  deeply  interesting  subject,  and 
which  is  as  follows : — 

"It  is  commonly  known,  that  in 


708 


APPENDIX. 


Egyjit  there  were  hieroglyphics,  and 
that  they  were  inscribed  on  tlie  col- 
umns and  walls  of  the  temples  and 
other  buildings ;  it  is  acknowledged, 
however,  that  at  this  day,  no  one  is 
able  to  determine  their  signification. 
Those  hieroglyphics  were  no  other 
than  the  correspondences  between  the 
spiritual  and  the  natural,  to  which 
science  the  Egyptians,  more  than  any 
people  of  Asia,  applied  themselves, 
and  according  to  which  the  very  early 
nations  of  Greece  formed  their  fables ; 
for  this,  and  this  only,  was  the  most 
ancient  stvle  of  composition." — App. 
W.  H.,  n.  4. 

"The  science  of  correspondences, 
which  is  likewise  the  science  of  repre- 
sentatives, was  accounted  by  the  an- 
cients the  science  of  sciences,  and  was 
particularly  cultivated  by  the  Egyp- 
tians, being  the  origin  of  their  hiero- 
glypliics." 

"  It  was  the  peculiar  science  of  their 
wise  men,  by  which  they  knew  what 
was  signified  by  animals  of  all  kinds, 
what  by  trees  of  all  kinds,  and  wliat  by 
mountains,  hills,  rivers,  and  fountains ; 
what  also  of  the  sun,  moon,  and  stars." 
"  By  the  same  science  they  attained  be- 
sides to  the  knowledge  of  spiritual  sub- 
jects, for  the  things  represented  being 
sucli  as  belong  to  spiritual  wisdom  among 
the  angels  in  heaven,  were  themselves 
the  origin  of  the  representatives." 
"Now  as  all  their  divine  worship  was 
representative,  consisting  of  mere  cor- 
respondences, tlierefore  tliey  celebrated 
it  upon  mountains  and  hilLs,  also  in 
groves  and  gardens ;  for  the  same  rea- 
son they  consecrated  fountains,  turned 
their  faces  toward  the  east  in  their 
adoration  of  God ;  and  also  made  them- 
selves carved  images  of  horses,  oxen, 
calves,  lambs,  nay,  even  of  birds,  fishes, 
and  serpents,  and  placed  tliem  in  their 
houses  and  other  places,  arranged  in  a 
certain  order,  according  to  the  spiritual 
principles  of  the  church  to  which  they 


corresponded,  or  which  they  repre- 
sented, and  thence  signified."  "  They 
placed  similar  things  in  the  vicinity, 
and  at  the  entrance,  and  within  their 
temples,  that  they  might  recall  to  their 
memories  the  holy  things  which  they 
signified.  In  process  of  time,  when 
the  science  of  correspondences  was  lost, 
their  posterity  began  to  worship  the 
images  themselves  as  sacred,  not  know- 
ing that  their  ancestors  saw  nothing 
sacred  in  them,  and  that  they  were 
only  so  according  to  the  correspond- 
ences they  represented,  and  thence 
signified.  Thus  arose  the  idolatries 
which  filled  the  whole  earth,  as  well 
Asia,  with  its  adjacent  islands,  as  Af- 
rica and  Europe."— r.  C.  B.,  n.  833 ; 
D.  P.,  n.  255. 

"The  Egyptians  carved  pieces  of 
wood  and  stone  into  representative 
configurations  of  various  moral  virtues 
and  of  spiritual  truths;  and  whereas 
every  man,  beast,  bird,  and  fish,  corre- 
sponds to  some  quality  ;  therefore  each 
particular  thing  carved  represents  par- 
tially somewhat  of  virtue,  or  truth,  and 
several  together  represent  virtue  itself, 
or  truth  itself,  in  a  common  extended 
form."— G  S.  L.,  n.  76. 

"The  Egyptians  from  ancient  time 
knew  Jehovah,  by  reason  that  even  in 
Egypt  there  had  been  an  ancient  church, 
as  may  manifestly  appear  from  this 
consideration,  that  they  had  amongst 
them  the  representatives  and  significa- 
tives  of  that  church ;  the  Egyptian 
hieroglyphics  are  nothing  else  [but 
such  representatives  and  significativcs], 
for  by  them  were  signified  things  spirit- 
ual, they  knew  also  that  they  actually 
corresponded ;  and  inasmuch  as  they 
began  to  apply  such  things  in  their  sa- 
cred worship,  and  to  worship  tliem,  and 
at  length  also  to  turn  them  into  things 
j  magical,  and  thereby  to  be  associated 
j  to  the  diabolical  even  in  hell,  therefore 
I  they  altogether  destroyed  the  ancient 
I  churchamongst them6elves."-.<4 . C. 7097. 


SWEDENBORO  AND  THE  EGYPTOLOGISTS. 


709 


"The  Egyptians  made  an  evil  use  of 
[these  correspondences],  therefore  to 
them  tliey  were  not  scientific  truths,  but 
scicntilic  falsities:  yet  tlie  same  tilings 
in  tlie  ancient  church  were  scientific 
truths,  inasmuch  as  they  applied  them 
rightly  to  divine  worship." — A.  C.  G917. 

In  the  British  3Iagazine,  for  Dec. 
1841,  vol.  XX.,  p.  G39,  the  following- 
question  was  considered: — "Are  the 
facts  announced  by  Swedenborg,  on  the 
subject  of  hieroglyphics,  in  perfect  har- 
mony with,  or  in  opposition  to,  the  mod- 
ern discoveries  of  Science  ?  "  A  writer 
under  the  signature  of  H.  endeavored 
to  prove  the  latter.  An  admirable  and 
learned  reply,  from  the  pen  of  M.  Fred- 
eric Portal,  Member  of  the  xVsiatic  So- 
ciety of  Paris,  was  inserted  in  the  same 
periodical  for  May,  1842,  vol.  xxi.,  p. 
520.  From  this  paper  I  make  the  fol- 
lowing conclusive  extracts : — 

"  According  to  Swedenborg,  as  cited 
above,  the  hieroglypliics  of  the  Egyp- 
tians, and  the  fabulous  fictions  of  an- 
tiquity, were  founded  on  the  same  sci- 
ence. {T.  C.  R.,  n.  201 ;  S.  S.,  n.  20 : 
A.  a,  n.  6692,  6917,  7097,  7926,  9011.) 
When  he  speaks  of  hieroglyphics,  he 
particularly  applies  this  word  to  the 
representations  of  statuary  or  sculpture, 
and  to  the  paintings  of  anaglyphs.  In 
all  the  passages  in  which  he  speaks  of 
hieroglyphics,  he  refers  to  their  origin  ; 
for  he  says  that  at  the  epoch  of  the 
Pharaohs  and  of  Moses,  this  system,  in 
a  religious  point  of  view,  was  already 
corrupted,  and  he  adds,  that  the  Israel- 
itish  nation  was  elected  in  order  to  re- 
store and  preserve  these  representative 
symbols  of  the  church.  (A.  C,  n.  6692.) 

"  Swedenborg,  then,  establishes  a  com- 
plete conformity  between  hieroglyph- 
ics, as  they  existed  in  their  origin,  and 
the  correspondences  of  the  Bible.  Let 
us  examine  what  hieroglyphics  at  their 
origin  were,  and  what  they  became  at 
a  later  period. 

"  Hieroglyphics  were,  at  first,  a  series 
60 


of  pure  symbols.  That  is  the  opinion 
of  Swedenborg, you  will  say.  But  it  is 
equally  the  opinion  of  Champollion  and 
of  the  learned  Lepsius.  Champollion 
says,  '  According  to  all  appearance,  the 
Egyptians  at  first  made  use  of  figurative 
and  symbolic  characters.'  [Precis,  du 
Si/slemc  Hieroyltjphique,  2d  edit.,  p.  358.) 
'  lam  of  opinion,'  says  M.  Lepsius, '  that 
the  Egyptians  had  originally  a  system 
of  writing  entirely  ideographic.  If  we 
cannot  arrive  at  a  time  when  phonetic 
signs  were  not  yet  introduced  among 
the  Egyptians,  we  at  least  find,  at 
a  later  period,  entire  formulae  and 
phrases  still  in  use,  composed  solely  of 
symbolic  characters.'  {Annali  dde'  In- 
stituto  di  Corrispondenza  Archeologica, 
vol.  ix.,  prim.  fas.  p.  24  :  Eoma,  1837.) 
Even  at  the  time  when  the  Egyptian 
method  of  writing  became,  in  part,  syl- 
labic or  phonetic,  the  symbolic  system 
did  not  cease  to  prevail.  So  says  M. 
Lepsius : — '  We  find,  at  first,'  he  ob- 
serves, '  a  multitude  of  words,  which, 
having  formerly  been  expressed  by 
ideographic  signs  alone,  and  transcribed 
at  a  later  period  into  phonetic  letters, 
have  nevertheless  preserved  for  the 
first  phonetic  letter,  the  ideographic 
sign  itself.'  [Annali  dele'  Inatituto,  ibid., 
p.  48.)  Let  ns  turn  to  the  dissertation 
of  M.  Lepsius,  and  consider  this  sen- 
tence of  the  learned  Egyptologue : — 
'We  have  already,'  says  he,  'spoken 
repeatedly  of  this  primitive  and  con- 
tinual tendency  not  to  forego  the  use  of 
symbolic  signs.  In  effect,  this  symbolic 
system  of  writing,  propagated  from  one 
generation  to  another  from  so  many 
ages  back,  had  too  much  identified  itself 
with  the  religion,  the  mythic  traditions, 
and  the  customs  of  the  Egyptians,  ever 
to  be  capable  of  being  displaced  by  the 
uniform  system,  destitute  of  attractions 
either  for  the  eye  or  the  fancy,  of  a 
purely  phonetic  method  of  writing.' 
[Annali  dey  InstitiUo,  ibid.,  p.  58.)  In 
effect,  the  symbolic  system  of  writing 


710 


APPENDIX. 


was  so  inherent  in  the  Egyptian  relig- 
ion and  the  royal  power  that  flowed 
from  it,  that,  according  to  the  remark 
of  Champollion,  in  inscriptions,  tlie  ab- 
stract ideas  which  belonged  to  the  re- 
ligious and  royal  departments,  were 
specially  represented  by  symbolic  char- 
acters ;  as  is  the  case  on  the  Rosetta 
stone  with  the  ideas  God,  immortality, 
divine  life,  jjoicer,  good,  benefit,  law  or  de- 
cree, superior  region,  inferior  region,  pane- 
gyric, temple,  etc.  [Champollion;  Precis., 
p.  403.) 

."  Finally,  the  phonetic  system  of  writ- 
ing itself  still  preserved  the  symbolic 
character.  The  letters  pronounced  by 
the  mouth  were  still,  to  the  eye  and  the 
understanding,  true  symbols.  Such  is 
the  opinion  of  Champollion;  and  he 
explains  by  it  that  great  number  of 
signs  which  represent  tlie  same  letter, 
and  which  they  name  homophones. 
(Champ.,  ibid.,  370.)  Thus  the  phonetic 
system  of  writing  was,  at  its  origin, 
symbolic,  and  always  preserved  tliis 
character.  We  are  not,  however,  igno- 
rant, that  homopliones  were  employed, 
at  a  later  period,  for  the  artist-like  ar- 
rangement of  inscriptions ;  tliat  sym- 
bolism was  neglected,  to  please  the  eye ; 
and  that  at  the  decline  of  the  system 
under  the  domination  of  the  Greeks  and 
Romans,  the  hierogrammatists  delight- 
ed to  make  a  parade  of  empty  skill  in  va- 
rying the  orthography  of  words  without 
end.  Symbolism  was  continually  ma- 
terializing itself,  as  _  Swedenborg  an- 
nounces and  science  evinces ;  but  it  is 
not  the  less  true,  that  tlie  phonetic  words 
consecrated  by  religion,  and  which 
thence  were  no  longer  liable  to  varia- 
tion, preserved  their  primitive  char- 

Correspondences  from  Swedenborg. 
To  create  signifies  to  regenerate. — 
A.  C,  n.  472. 


acter  by  being  always  written  with  sym- 
bolic signs.  The  names  of  the  gods 
prove  this  in  the  most  irrefragable 
manner. 

"  From  the  preceding  facts,  we  con- 
clude, that  Swedenborg  was  justified  in 
affirming  that  the  hieroglyphics  were 
symbols.  But  did  our  author  really 
mean  to  say,  that  all  the  liieroglyjihics, 
without  exception,  were  symbolic  ?  On 
this  subject  he  has  said  nothing ;  and 
the  rules  of  induction  alone  may  serve 
as  our  guides  in  this  inquiry.  Sweden- 
borg formally  lays  it  down,  that  the 
Bible,  from  one  end  to  the  other,  is 
symbolic — not  only  in  every  phrase, 
but  in  every  word,  and  in  every  letter, 
even  to  the  least  iota.  Nevertheless,  on 
turning  to  his  explications,  whether  of 
Genesis,  of  Exodus,  or  of  the  Apoca- 
lypse, we  perceive,  from  the  first  vei-ses, 
that  Swedenborg  ranges  the  words  under 
three  perfectly  distinct  categories;  1st, 
that  of  symbolic  words;  2d,  that  of 
figurative  words ;  3d,  that  of  words 
taken  in  their  proper  and  natural  sense, 
as  adverbs,  prepositions,  pronouns,  con- 
junctions, etc.  The  Egyptian  system 
of  writing,  according  to  the  discoveries 
of  Champollion,  literally  traces  its  out- 
lines on  this  system  of  symbolic,  figura- 
tive, and  j)/i07ic^ic  words." — British  Mag., 
vol.  xxi.,  p.  520. 

M.  Portal  then  produces  numerous 
perfect  coincidences  between  the  signifi- 
cation which  Swedenborg  gives  to  vari- 
ous terms  and  things,  and  the  significa- 
tion supposed  by  modern  writers  to  have 
been  anciently  assigned  by  tlie  Egyp- 
tians to  the  same  terms  and  things. 
I'Vom  among  others  I  cite  the  follow- 
ing : — 

Recent  Discoveries  in  the  Egyptian  Hi- 
eroglyphics. 

To  create  signifies  to  save.  The  sign 
of  the  liieroglyjihic  for  Saviour 
upon  the  monuments  being  the 
same  as  that  for  Creator. — S(dvolini, 
Cumpagne  de  Mhamses,  p.  101. 


CONFIRMED  BY  EGYPTOLOGISTS. 


711 


The  earth  sij^iifies  the  external  man. 
—A.  C,  n.  90. 

The  face  signifies  the  interiors  of  the 
mind,  or  the  spiritual  and  celestial 
tilings  existing  interiorly  with  man. 
—A.  a,  n.  2219,  5571. 

Claxi,  or  red  earth,  is  a  symbol  of  the 
life  of  love  of  the  external  man, 
or  the  lowest  natural  good. — A.  C, 
n.  95,  1300,  1301,3104;  A.  E.,  n. 
487. 

The  number  eight  signifies  the  com- 
mencement of  a  new  period  of 
temptation,  of  reformation,  of  re- 
generation, and  corresponds  to  pu- 
rification.—^, a,  n.  2044,  2633. 


Stones  signify  natural  truths,  and 
precious  stones  the  truths  of  intel- 
ligence, or  sjjiritual  truths. — A.  R., 
n.  90 ;  a  L.  L.,  n.  76. 


The  scarabiEiis  represents  the  earth 
and  the  external  man. — Horopollon  el 
les  Sijmholes  des  Egyptiens,  p.  98. 

In  the  Egyptian  Grammar  of  Cham- 
pollion,  Ike  face  is  the  symbolic  sign 
of  that  which  is  interior — within. 
— Les  Symboles  des  Egyptiens  com- 
paress  a  ceux  des  Hebreux,  p.  55. 

Vessel  of  clay  in  the  balance  of  judg- 
ment symbolized  the  actions  of  the 
deceased, — his  moral  life,  his  love, 
and  his  piety. — Inscription  of  the 
Manuscript  of  Tentamoun. 

The  month  Thoth  was  the  first  of  the 
Egyptian  year,  and  eight  was  one 
of  the  symbols  of  the  god  Thoth, 
the  reformer  and  regenerator,  who 
pours  the  waters  of  purification  on 
the  head  of  the  initiated. — Les 
Symbnles,  etc.,  p.  93. 

It  may  be  added,  as  a  further  illus- 
tration, that  in  the  Christian  sym- 
bolism of  the  middle  ages,  the  oc- 
tagonal form  of  fonts,  pillars,  etc  , 
appears  to  have  been  regarded  as 
emblematical  of  regeneration,  or 
entrance  on  a  new  state.— See  also 
Ilnnd-Book  of  English  Ecclesiology, 
p.  130  el  seq. 

The  monuments  of  Egypt  call  pre- 
cious stones  hard  stones  of  truth. — 
Champ.  Gram.  Egypt.,  p.  100. 


In  addition  to  tlie  above,  T  will  add  a 

Swedenborg  says  that  by  the  mice, 
with  which  the  land  of  Philistia 
was  overrun,  when  the  Philistines 
took  the  ark  of  God  (1  Sam.  v., 
vi.),  were  signified  the  devastation 
of  the  church  ;  and  that  the  five 
images  of  golden  mice  or  rats  which 
were  made,  represented  that,  by 
means  of  good,  signified  by  gold, 
the  devastation  of  the  church  is 
removed.— 2'.  C.  R,  n.  203. 

A  breastplate  signifies  divine  truth 
shining  forth  from  divine  good  in 
ultimates;  for  it  was  filled  with 
twelve  precious  stones,  and  worn, 
by  the  representative  high-priest 
among  the  Jews,  over  the  region 
of  the  heart.  It  was  called  a  breast- 
plate of  Judgment ;  and  Urim  and 
Thnmmim  which  are  plurals, 
meaning  a  shining  fire  and  brill- 
iancy, or  perfections  and  splendors, 


few  more  examples : 

According  to  Horopollen  (lib.  i.,  cap. 
47),  total  destruction  was  repre- 
sented in  Egyptian  hieroglyphics, 
by  the  symbol  of  a  mouse  or  rat, 
from  its  constant  gnawing. — Hist, 
of  the  Jews,  Family  Library,  vol.  i., 
note,  p.  313. 


"  The  Egyptian  judges  wore  a  breast- 
plate, on  which  were  cut  symbolic 
figures  on  a  blue  ground.  The  blue 
was  typical  of  the  sapphire,  a  pre- 
cious stone  of  a  blue  color,  and  both 
signified  truth  ;  "  and,  consequent- 
ly, that  the  judges  would  preside 
in  the  love  of  truth. — Oliddon, 


712 


APPENDIX. 


and  denoting  integrity  and  justice 
in  ultimates  (Ex.  xxviii.).  The 
precious  stones  signify  all  heavenly 
principles  in  their  order, — thus,  the 
love  of  truth,  cliarity,  mercy,  judg- 
ment, and  justice;  and,  in  a  spirit- 
ual sense,  instruction  and  responses 
from  the  literal  sense  of  the  Word : 
for  by  the  breaatplate  divine  re- 
sponses were  given  by  a  tacit  per- 
ception, or  inaudible  voice,  and 
judgment  was  executed  accordingly 
(Num.  xxvii.  18-21).  Blue  was  a 
color  admitted  into  the  breastplate, 
and,  being  derived  from  the  deep 
azure  of  the  oriental  sky,  signified 
the  celestial  love  of  truth,  or  the 
good  of  charitv. — A.  C,  n.  3862, 
9823-73  ;  A.  K,  n.  1063 :  T.  G.  R., 
n.  218. 

The  Lion  signifies,  in  a  good  sense, 
divine  truth  in  power;  and  in  a 
contrary  sense,  tlie  false  principle 
destroying  truth. — A.  R.,  n.  241, 
471,  573,  574.  To  denote  his  om- 
nipotence, the  Lord  is  called  by  the 
expressive  appellation  of  "the  Lion 
of  the  tribe  of  Judah."  (Rev.  v.  5.) 

A  fox  in  the  word  signifies  one  who 
is  principled  in  self-derived  pru- 
dence, thus,  craftiness. — D.  P.  311. 
See  Luke  xiii.  32 ;  Ps.  iii.  10 ;  Sam. 
V.  18. 


Swedenborg  writes  as  follows : — Good 
hath  life  in  itself,  because  it  is  from 
the  Lord,  who  is  life  itself. — A.  G., 
n.  5070.  Good  is  actually  spiritual 
fire,  from  which  spiritual  heat, 
which  makes  alive,  is  derived. — A. 
v.,  n.  4906. 

Swedenborg  says,  the  Nile,  in  a  bad 
sense,  represents  sensual  tilings  as 
to  what  is  false,  or  false  scieutifics, 
which  pervert  the  word. — A.  G., 
5196, 6693,  5113.  And  in  the  same 
sense  fishes  denote  those  who  think 
sensually,  and  tlien  confide  in  scien- 
tifics  onlv,  and  thence  conceive 
falses.— /l'.  G,  n.  991.  "  Tlic  adul- 
teration of  tlie  good  of  the  word, 
and  the  falsification  of  its  trutli,  is 
defilement  or  uuclcamiess,  and  im- 
purity itself."— ,1.  7?.,  n.  924.  "Men 
of  learning  and  erudition,  who  have 


A  lionvras  the  principal  hieroglyphic, 
and  always  denoted  strength. — JS'ut- 
iall's  Arch.  Did. 


A  fox  or  jackal  (for  it  is  uncertain 
which  animal  is  meant  in  Hebrew, 
probably  both),  says  (.'hampollion, 
was  always  used  to  express  knoiil- 
edge,  hierogrammateus,  or  sacred 
scribe,  or  a  wise  and  cunning  man, 
because  that  class  of  animals  are 
craft  V. — See  Birch's  Hieroglyphs,  p. 
220.  ■ 

The  same  hieroglyphic  character, 
wliich,  according  to  Birch  and  Os- 
biirn,  stands,  when  alone,  as  a  sym- 
bol for  life,  also  represents  the  idea 
of  goodness. — See  Man.  Hist.  Eg., 
p.  30. 

A  fish,  with  a  sharp  muzzle,  common 
in  the  Nile,  symbolized,  in  tlie 
earliest  and  liest  periods  of  the  mon- 
archv,  unclean ucss. — Osbuiii's  Mon. 
Hist.  Eg.,  p.  37. 


TEACHING  OF  EGYPTIAN  SYMBOLS. 


713 


confirmed  themselves  deeply  in 
false  principles,  are  more  sensual 
tlian  others." — A.  E.,  n.  424;  A. 
a,  n.  631G. 
The  serpent  signifies  the  sensual  prin- 
ciple of  man's  mind  and  life.  Hence 
the  Lord  says  he  would  give  his 
disciples  power  "  to  tread  upon  ser- 
pents," and  to  "take  up  serpents," 
denoting  powerto  subdue  or  depress 
the  sensual  principle,  and  elevate  it 
from  a  defiled,  grovelling  condition 
to  a  state  of  purity  and  blessedness, 
and  these  changes  take  place  by 
progressive  steps,  and  by  tlireefold 
degrees. — ,-1.  €'.,  n.  258 ;  A.  B.,  n. 
4o5.  Treading  the  serpent  under 
foot,  denotes  the  complete  subjuga- 
tion of  the  sensual  principle  ;  grasp- 
ing the  serpent  in  the  right  hand, 
denotes  its  elevation  as  the  purified 
instrument  of  spiritual  and  moral 
power ;  and  lifting  up  the  serpent 
on  theslioulder,  has  the  same  mean- 
ing, but  in  a  higher  sense.  The 
riyht  hand  of  man  denotes  the  power 
of  wisdom  from  Divine  Truth  ;  and 
the  right  shoulder  denotes  all 
power.    {Isa.  is.  6.) 


Belzoni  found  a  vast  tomb  in  Egypt, 
cut  in  the  rocks,  where,  3000  years 
ago,  a  king  of  Egypt  was  entombed. 
Among  a  great  variety  of  paintings, 
of  which  he  took  copies,  and  ex- 
hibited tliem  in  a  model  of  the 
tomb,  in  London,  was  a  representa- 
tion of  three  companies  of  men,  in 
single  file,  in  succession ;  the  first 
company  standing  erect  with  the 
right  foot  extended  on  a  long  ser- 
pent, the  neck  of  it  under  the  first 
man's  foot,  and  the  tail  under  the 
last ;  the  second  company  followed 
standing  on  the  ground,  and  grasp- 
ing a  long  serpent,  which  passed 
horizontally  through  the  right  hand 
of  each  man  in  succession,  as  it  hung 
down  by  his  side ;  and  tlie  third, 
lifting  up  a  long  serpent  on  their 
right  shoulders,and  holding  it  there 
witli  their  right  liands,  through 
which  it  passed  horizontally  from 
one  man  to  the  other,  so  that  with 
the  two  latter  companies,  the  first 
man  of  each  grasped  the  neck  of 
the  serpent  close  to  the  head,  and 
tlie  last  man  grasped  the  tail. — For 
tfiis  illustration  I  was  indebted  to  the 
Eer.  W.  Mason,  of  Melbourne,  who 
saw  the  model. 


The  Eev.  S.  Noble,  in  -his  Plenary 
Inspiration  of  the  Scriptures  Asserted,  re- 
fers to  this  very  remarkable  tomb,  and 
to  other  Egyptian  symbols,  thus : — 
"Could  all  written  and  traditionary 
learning  be  extirpated  from  the  earth, 
Egypt  woidd  still  present  her  imper- 
ishable monuments,  silently  but  irre- 
futably proclaiming,  that  there,  indeed, 
the  relation  of  analogy  between  the 
various  kingdoms  of  nature,  with  their 
individual  objects,  and  each  other ; 
and  between  all  of  these,  again,  and 
things  moral,  spiritual,  and  divine ; 
was  once — yea,  for  ages, — well  under- 
stood ;  that  there  it  stamped  a  charac- 
ter upon  all  elevated  science,  and  that 
it  regulated  there  even  the  first  ele- 
60* 


ments  of  knowledge.  "What  can  be 
more  evident,  than  that  her  celebrated 
liieroglyphics,  which  have  so  long  con- 
founded the  skill  of  the  learned,  are 
built  on  this  analogy,  and  are  expres- 
sions of  it,  and  that  if  ever  they  are 
decipliered,  it  must  be  by  its  means? 
Who  could  inspect  that  extraordinary 
exhibition,  a  year  or  two  since  open  in 
London,  representing  the  tomb  of  an 
Egyptian  king,  explored  by  Mr.  Bel- 
zoni, and  behold  the  multitude  of  rep- 
resentations of  natural  objects,  evident- 
ly designed  to  convey  a  mystical  mean- 
ing, without  feeling  satisfied  that  the 
arrangement  of  them  must  be  governed 
by  some  rule,  and  that  it  assumed  for 
its  basis  a  known  analogy  ?    Who  can 


714 


APPENDIX. 


escape  the  same  impressions  on  view- 
ing the  Egyptian  antiquities  in  the 
British  Museum?  To  particularize 
only  one  palpable  emblem,  the  mean- 
ing of  which  requires  no  discussion  to 
establish  it:  Who  can  behold  those 
monstrous  fists,  carved  out  of  the  hard- 
est of  rocks,  without  being  convinced 
that  they  are  designed  to  symbolize 
that  irresistible  power  that  would  crush 
opposers  into  annihilation?  that  their 
meaning  is  similar  to  that  stone  men- 
tioneil  in  the  Gospel,  of  which  it  is 
said,  that  '  on  whomsoever  it  shall  fall, 
it  will  grind  him  to  powder'?  (Matt, 
xxi.  44.)  So  it  is  evident,  that  in  the 
wonderful  scheme  of  symbolic  writing 
contrived  by  this-  singular  people,  the 
natural  objects  depicted  were  put  to 
convey  ideas  quite  distinct  from  any- 
thing belonging  to  the  objects  them- 
selves: they  delineated  one  thing  to 
express  another ;  they  evidently  were 
guided  by  some  analogy  which  they 
saw  between  the  two:  and  it  is  much 
more  reasonable  to  conclude  that  they 
followed  a  principle  known  by  them  to 
exist  in  the  nature  of  things,  than  that 
the  whole  of  so  complicated  a  system 
was  merely  founded  on  arbitrary  as- 
sumption."—Pp.  216-218. 

Dr.  Conyers  Middleton,  in  a  letter  to 
Dr.  Waterland,  writes  as  follows  on 
the  hieroglyphic  of  the  serpent : — 
"  Moses,  we  read,  whs  learned  in  all  the 
wls'lom  of  the  Egyptians  (Acts  vii.  22), 
and  their  learning,  especially  in  things 
sacred  and  dii-ine,  was  wholly  mystical 
and  xi/mbol leal :  proposed  always  under 
the  figures  of  men,  beasts,  and  birds, 
wliich  were  called  hieroglyphics,  or 
sacred  characters,  invente<l  and  used 
by  them,  as  Kircher  has  shown  (  Ohclis. 
Piimph.,  1,  2;  de  Institu  et  Fabrica 
Hierogl.,  c.  2,  p.  102),  before  Moses's 
time.  Among  tliese  tlie  serpent,  as  all 
authors  inform  us,  was  of  more  com- 
mon use  with  them  tlian  any  other 
animal,  whose  nature  they  imagined  to 


have  something  very  excellent  and 
divine  in  it.*  So  that  it  supplied  the 
place  of  two  letters  in  their  symbolic 
alphabet,  and  served  them  as  a  hiero- 
glyphic of  various  significations ;  more 
particularly  as  an  emblem  of  subtlety  and 
cunning,  as  well  as  of  lust  and  sensual 
pleasure.j  Dr.  Spencer,  explaining 
the  customs  of  the  Egyptians,  of  deliv- 
ering all  the  sublime  parts  of  knowl- 
edge under  the  cover  of  s^ymbols,  types, 
and  emblems,  observes,  that  "  when  God 
called  out  3Ioses  to  his  prophetical  office, 
he  considered  him  as  one  who  had  been 
trained  in  that  kind  of  learning,  and  it  is 
consonant  therefore  to  the  character  and 
history  of  Mosex,  to  imagine  that  God  de- 
signed that  he  skould  write  and  treat  of 
all  the  sublima-  things  committed  to  him,  in 
that  mystical  and  hieroglyphical  way  of 
literature,  in  which  he  had  been  edu- 
cated."X 

An  endeavor  to  explain  a  sacred  in- 
scription according  to  the  science  of 
correspondences,  will  be  read  with  in- 
terest. "On  a  temple  of  Minerva,  at 
Sais,  are  inscribed  the  following  hiero- 
glyphics :  an  infant,  an  old  man,  a 
hawk,  a  fish,  and  a  river  horse,  which, 
by  a  writer  on  the  subject,  have  been 
translated  to  mean,  'All  ye  who  come 
into  and  go  out  of  the  world,  know  that 
the  gods  hate  imjuulence.'  Now  this 
translation  may  possibly  be  correct,  so 
far  as  regards  tlieir  hieroglyphic  [or 
external]  meaning  [designed  to  meet 
tlie  public  eye],  a  hawk  always  bearing 
reference  to  the  attributes  or  i)ersons 
of  the  gods ;  but  viewing  these  charac- 
ters also  as  a  sacred  inscription,  having 
been  put  there  by  the  priests,  who  were 

*  Kircher,  ib.  1.  iv ;  Ideoe.  Hierogl.,  p.  347. 

.«o  also  Tacitus ;  "  Primi,  etc."  "  The  Egyp- 
tians were  the  first,  who,  by  the  forms  of 
animals,  figrured  the  senses  of  the  mind."— 
Annal.  xi..  14. 

t  lb.,  1.  ii.,  c.  G,  p.  131;  Item  Pieni  Valerian 
Hierogl;  1.  xiv. 

X  De  Lcfrpr.  Hob.  etc.,  1.  i.,  c.  15,  p.  211 ;  see 
also  text  of  this  work. 


EGYPTIAN  IIIEROGLYPniCS. 


715 


acquainted  witli  the  'wisdom  of  tlic 
Egyptians,'  will  they  not  also  bear  the 
following  signification  ?  '  Those  who 
worship  God,  shall  receive  innocence, 
natural  truth,  [I'jV]  intelligence,  science, 
and  divine  understanding.'  The  in- 
scription bearing  reference  to  what  is 
to  be  found  by  those  who  enter  into  the 
temple,  and  entering  in  signifying  con- 
junction by  worsliip,  admits  of  the 
■words  printed  in  italics  being  intro- 
duced. Or  as  the  Egyptians  generally 
wrote  from  loft  to  right,  '  Those  who  wor- 
ship the  Lord,  shcdl  receive  divine  under- 
standing, then  all  scientifics,  all  ele- 
vated intelligence,  rational  truth,  and 
then  perfect  innocence.'  It  must  be 
borne  in  mind,  that  the  Minerva  of  the 
Egyptians  was  different  from  that  of 
the  Greeks,  the  former  people  not  only 
investing  that  deity  with  wisdom,  but 
with  all  good  attributes.  .  .  .  Al- 
though in  later  periods  the  Egyptians 
worshiped  numberless  deities,  with  the 
Jews  they  originally  worshiped  but 
one.  According  to  Plutarch,  they  held  I 
only  two  principles,  one  good,  the  other 
evil.  Osiris,  the  good  genius,  was, 
strictly  speaking,  synonymous  with 
REASON ;  and  Syphon,  or  the  passions, 
WITHOUT  REASON.  A  closer  analogy 
with  the  New  Church  doctrines  than 
this,  I  think,  can  scarcely  be  found, 
and  similar  instances  are  very  numer- 
ous."— J.  D.  in  N.  J.  Mag.,  vol.  iv.,  p. 
235. 

For  many  centuries  before  the  Chris- 
tian era,  the  science  of  correspondences 
was  rapidly  on  the  decline,  and  we  may 
affirm  that  from  the  period  of  the  Per- 
sian conquest,  about  525  B.  C,  nearly 
all  idea  of  the  spirituality  which  origi- 
nally pervaded  the  Egyptian  hiero- 
glyphics, appears  to  have  been  lost.  In 
the  eighth  chapter  of  Ezekiel,  7-10,  we 
have  a  literal  description  of  the  preva- 
lent idolatry  of  Egypt,  about  this  very  pe- 
riod. "  Dark  and  mysterious  recesses," 
says  Maurice,  "  ornamented  with  every 


form  of  creeping  tilings  and  abominable 
beasts  ;  were  called  mystic  cells,  and  in 
them  were  represented,  by  the  animals, 
etc.,  the  secret  mysteries  sacred  to,  or 
hieroglyphical  of,  Isis  and  Osiris." 

Causes  were  no  longer  investigated ; 
effects  only  were  regarded.-  P>ven  the 
j)riests  gave  to  their  mythology  a  merely 
physical  explanation,  and  the  people 
became  infatuated  and  ignorant  idola- 
ters. The  pretended  secrets  of  tlie  priest- 
hood were  of  the  grossest  description, 
and  seem  to  have  been  connected  with 
the  science  of  Astronomy,  as  far  as  was 
then  known.  They  acknowledged  no 
other  deities  than  the  sun,  moon,  and 
planets.  From  their  apparent  and  real 
motions  and  positions,  together  with 
the  asterisms  of  the  Zodiac,  "  borrowed 
from  the  Greeks,"  they  drew  horoscopes, 
and  prognosticated  events;  they  fore- 
told their  genial  or  baneful  influences 
on  the  labors  of  agriculture,  and  in  the 
cure  of  diseases,  and  attributed  to  them 
the  meteorological  changes  of  the  atmos- 
phere, and  the  Sowings  and  recessions 
of  the  river  Xile;  thus  binding  all 
things  in  the  indissoluble  chain  of  ne- 
cessity or  fate.  (See  Epist.  Porphyrii 
prcemis.  Jamblich.  De  Mysler,  jEcjijpl,  etc., 
cited  in  Prichard'sAnal.  of  Egypt.  MythoL, 
pp.  30-35.  Euseh.  Evan.  Prcep.,  lib.  iii., 
cap.  iv.  ix.) 

Dr.  Cudworth,  in  his  Intellectual  Sys- 
tem, vol.  i.  (new  ed.),  insists,  but  with- 
out sufficient  data,  that  the  recondite 
and  esoteric  sense  of  the  Egyptian  my- 
thology w-as  maintained  to  a  much  later 
age:  and  cites  and  translates  the  fol- 
lowing remarkable  passage  from  Por- 
phyrins' Epistle  concerning  C/iairemon  : 
"  But  Chieremon,  and  those  others  who 
pretend  to  write  of  the  first  causes  of 
the  world,  declare  only  the  last  and 
lowest  principles,  as  likewise  they  who 
treat  of  the  planets,  the  zodiac,  the 
dreams,  the  horoscopes,  and  the  robust 
princes.  And  these  things  that  are  in 
the  Egyptian  almanac  (or  ejjhemer- 


716 


APPENDIX. 


ides),  contain  the  least  part  of  Hermion- 
ical  institutions,  namely,  tlie  phases  and 
occultations  of  the  stars,  the  increase  and 
decrease  of  the  moon,  and  the  like  as- 
trological matters ;  which  things  have 
the  lowest  place  in  the  Egyptian  oetiol- 
ogy." — lh.,yo\.  i.,  p.  539. 

In  reference  to  a  corrupt  system  of 
religion,  M.  Portal  justly  observes,  that 
"  the  older  it  becomes,  the  more  it  ma- 
terializes itself:  it  becomes  gradually 
worse,  until  it  arrives  at  fetichism ;  the 
religion  of  the  negroes  is  the  last  ex- 
pression of  the  dogmas  of  Ethiopia  and 
Egypt.  Already  in  the  times  of  jMoses 
the  Egyptian  religion  showed  all  the 
elements  of  decay  and  dissolution  ;  the 
symbol  had  become  God  ;  the  truth,  for- 
gotten by  the  people,  was  banished  into 
the  sanctuaries,  and  soon  the  priests 
themselves  were  to  lose  the  signification 
of  the  sacred  language.  These  j)rinci- 
ples  may  be  applied  to  India  and  its  de- 
generate Brahmins,  to  Cliina  and  its 
disgraceful  priests,  to  all  the  various 
kinds  of  perverted  worship,  and  to  those 
Jews  wlio  sacrificed  to  the  idols  of 
strange  gods." 

The  Rev.  G.  Oliver,  in  his  Twelve 
Lectures  on  the  Signs  and  Symbols 
of  Free-Masonry,  cites  from  Aben 
Washih's  Hieroglyphics,  the  following 
dcscrij)tion  of  a  perfect,  or  regenerated 
man.  The  representation  lias  descended 
from  a  very  remote  age ;  and  is  full  of 
interest,  as  elucidating  the  fact  that 
sculjjtured  forms  and  pictured  images 
were  employed  by  the  Egyj)tians  in 
tlieir  hieroglyphics,  to  represent  ab- 
stract qualities  and  spiritual  .states  of 
the  mind,  but  of  which  Oliver  oilers  no 
exjjlanation. 

"  A  man  of  perfect  wisdom  and  un- 
derstanding, accomplished  in  all  his 
ways,  and  without  the  least  blame,  was 
painted  with  a  beautiful  face;  with 
wings  like  an  angel ;  holding  in  his 
hands  a  book,  in  wliich  he  looked;  a 
swurd,  and  a  balance ;  and  behind  him 


two  vases,  one  of  them  full  of  water 
and  the  other  of  blazing  fire  :  under  his 
right  foot  a  ball,  with  a  crab  painted  on 
it ;  and  under  his  left  a  deep  pot  full  of 
serpents,  scorpions,  and  different  rep- 
tiles, the  covering  of  which  had  the 
shape  of  an  eagle's  head." 

According  to  the  science  of  corre- 
spondences, this  hieroglyphic  would  ap- 
l^ear  to  have  been  composed  by  one  who 
was  well  acquainted  with  the  nature  and 
process  of  regeneration,  and  its  corre- 
spondent images ;  as  illustrations  I  have 
added  a  few  passages  from  tlie  H.  W. 
"  A  man  perfect  in  wisdom  and  under- 
standing, accomplished  in  all  his  ways, 
and  Avithout  the  least  blame,"  can  only 
be  a  description  of  one  who  is  regen- 
erated, of  which  the  ceremonies  of 
initiation  were  representative  (John  i. 
47  ;  Luke  i.  6).  "  He  was  painted  with 
a  beautiful  face,"  to  represent  the  in- 
ward states  of  a  good  life,  made  visibly 
manifest  in  the  outward  countenance 
(Acts  vi.  15;  Judges  xiii.  6).  "He 
was  represented  with  wings  like  an 
angel,"  to  denote  the  powers  or  ability  of 
elevating  his  perceptions  and  thoughts 
into  an  angelic  sphere :  "  holding  a 
book  in  his  hands,  in  which  he  was 
looking,"  to  denote  that  this  power  wiis 
from  the  reception  of  divine  wisdom, 
and  his  steady  application  tliereto,  that 
he  miglit  become  intelligent,  and  "  u'l.se 
unto  salvation  "  (Rev.  x.  2).  The  sword 
was  a  symb(>l  of  active  warfare  against 
all  that  opposed  his  progress  (Luke 
xxii.  36  ;  Ps.  cxlix.  G) ;  and  the  balance 
wa.s  significative  of  the  estimation  in 
which  he  held  all  that  was  good  and 
true,  and  the  just  judgment  he  con- 
scientiously passed  upon  all  the  ac- 
tivities of  his  mind  and  life:  the 
vessels  behind  him,  one  filled  with 
water,  and  the  other  with  blazing  fire,* 

*  "Behold  I,  mith  the  Lord  Jesus,  gire  unto 
you  power  to  tread  on  serpents  and  scorpions, 
and  over  all  tlie  pmver  of  tlie  enemy,  and  (Lvike 
X.  lit)  nothing  shall  by  any  means  hurl  you." 


EGYPTIAN  HIEROGLYPHICS. 


717 


represent  hia  understanding  and  his 
will,  their  purification  fVoin  falsity  and 
evil  passions,  and  their  reception  of 
wisdom  and  goodness,  or  truth  and 
love ;  under  his  right  foot  was  placed 
a  ball  with  a  crab  painted  upon  it,  to 
denote  the  natural  mind,  and  its  con- 
stant inclination  to  revert  to  its  original 
state  ;  under  the  left  foot  was  placed  a 
deep  pot  full  of  serpents,  scorpions,  and 
various  reptiles,  to  denote  that  carnal 
passions  and  propensities  were  all  held 
in  due  subjection  ;  and  the  power  to  ac- 
complish this  final  work,  was  indicated 
by  the  covering,  wliich  bore  the  shape 
of  an  eagle's  head,  to  signify  the  om- 
nipotence of  wisdom.* 

One  of  the  leading  modes  of  framing 
these  ancient  signs  appears  to  merol- 
ogists  to  be  this,  that  the  effect  is  put  for 
the  supposed  cause.  "  This  is  precisely 
the  i)rinciple  of  all  the  correspondences 
of  Swedenborg.  He  says  that  the  reason 
why  a  given  physical  object  is  said  to 
correspond  to  a  certain  idea,  is,  because 
it  has  flowed  from  that  idea  as  its  ef- 
ficient cause." — Haydcn. 

"  The  black  and  white  ibis  or  crane 
was,  from  the  very  earliest  period,  of 
which  we  have  any  record,  accounted 
a  symbol  of  speech,  and  of  reason, 
whereof  speech  is  the  natural  vehicle. 
The  Coptic  words  hap,  'judgment,'  and 
hop, '  to  hide,' '  to  conceal '  {  all  wisdom  in 
early  times  being  occult),  are  palpably 
derived  from  the  name  of  the  ibis." 

The  name  of  this  beautiful  bird  is 
hippep,  the  cry  of  the  black  and  white 
ibis  consists  of  the  syllables  ep-ep. 
Thoth  or  Tat,  the  god  of  letters  and 
intelligence,  had  an  ibis  for  his  sacred 
animal,  and  was  represented  with  the 
head  of  that  bird.  That  Thoth  was 
worshipped  in  Egypt  from  a  very  re- 
mote period,  we  have  the  incontestible 

*  "  Tliey  that  wait  upon  the  Lord  shall  mount 
up  mth  wings  as  eagles;  then  shall  run  ajid  not 
be  weary,  they  shall  walk  and  not  faint,"  Isa.  xl. 
31. 


j  evidence  of  coteraporary  monuments. 
{Osburne,  pp.  203,  201,  341.) 
He  was  regarded  as  having  invented 

!  the  ancient  Hieroglyphic  system  in  the 
city  of  Heliopolis.  The  great  antiquity 
of  worship  at  On — Heliopolis,  the  city 
of  the  sun,  is  attested  by  the  monuments. 
(Hem/slenbcrg,  Egi/pt  and  Moses,  §  ii.) 

In  conclusion  :  though  the  pure  hie- 
roglyphics of  Kgypt  were  thus  sculp- 
tured, engraved,  or  depicted,  according 
to  the  science  of  correspondences,  yet 
it  must  not  be  forgotten,  that  there  is 
an  infinite  difi'erence  between  them  and 
the  plenarily  insjjired  Word  of  God. 
In  the  hieroglyphics,  like  as  in  the  book 
of  Job,  is  enshrined  the  human  wisdom 
of  successive  ages,  combined  with  tra- 
ditionary remains  of  divine  truth,  de- 
rived from  the  most  ancient  dispensa- 
tions of  religion,  which,  veiled  by  cor- 
responding symbols,  was  thus  preserved 
for  the  use  of  ages ;  but  in  the  Holy 
Word,  the  pure  truths  of  heaven  are 
revealed  by  the  Lord  Himself  in  one 
grand,  dependent,  and  harmonious  se- 
ries. The  hieroglyphics  are,  at  best, 
but  a  checkered  mosaic  of  human  ar- 
rangement; while  the  Word  of  God 
exhibits  the  perfect  order  of  Him  who 
created  the  heavens  and  the  earth.  The 
former  are,  as  it  were,  the  dead  and 
lifeless  resemblances ;  the  latter  contains 
living  and  life-giving  realities ;  "  For 
by  every  word  proceeding  out  of  the 
mouth  of  God  doth  man  live."  The 
hieroglyphics  of  Egypt  are,  notwith- 
standing, a  most  important  evidence  to 
the  existence  and  prevalence  of  the 
science  of  correspondences  in  the  earli- 
est period  of  which  we  have  any  au- 
thentic history. 

"It  is  an  observation  of  Maimon- 
ides,  'That  he  who  would  understand 
all  that  the  prophets  have  said,  must 
particularly  apply  himself  to  the  study 
of  tlie  parabolic,  metaphorical,  and 
enigmatical  parts  of  Scripture.' " 


718 


APPENDIX. 


"  The  Egyptians  appear  to  have  been 
the  earliest  cultivators  of  this  species 
of  composition,  and  in  this  the  Jews 
were  rather  imitators  than  originals. 
That  this  was  a  part  of  the  wisdom  of 
Egypt,  in  which  I\Ioses  excelled,  is  sug- 
gested by  Philo,  in  his  Life  of  iloses, 
by  Clemens  of  Alexandria,  in  his  Stro- 
mata,  and  by  many  others.  That  the 
Chaldeans  also  were  addicted  to  the 
use  of  emblems  and  allegories,  appears 
from  some  ancient  writers,  for  whom, 
see  Stanley's  History  of  Philosophy. 
The  Syrians  and  Phcenicians  are  af- 
firmed to  have  prosecuted  the  same 
study,  according  to  Jerome,  Josephus, 
Eusebius,"  etc. —  Key  to  the 

Symbolical  Language  of  Scripture,  p.  5. 

Mr.  S.  Sharpe,  whose  eminence  as  an 
Egyptologist  entitles  him  to  speak  with 
authority,  has  no  doubt  that  the  Egyp- 
tians, many  centuries  before  Moses, 
were  acquainted  with  the  use  of  alpha- 
betical characters. 

Eiclihora  maintains  that  convenient 
implements  and  materials  for  writing 
existed  in  the  age  of  Moses  {Einleitung, 
A.  T.,  18-23,  ?  405),  while  Ewald  argues 
that  a  very  ancient  Semitic  tribe  had 
acquired  the  use  of  the  art  before  the 
historical  age,  and  not  from  the  Egyp- 
tians.— Gesch.  des  Vulkes  Isr.,  i.,  p.  66, 
acq. 

"Plutarch,  in  his  treatise  of  Isis  and 
Osiris,  tells  us  (Ftut.  <le.  hid  and  Osir., 
p.  3-j4i,  that  the  theology  of  the  Egyp- 
tians had  two  meanings  ;  the  one  holy 
and  symbolical,  the  other  vulgar  and 
literal ;  and  C(mse(iuently  that  the  fig- 
ures of  animals  wliich  they  had  in  their 
temples,  and  wluch  they  seem  to  adore, 
were  only  so  many  hieroglyphics  to 
represent  the  Divine  attributes.  Pur- 
suant to  this  distinction,  he  says,  that 
Osiris  signifies  the  active  Principle,  or 
the  most  holy  Being  {Ibid.,  pp.  373, 
374,  375) ;  Isis  tlie  Wisdom  or  Kule  of 
his  operation ;  Orus  the  first  production 


of  his  Power,  the  model  or  plan  by 
which  he  produced  everything,  or  the 
archetype  of  the  world.    We  shall  see 
hereafter  whether  it  be  reasonable  to 
think  that  the  Pagans  had  ever  any 
knowledge  of  a  trinity  of  distinct  per- 
sons in  the  indivisible  Unity  of  the  Di- 
vine Nature.    Thus  much  at  least  is 
plain,  that  the  Chaldeans  and  Egyptians 
believed  all  the  attributes  of  the  Deity 
might  be  reduced  to  three, — Power, 
Understanding,  and  Love.    In  reality, 
I  whenever  we  disengage  ourselves  from 
\  matter,  impose  silence  on  the  senses  and 
j  imagination,  and  raise  our  thoughts  to 
the  contemplation  of  the  infinite  Being, 
we  find  that  the  eternal  Essence  pre- 
sents itself  to  our  mind  under  the  three 
forms  of  Power,  Wisdom,  and  Good- 
ness.   These  three  attributes  compre- 
hend the  totnlitv  of  his  nature,  and 
I  whatever  we  can  conceive  of  Him.  ^\  ot 
to  speak,  therefore,  of  the  primitive 
traditions  which  might  possibly  be  the 
source  of  these  three  ideas  concerning 
the  divine  Nature,  it  is  nothing  extraor- 
dinary if  tlie  Egyptians  and  Orientals, 
who  had  very  refining  metapliysica! 
heads,  should  of  themselves  have  dis- 
covered them.  The  Greeks  and  Romans 
were  fonder  of  the  sciences  which  de- 
pend on  sense  and  imagination,  and  for 
this  reason  we  find  their  Mythology 
i  seldom  turns  upon  anything  but  the 
external  operations  of  the  Deity  in  the 
,  pnxluctions  of  nature;  whereas  that 
of  the  former  chiefly  regards  his  inter- 
j  nal  operations  and  attributes.    By  the 
help  of  these  principles  tlie  theology 
j  of  the  Pacrans  may  be  reduced  to  tliree 
;  principal  divinities,  without  doing  vio- 
I  lence  to  original  authors,  and  without 
racking  one's  brains  to  digest  their  ideas. 
All  these  names,  nevertheless,  denote 
but  one  and  the  same  power,  but  man- 
kind liave  confounded  the  work  with 
the  artificer,  the  image  with  the  origi- 
nal, the  shadow  with  the  substance ; 
they  have  forgotten  the  ancient  doc- 


EGYPTIAN  HIEROGLYPHICS. 


719 


trine,  tliey  have  lost  the  meaning  of 
our  allegories,  and  stop  at  the  outward 
symbols  without  entering  into  tlie  spirit 
of  them :  this  is  the  source  of  those 
numberless  errors  which  prevail  at 
present  throughout  all  Greece,  degrade 
religion  and  render  it  contemptible. 
Moreover  I  find  that  it  is  a  steadfast 
maxim  in  all  nations,  that  men  are  not 
what  they  were  in  the  golden  age,  that 
they  are  debased  and  degraded,  and 
that  religion  is  the  only  means  to  re- 
store tlie  soul  to  its  original  grandeur, 
to  make  her  wings  grow  again,  and  to 
raise  her  to  the  ethereal  regions  from 
whence  she  is  fallen.  It  is  necessary 
first  to  become  man  by  civil  and  social 
virtues,  and  then  to  resemble  the  gods 
by  that  love  of  the  sovereign  Beauty, 
Order,  and  Perfection  wliieh  makes  us 
love  virtue  for  itself:  this  is  the  only 
worship  worthy  of  the  immortals,  and 
this  is  all  my  doctrine."  —  Bamsay's 
Travels  of  Cyrus,  pp.  18  to  22. 

"In  order  to  illustrate  the  symbolic 
language  properly,  a  very  extensive 
acquaintance  with  ancient  literature  is 
requisite.  The  subject  involves  in  it 
mythology,  hieroglyphics,  oriental  cus- 
toms, in  short,  all  the  learning  of 
Egypt  and  the  East." — Wemys^  Key  to 
the  Symbolical  Language  of  Scripture, 
p.  4. 

"The  lion,  which  in  Egyptian  or 
Coptic,  Avas  called  labo,  or  labor,  that 
is,  valde  hirsulus,  stood  for  the  letter  L, 
in  tlie  Hieroglyphic  aljjhabet ;  and 
though  this  letter  was  represented  by 
several  other  signs,  yet  the  Egyptians, 
in  writing  the  name  of  Ptolemy,  and 
indeed  of  all  the  Roman  emperors, 
always  employed  the  figure  of  the  lion, 
in  preference  to  any  other,  no  doubt, 
as  a  mark  of  the  strength  and  courage 
of  these  sovereigns,  as  the  lion  is,  and 
has  always  been,  the  symbol  of  these 
qualities." 

"  For  the  same  reason,  no  doubt,  the 
eagle,  which  in  Egyptian  was  called 


Akiiom,  represented  the  letter  A,  and 
was  always  employed  in  preference  to 
any  other  signs,  in  spelling  the  names 
and  tlie  titles  of  all  the  Koman  emper- 
ors in  which  it  occurred,  because  that 
bird  [signified  exalted  and  far  seeing 
intelligence],  and  was  taken  as  the 
symbol  of  the  Roman  empire  itself." 

"In  these  instances,  and  otliers  of 
the  same  sort,  which  might  be  adduced, 
we  perceive  something  like  a  rule, 
which  directed  the  Egyptians  in  tlie 
selection  of  their  hieroglyphical  char- 
acters, choosing  those  objects  the  names 
of  which  began  with  the  sound  of  that 
very  letter." 

"  [.\nd]  This,  in  point  of  fact,  is 
something  like  the  rule  followed  by 
the  Hebrew,  Chaldee,  and  Syriac  al- 
phabets ;  in  which  languages  each  let- 
ter stands  for  a  name,  expressing  a 
particular  substance,  or  a  particular 
object;  and  that  the  very  first  letter, 
be  it  a  vowel,  be  it  a  consonant,  with 
which  this  name  began,  had  and  pre- 
served the  very  same  sound  which  it 
had  in  its  own  respective  alphabet. 
One  great  difTerence,  however,  exists 
betAveen  them.  In  the  Hebrew,  Syriac, 
and  Chaldaic  alphabets,  we  find  only 
one  sign  for  each  letter,  and  this  sign 
invariable;  but  in  the  Egyptian  alpha- 
bet there  are  many  hieroglyphics,  or 
images,  to  represent  and  express  the 
same  letter,  which  images  they  used, 
now  the  one  and  now  the  other,  always 
selecting  the  character  wliich  had  some 
correspondence,  some  relation,  some 
analogy,  with  the  idea,  with  tlie  ob- 
ject, or  with  the  person,  they  wished 
to  record,  or  to  express." — Spinelo's 
Lectures  on  the  Elements  of  Hieroglyph- 
ics, Lect.  iii.,  pp.  89,  90,  94. 

"Clement,  a  priest  of  Alexandria, 
who  lived  about  the  end  of  the  second 
century  of  our  era,  a  man  of  great 
learning,  and  who  had  paid  a  great 
deal  of  attention  to  the  study  of  an- 
tiquity, asserted  that  the  Egyptians 


720 


APPENDIX 


had  three  different  modes  of  writing, 
or,  in  other  words,  three  different  sorts 
of  characters.  These  were,  the  epistolo- 
ffraphic,  or  common  characters,  used  in 
all  the  common  transactions  of  life ; 
the  hieratic,  or  sacerdotal,  employed 
merely  in  the  writing  of  books  by  the 
pi'iesthood ;  and  the  hieroglyphics,  des- 
tined to  religious  uses,  and  generally 
on  public  monuments.  Of  the  former 
sets  of  characters,  Clement  does  no 
more  than  mention  the  names,  but  he 
correctly  divides  all  hieroglyphics  into 
curiologic,  which  employ  the  first  ele- 
ments of  lettere ;  and  symbolical,  which 
he  subdivides  into  imitative,  tropical, 
and  enigmaiical." 

"Something  of  the  same  sort,  but 
not  quite  so  clear,  has  also  been  re- 
corded by  Porphyry  in  the  'Life  of 
Pythagoras,'  in  which  he  says,  that 
the  Egyptians  had  three  different  kinds 
of  letters,  epislolographic,  hieroglyphical, 
and  symbolical." — Spineto's  Elements  of 
Hieroglyphics,  Lect.  7,  pp.  231,  233. 

"When  Herodotus  visited  Memphis, 
lie  saw  tlie  Egyptians,  so  renowned  for 
tlieir  wisdom  and  their  knowledge,  in 
the  utmost  dejection,  their  temples 
ruined,  their  cities  destroyed ;  and  the 
high  idea  wliich  even  then  he  con- 
ceived of  Egypt,  allows  ns  to  imagine 
what  his  impression  would  have  been 
if  lie  had  been  permitted  to  visit  this 
celebrated  country  during  the  period 
of  its  liighest  splendor.  From  this 
time  the  Greeks  never  failed  to  go  to 
Egypt  for  the  sake  of  instruction,  and 
it  was  in  the  scliools  of  the  Egyptian 
priests  that  tlie  jiliilosophers,  the  legis- 
latoi-s,  and  the  wise  men  of  Greece  ac- 
quired a  great  portion  of  their  knowl- 
edge; and  yet  what  a  difference  be- 
tween the  priests  of  tliis  period  and 
those  who  lived  under  the  Pliaraohs! 
Tlie  priests  of  the  Pharaoiiic  ages  were 
well  versed  in  astronomy,  physics,  ge- 
ometry, mechanics,  and  chemistry,  in 
short,  in  most  of  the  sciences ;  while 


their  successors,  the  teachers  of  He- 
rodotus and  Plato,  were  but  the  pas- 
sive echoes  of  their  predecessors,  and 
scarcely  could  be  said  to  have  pre- 
served the  first  rudiments  and  the 
general  outlines  of  so  much  learning." 
— Spineto's  Elements  of  Hieroglyphics, 
Lect.  10th,  pp.  362,  363. 


XIX.  HO"W  "WAS  IT  THAT  THE 
SPIRITUAL  aiETHOD  OF  INTER- 
PRETATION PRACTICED  BY  THE 
EARLY  CHRISTIAN  FATHERS, 
CEASED  IN  THE  CHURCH,  OR 
WHAT  AVERE  THE  CAUSES  OF 
ITS  DECLINE  ? 

[After  perusing  the  interesting  notes 
from  the  Fathers,especiallyfrom  Origen, 
to  be  found  in  the  text  and  notes  of  this 
volume,  and  bearing  in  mind  the  ad- 
mission of  Mosheim,  liimself  an  oppo- 
nent of  such  system  of  interpretation 
that  "the  spiritual  method  of  interjire- 
tation  was  the  rule  and  not  the  excep- 
tion in  the  early  church,"  a  question 
naturally  arises,  and  may  be  fairly 
asked.  How  was  it  tliat  this  method 
of  interpreting  Holy  Scripture  ceased 
in  the  church,  or  wliat  were  the  causes 
of  its  decline  ? 

In  attempting  to  answer  tliis  ques- 
tion, we  would  first  observe  tliat  the 
primitive  Christian  church  held  a  three- 
fold relation  to  the  world.  In  the  first 
place  to  the  Jewish  church  and  dispen- 
sation ;  in  the  second,  to  the  CJentile 
world  ;  and  thirdly,  to  the  baptized  but 
ill-instructed  proselytes  from  both.  To 
a  great  extent  tliis  relation.ship  would 
enter  into  and  modify  all  the  teachings 
ex  cathedrd ;  and  it  would  therefore 
nece-ssarily  interfere  not  only  to  control 
the  style  of  teaching,  but  also  to  intro- 
duce other  styles  of  reasoning  of  a  class 
widely  different  from  that  wliicli  would 
be  useful  among  those  who  were  really 


SriRfTUAL  INTERPRETATION. 


721 


believers  in  Christiin  doctrine.  Even 
in  the  times  of  tlie  apostles  tiiis  was  felt 
to  be  the  case ;  lience  Paul's  writings, 
though  so  frequently  misunderstood, 
had  reference  chiefly  to  the  great  con- 
troversy between  Jewish  converts  and 
Gentile  converts,  the  former  insisting 
that  the  law  of  Moses  should  be  united 
witii  the  faith  of  Christ,  and  the  latter 
claiming  to  be  free  from  that  law.  But 
as  a  matter  of  fact  three  distinct  styles 
of  teaching  would  be  necessary,  and 
three  distinct  kinds  of  evidence  would 
be  recjuired  by  these  dillerent  classes  of 
minds,  and  it  is  evident  that  that  which 
would  be  most  cogent  with  one  class 
would,  in  consequence  of  a  different 
standpoint,  be  almost  useless  with  an- 
other. This,  we  think,  will  account 
for  the  various  modes  of  reasoning,  not 
only  among  the  Fathers,  but  also  even 
in  the  Epistles  of  the  apostles  them- 
selves. 

The  Jews,  having  the  word  of  tlie 
Old  Testament  among  them,  and  being, 
therefore,  supposed  to  be  acquainted 
with  its  contents,  and  more  especially 
its  prophetical  contents,  as  well  as  the 
mode  of  interpretation  common  among 
themselves,  would  at  once  be  prepared 
to  receive  the  spiritual  expositions  of 
the  apostles  and  early  teachers.  Such 
teaching  would  be,  to  them,  no  new 
thing  ;  all  that  would  be  new  would  be 
the  authoritative  exposition  of  certain 
passages,  and  their  application  to  their 
own  circumstances,  to  the  doctrines 
taught  by  the  apostles,  and  to  the  events 
rn  the  life  of  our  Lord  .Jesus  Christ. 
W'e  should  expect  to  find,  therefore,  as 
in  fact  we  do,  an  entire  absence  of  any 
dogmatic  statement  as  to  the  spiritual 
sense  either  of  history  or  prophecy. 
Both  parties  stood  on  common  ground. 
So  far  from  regarding  proofs  thus  de- 
duced from  the  Old  Testament  with 
suspicion  or  distrust,  the  .Jews  would 
naturally  accept  them  as  being  of  the 
same  character  thev  would  themselves 


61 


use.  The  apostles  therefore  followed 
the  plan  adopted  by  our  Lord  himself. 
In  no  case  does  He  even  assume  that 
his  hearers  are  unacquainted  with  the 
fact  of  the  existence  of  a  spiritual  sense, 
but  simply  expounds  that  sense  by  the 
assertion,  "  This  is  that  which  was 
written  by  the  prophet."  And  this 
very  absence  of  any  dogmatic  reference 
to  a  spiritual  sense  by  our  Lord,  and 
subsequently  by  his  apostles,  aflbrds  a 
strong  presumptive  evidence  of  the 
character  of  the  Jewisli  belief  with  re- 
gard to  the  Old  Testament.  Certain  it 
is  that  so  far  as  the  New  Testament  is 
con(;erned,  no  protest  against  the  spirit- 
ual method  of  interpretation  is  to  be 
found. 

And  even  with  regard  to  the  second 
class — the  converts  from  the  Gentile 
world,  or  those  to  whom  Christianity 
was  preached,  they  were  as  commonly 
aware  that  the  mythological  literation 
of  the  past  had  frequently  attached  to 
it  something  which,  if  not  a  spiritual 
sense,  was  at  least  allegorical  in  its  na- 
ture,— a  fact  which  would  but  place  the 
Old  Testament  on  the  same  ground  as 
tlieir  myths,  but  with  the  addition  of  a 
divine  authority,  and  the  apostles  and 
their  followers  on  the  same  plane  as 
tlieir  own  philosophers,  but  with  the 
addition  of  a  divine  commission.  Ac- 
customed as  they  must  have  been  to 
the  idea  of  a  twofold  signification — to 
an  esoteric  and  exoteric  doctrine — even 
if  ignorant  of  what  suph  interpretations 
were,  there  would  still  be  a  groundwork 
or  base  for  the  reception  of  a  spiritual 
system  of  exposition  both  of  the  law 
and  the  prophets ;  an  affirmative  ground- 
work, because  it  would  excite  none  of 
that  opposition  which  would  be  likely 
to  arise  if  the  methods  of  interpretation 
were  new,  or  if  it  violated  the  ordinary 
liabits  of  thought  and  investigation. 
With  this  class,  therefore,  no  apology 
for  the  introduction  of  a  style  of  spiritual 
interpretation  would  be  necessarj^  and 


2V 


722 


APPENDIX. 


it  need  excite  no  surprise  that  we  find 
none  in  tlie  apostolic  writings. 

But,  further,  thegrand  doctrinewhich 
the  apostles  had  to  bring  before  the 
Avorld  was  the  actual  fulfilment  of  proph- 
ecy in  the  incarnation  of  our  blessed 
Lord.  This  was  in  fact  the  central 
point  of  all  their  teachings,  for  upon 
this  doctrine  Christianity  itself  was 
founded  ;  and  all  those  teachings  have 
a  more  or  less  direct  bearing  upon  the 
doctrine,  or  upon  those  which  describe 
the  effects  resulting  from  that  divine 
work.  It  needs  but  a  slight  acquaint- 
ance with  the  Epistles  to  perceive  that 
they  are  for  the  most  part  argumenta- 
tive treatises  rather  than  expositions, 
and  that  as  a  consequence,  an  extensive 
introduction  of  the  spiritual  sense  of 
the  Word  and  its  teachings,  even  if  the 
laws  thereof  were  perfectly  known, 
would  be  out  of  place  ;  tlie  most  simple 
statements  would  be  the  most  forcible ; 
while  the  other  or  more  recondite 
meanings  would  as  naturally  fall  into 
the  background — and  this  witliout  in 
any  way  settling  the  question  as  to  the 
importance  attached  by  the  writers  to 
the  one  or  the  other  system  of  interpre- 
tation. 

Doubtless  the  Epistles  of  the  Apostles 
were  to  some  extent  answers  to  ques- 
tions propounded  by  the  early  Chris-  | 
tians  as  to  points  of  doctrine  on  wliich 
they  desired  some  authoritative  opinion. 
Indeed  this  is  generally  admitted.  But  i 
they  would  thus  a.^ume  a  different  I 
character  from  the  ordinary  preaching 
of  tliose  early  days,  which  must  neces- 
sarily have  been  directed  to  the  eluci- ' 
dation  of  the  question  how  is  the  Law  - 
to  be  understood  in  Christianity,  or  to 
the  rehearsal  of  tliat  which  the  Apos- 1 
ties  had  heard  from  our  Lord's  own 
lips.    They  were  jjlainly  told  that  tiic 
law  wa.s  a  schoolmaster  or  type  to  lead 
tiieni  to  Christ ;  but  the  principal  efforts 
of  those  early  teachers  must  have  been  ' 
directed  to  the  method  of  the  "  how  ?  "  I 


for  with  the  early  Christians,  and  es- 
pecially the  converts  from  Gentilism, 
the  mere  statement  would  assume  an 
entirely  different  aspect  from  that  which 
it  has  assumed  in  later  ages,  when  it 
has  become  a  foregone  conclusion,  from 
the  very  fact  that  it  has  been  superseded 
by  Christianity.  A  glance  will  show 
the  difierent  ground  on  which  the 
church  stood  in  primitive  and  later 
ages,  and  enable  us  to  see  that  a  widely 
different  method  of  reasoning  would  be 
absolutely  indispensable.  This  method, 
we  take  it,  is  to  be  found  in  the  com- 
mentaries of  the  Christian  Fathers 
rather  than  in  their  polemic  works. 

But  the  stage  into  which  tlie  church 
rapidly  passed,  when  she  was  sur- 
rounded by  foes  botli  within  and  with- 
out, must  have  rendered  a  very  difierent 
style  of  teaching  and  preaching  neces- 
sary, from  that  which  was  prevalent  in 
the  first  and  jjurer  times.  And  tliis  soon 
became,  in  fact,  essential  to  its  very  ex- 
istence. This  displayed  itself  in  two 
directions:  1st,  in  a  gradual  narrowing 
down  of  the  doctrines  of  Christianity 
within  certain  limits,  and  in  the  effort 
to  define  these  by  symbols  or  creeds; 
and,  2d,  in  the  relation  which  the  Word 
of  God  occupied  on  the  one  hand  with 
reference  to  the  church  itself,  and  on 
the  other  with  reference  to  its  oppo- 
nents. This  evidently  was  not  the  result 
of  real  growth  in  the  church,  for  such 
growth  would  have  been  in  the  direc- 
tion of  increased  instead  of  diminished 
spirituality.  It  clearly  sprang  from  the 
necessity  of  meeting  false  teaching,* 
and  of  preserving  something  like  uni- 
formity of  doctrine  in  the  cluirch ;  and 
as  the  attacks  were  varied,  so  would  the 
front  of  the  oi)posing  church  be  altered 
to  meet  the  attack.  The  very  impor- 
tance of  the  work  would  necessarily 
dwarf  every  other ;  and,  to  a  great  ex- 
tent, sucli  writings  only  would  be  pre- 
served as  bore  upon  the  great  contro- 
versies of  the  day.    But  this  direction 


DECLIXE  OF  THE  SPIRITUAL  METHOD. 


723 


of  the  tlionght  and  reasonins;  of  the 
church  was  forced  upon  it  in  her  mili- 
tant condition.  Doctrinal  statements 
must  of  very  necessity  be  based  upon 
and  enforced  by  literal  expressions  in 
the  Word.  It  would  have  been  alike 
impolitic  and  foolish  to  attempt  to  up- 
hold and  defend  the  creeds  by  any  argu- 
ments drawn  from  the  figurative  expo- 
sition of  the  Word  unless  both  parties 
had  agreed  to  some  common  mode  of  inter- 
pretation,— a  thing  which  in  that  state 
of  the  church  was  impossible.  For 
each  expositor  was  left  to  himself  to 
work  out  his  convictions  as  best  he 
might,  keeing  in  view  as  a  plan  the 
metliod  adopted  by  our  Lord,  and  ac- 
cepted in  the  canonical  epistles. 

The  increased  spread  of  semi-infidel- 
ity in  the  church  led,  however,  to  some 
other  results.  The  heresies  which  be- 
came prevalent  soon  changed  their 
character.  At  first  they  might  have 
been,  to  a  great  extent,  merely  intel- 
lectual in  their  nature ;  but  this  dis- 
tinctive character  ceased,  and  error 
rapidly  led  on  to  its  own  legitimate 
conclusion— evil.  Not  evil  out  of,  but 
evil  in  the  church, — practices  of  the 
vilest  kinds,  brought  from  the  idola- 
tries of  Gentilism,  which  were  incor- 
porated into  a  corrupted  Christianity, 
and  which  were  apparently  confirmed 
by  some  of  the  teachings  of  that  Chris- 
tianity. It  was  made  "  all  things  to 
all  men."  It  is  true  that  the  rnoral 
law  would,  by  its  teachings,  have  pre- 
served the  church  from  any  serious 
evil, — but  in  the  first  place  the  very 
method  of  teaching  and  expounding 
the  law  led  the  way  to  the  introduction 
of  licentious  doctrines, — which  were 
based  on  a  supposed  figurative  teaching  of 
the  law,  which  obtained  all  the  more 
force  in  the  church  from  the  universal 
prevalence  of  that  system  of  interpre- 
tation ;  and  secondly  in  part  from  the 
doctrine  then  beginning  to  be  tauglit 
that  the  moral  law  was  included  in  the 


Mosaic  law  which  was  "abolished  in 
Christ."  The  evil,  however,  was  not, 
as  is  generally  supposed,  the  result  of 
the  practice  of  spiritual  exposition, — 
it  arose  from  the  want  of  specific  latvs  by 
which  that  interpretation  could  be  governed 
and  directed.  One  interpretation,  there- 
fore, was,  to  the  ignorant  or  licentious, 
as  good  as  another, — while  the  debased 
will  would  naturally  choose  that  one 
which  was  most  in  harmony  with  its 
own  predilections.  But  other  con- 
ditions arose,  and  when  the  more  pious 
of  the  church  revolted  at  the  licen- 
tiousness introduced,  it  was  necessary 
to  get  rid  altogether  of  the  restrictions 
wdiich  might  be  supposed  to  be  exer- 
cised upon  some  minds  by  the  moral 
law,  and  at  the  same  time  to  counter- 
act all  those  plain  literal  expressions 
of  the  Word,  which  taught  the  neces- 
sity of  righteousness  and  truth.  And 
this  was  speciously  done  by  the  Gnos- 
tics, who,  while  recognizing  a  spii-itual 
sense,  reversed  the  position  of  the  two, 
and  taught  that  the  literal  expressions 
of  Scripture  were  to  be  expounded  by 
the  spiritual,  and  the  simple  and  plain 
ones  by  those  which  were  obscure, — a 
method  of  reasoning  which  would  ren- 
der even  an  approach  to  truth  in  any 
science  impossible.  It  was  like  reason- 
ing from  the  unknown  to  the  known. 
But  it  sufiiced  for  the  purpose.  In  the 
hand  of  evil  men  we  may  readily  un- 
deretand  how  the  Word  of  God  might, 
by  such  a  system,  be  made  the  minister 
of  evil.  No  wonder  that  the  church 
found  herself  compelled,  under  these 
fearful  circumstances,  to  once  more 
change  her  front,  and  abandon,  at  least 
in  her  polemic  life,  every  trace  of  be- 
lief in  a  spiritual  sense,  seeing  that  the 
principle  had  been  changed  into  the 
most  fearful  weapon  she  had  ever  had 
to  encounter.  Not  that  the  existence  of 
a  spiritual  sense  was  denied.  On  the 
other  hand,  it  was  fully  admitted. 
But  it  was  felt  that  an  appeal  to  its 


724 


APPENDIX. 


teachings  would  at  once  be  fatal  to  ?.nv 
argument  in  which  it  was  introduced. 
And  as  a  consequence  the  church  be- 
gan to  feel  more  and  more  that  it  could 
be  built  and  safely  rest  upon  a  literal 
foundation  in  the  Word, — a  position 
perfectly  true  in  itself, — but  which  in 
the  then  condition  of  the  church,  was 
untenable  on  any  other  ground  than 
the  abandonment  of  the  spiritual  sense. 
She  could  exist  only  by  confining  all 
her  attention  to  the  letter  of  the  Word, 
and  by  teaching  that  in  that  letter 
only  Revelation  existed  in  all  its  pur- 
ity, and  in  all  its  power. — Ed.] 

XX.    THE    DOCUMENT  THEORY, 
AND  THE  ASSYRIAN  TABLETS. 

[When  speaking  of  the  early  chap- 
ters of  Genesis,  the  author  states  tliat 
Swedenborg  affirms  tliat  they  are  parts 
of  a  previous  revelation.  This  state- 
ment of  doctrine  was  derived  from  the 
spiritual  woi'ld,  and  it  does  not  appear 
that  he  was  at  all  acquainted  with  tlie 
results  of  Biblical  criticism,  or  followed 
the  progress  of  modern  thought  in  re- 
gard to  the  letter  of  the  Word.  Indeed 
it  is  only  in  comparatively  very  recent 
times  that  criticism  can  be  .said  to  have 
held  a  high  position  in  Biblical  studies. 
But  so  long  iigo  as  the  middle  of  the  last 
century  a  French  writer,  named  .\ustruc, 
called  attention  to  the  fact  that  on  ex- 
amining the  two  accounts  of  the  crea- 
tion in  Genesis,  he  found  that  in  each 
account  a  different  name  is  usetl  for  the 
Divine  Being — one  of  which  j)arts  he 
styled  Jehorixtic,  and  the  other  Elnhixtic, 
from  tlie  name  used,  lie  alst)  traced 
the  same  circumstance  as  occurring  in 
other  parts  of  the  early  chapters  of 
Genesis,  and  came  to  the  conclusion 
that  those  chapters  were  copies  of  two 
earlier  documents,  interwoven  together 
by  Moses.  The  leading  features  of 
modern  thought  upon  this  suhject,  may 
be  thus  generalized.  Stabelin,  DeWette, 
Ewald,  and  others,  consider  that  the 


account  in  Genesis  is  founded  on  two 
principal  documents.  That  of  Elukini 
is  considered  as  being  closely  counted 
in  all  its  parts,  and  forming  a  complete 
history ;  while  that  of  Jehovah,  is  re- 
garded as  a  supplementary  document 
supplying  details  where  the  Elohistic  is 
either  abrupt  or  deficient.  Hengsten- 
berg,  Ranke,  and  othei-s,  however,  con- 
sider the  book  as  the  work  of  one  hand, 
and  the  use  of  tlie  names  as  being  in- 
tentional on  his  part,  and  deisending 
upon  the  view  of  the  subject  presented. 
The  former  theory,  however,  appears 
to  be  far  more  generally  received,  and 
certainly  appears  to  be  based  on  a 
greater  amount  of  probability  than  the 
latter — and  especially  from  the  state- 
ment made  on  this  subject  by  Sweden- 
borg, who  not  only  points  to  a  previ- 
ously existing  document  or  documents, 
but  specifically  states  that  those  parts 
are  portions  of  the  most  ancient  Word, 
thougli  we  are  left  in  douht  as  to  what 
was  the  form  in  which  that  Word  was 
preserved  to  the  time  of  Moses.  This 
view  in  no  way  interferes  with  liis  state- 
ment tliat  every  part  of  the  Word  is 
divinely  inspired — because  in  tliis  case 
not  only  the  dictation,  but  the  selection 
also  were  the  work  of  the  Divine  ^lind. 

So  long  as  men  were  satisfied  with 
this  chronology  of  Usiier,  the  cln-o- 
nology  of  Genesis  was  a  matter  of  slight 
importance — because  it  was  easy  to  af- 
firm that  the  chronology  of  other 
nations,  if  inconsistent,  was  necessarily 
mythical.  But  the  researches  of  mod- 
ern days  have  made  it  impossible  to  ac- 
cept Uslier's  statements,  and  have  com- 
pelled the  learned  to  admit  that  the 
long  calendar  of  names  in  Gen.  iv.  and 
v.  must  have  been  names  of  kingdoms 
and  dynasties,  extending  over  long 
ranges  of  time,  and  not  of  necessity 
actually  united  together.  This  view 
has  become  necessary  from  the  dis- 
coveries of  recent  times,  wliidi  it  is 
impossible  now  to  ignore.    The  geo- 


HIGH  ANTIQUITY  OF  THE  RACE. 


725 


logical  proofs  of  the  antiquity  of  the 
earth,  .and  of  man,  and  of  the  impossi- 
bility of  sueli  a  flood  as  is  described  in 
Gen.  vii.,  led  tlie  way  to  a  fresh  exami- 
nation of  those  accounts  of  the  creation 
and  deluge  to  be  found  in  the  mythic 
literature  of  ancient  peoples.  Side  by 
side  with  the  Biblical  account  of  the 
creation  and  deluge,  we  have  tlie  Mexi- 
can, the  Hindoo,  the  account  of  Be- 
rosses,  that  of  Abydenus,  cited  by 
Eusebius,  and  many  others.  But  the 
one  which  has  caused  the  greatest  sen- 
sation, was  that  on  the  Assyrian  tablets 
discovered  bv  the  late  Mr.  Smith,  of  the 
British  Museum,  in  Babylonia.  Sir  H. 
Rawlinson  affirmed,  at  the  meeting  at 
whicli  the  tablets  were  first  read,  that 
the  legend  dated  at  least  5000  years  be- 
fore the  Christian  era,  or  2500  years 
before  the  deluge.  This  astounding 
statement  has  very  recently  received  a 
strange  confirmation.  At  a  meeting  of 
the  Biblical  Archaeological  Society,  held 
Nov.,  1882,  a  paper  was  read  on  the 
Chaldean  cylinders,  discovered  by  Mr. 
Rassam,  in  his  excavations  in  Baby- 
lonia. They  date  from  the  time  of 
Nabonides,  and  record  among  other 
things,  that  this  sovereign,  digging 
under  the  foundations  of  the  Sun-God 
temple  at  Sipara,  forty-five  years  after 
the  death  of  Nebuchadnezzar,  came 
upon  a  cylinder  of  Naramsin,  the  son 
of  Sargon,  which  no  one  liaxl  seen  for 
3200  years.  This  gives  us  the  date  of 
that  ancient  sovereign  3750  B.  C,  or 
within  50  years  of  the  creation,  accord- 
ing to  Usher.  Professor  Oppert  pointed 
out,  that  there  was  in  those  early  days 
a  "  lively  intercourse  between  Chaldea 
and  Egypt."  The  Jewish  World  con- 
siders that  these  tablets  prove  the  ex- 
istence more  than  5500  years  ago  of  two 
highly  civilized  and  highly  cultured 
empires  in  Egypt  and  Chaldea:  and 
that  constant  intercourse  between  them 
passed  through  Southern  Palestine,  the 
home  of  Abraham,  but  1800  years  be- 
Gl  * 


fore  his  birth ;  that  Abraham  was  a 
native  of  one,  and  an  honored  visitor 
at  the  other;  and  that  it  was  hardly 
likely  he  would  have  been  unafl'ected 
by  the  culture  in  which  he  was  born, 
or  the  rival  civilization  of  those  two 
empires.  They  consider  that  it  must 
modify  the  view  wiiich  regards  Abram 
as  a  wandering  Bedouin  Sheil<;h.  Cer- 
tainly it  proves  not  only  a  high  an- 
tiquity of  the  race,  but  also  that  there 
existed  in  those  days  a  method  of  writ- 
ing, which  would  be  as  easily  read  now 
as  in  the  days  of  Nabonides. 

There  may  be  said,  tlien,  to  be  four 
great  accounts  of  the  deluge  extant,  the 
Assyrian,  tlie  Bhagavat,  that  of  Berosas, 
and  that  of  the  Bible,  and  there  can  be 
little  doubt  that  the  two  former  are 
more  ancient  than  the  Biblical  account, 
evidencing  the  fact  of  a  widely  spread 
tradition,  long  before  the  time  of  Closes. 
If,  however,  as  is  now  generally  believed 
by  Biblical  philologists,  the  first  eleven 
chapters  of  Genesis  were  merely  repro- 
ductions by  Moses  of  existing  docu- 
ments,— parts  of  a  more  ancient  Word 
and  revelation,  it  may  still  be,  that  the 
two  older  accounts  are  but  inflections 
of  that,  and  traditionary  records  of 
events,  in  which  the  real  actors  had 
passed  from  the  historical  to  the  unhis- 
torical  or  mythical  form  of  existence  in 
the  lapse  of  ages.  It  has  been  already 
shown  by  the  author  that  the  science  of 
correspondences  was  widely  known  not 
only  in  the  most  ancient  and  ancient 
churches,  but  also  as  a  knowledge  or  sci- 
ence, among  the  most  ancient  Egyptians, 
the  Druids,  etc. :  and  it  needs  but  a  small 
acquaintance  with  the  subject  to  trace 
the  existence  of  that  science  in  all  the 
ancient  productions  of  India,  Mexico, 
and  Scandinavia, — and  in  all  the  myths 
spread  over  the  nations  of  antiquity.  It 
is  only  by  means  of  this  science  that 
such  accounts  can  be  rationally  under- 
stood ;  but  read  by  it,  they  form  the 
strongest  evidences  of  the  principle  we 


726 


APPENDIX. 


have  laid  down, — that  tliis  science  was 
widel}'  known  among  the  ancients,  and 
point  therefore  to  a  time  when  it  was 
common  among  different  nations,  who 
must,  therefore,  have  had  one  common 
spiritual  origin.  "We  believe  tliat  that 
origin  Is  to  be  looked  for  In  the  ancient 
and  most  ancient  churches,  whose  wis- 
dom has  been  transmitted  to  us  In  this 
mythical  form — interesting  indeed  even 
for  their  antiquity — but  far  more  in- 


teresting from  the  light  which  they 
may  ultimately  be  made  to  throw  on 
the  early  moral  and  religious  history 
of  our  race. 

The  author  Intended  to  have  treated 
the  history  of  Creation,  the  Garden  of 
Eden,  Babel,  and  the  subsequent  events 
connected  with  the  rainbow ;  but  the 
materials  were  left,  at  the  time  of  his 
death,  in  an  unfinished  and  Incomplete 
state.^ — Ed.] 


[XXI— THE  THREE  TERMS,  CORRESPONDENCES,  REPRESENTA- 
TIVES, AND  SIGNIFICATIVES. 


Ix  dealing  with  the  spiritual  sense 
of  the  Word  of  God,  and  in  unfolding 
its  splendors,  it  is  obvious  that  we  must 
use  the  ordinary  language  of  our  race ; 
but,  as  the  ideas  to  be  conveyed  are 
distinct  from  any  which  have  before 
existed,  it  will  also  follow  that  naany 
of  the  terms  employed  will  have  new 
and  peculiar  meanings  attached  to  them, 
which,  indeed,  we  find  to  be  the  case  in 
the  writings  of  the  ciuirch.  To  obtain, 
exactly,  the  ideas  Intended  to  be  con- 
veyed, we  must  first  obtain,  exactly,  the 
ideas  contained  in  the  mere  words  them- 
selves. If  we  were  to  attempt  to  study 
Euclid  before  we  had  mastered  llie 
axioms  and  definitions,  and  Ijefore  we 
had  a  clear  notion  of  the  forms  described 
by  the  terms  used,  we  should  find  (liat 
we  sliould  be  led  only  into  a  state  of 
absolute  confusion.  The  problem  is 
only  clear  when  its  terms  are  clearly 
understood.  It  is  precisely  so  in  the 
case  before  us,  and  with  reference  to 
the  terms,  correspondence,  rejiresenta- 
tive,  significative.  Each  has  a  distinct 
meaning ;  and  though,  througli  care- 
lessness, the  words  are  sometimes  used 
as  tiiough  they  were  synonymous,  we 
shall  readily  see  the  loss  of  spiritual 
ideas  wliich  results  by  such  careless  use 
of  woixls. 

The  three  words  are  no  more  synony- 
mous in  New-Church  theology  than 


they  are  in  the  language  itself.  Each 
conveys  its  own  idea. 

Correspondence  is  derived  from  three 
Latin  words,  cor,  rt,  spondeo,  and  literally 
means  to  answer  again  from  the  heart. 
The  word  is  employed  in  common 
language  to  imply  that  epistolary  com- 
munications have  p:i?scd  between  two 
or  more  persons ;  and  this  is  only 
considered  comjilete  when  the  second 
person,  the  one  addressed,  has  I'eplied 
to  the  communication  of  tiie  addressor, 
or,  literally,  has  sjmlcen  to  him  again  from 
his  heart.  It  is  used  in  New-Church 
phraseology  to  imply  the  relationship 
wiiich  exists  between  two  things  iniited, 
as  cause  and  eilbct,  when  a  discrete 
degree  subsL^ts  between  them — we  say 
when  a  discrete  degree  subsists  between 
them,  because  it  is  necessary  to  guard 
against  suj)posing  that  correspondence 
exists  wherever  there  is  a  relation  of 
cause  and  eflect  between  any  two  ma- 
terial subjects,  or  sidijects  on  the  same 
plane  of  existence.  The  material  cause 
is,  in  all  such  instances,  a  merely  sec- 
ondary one,  acting  from  another  hidden 
within  itself  or  <)])eratiug  through  it. 

We  will  endeavor  to  nuike  this  im- 
portant word,  so  IVequently  used  in  the 
foregoing  pages,  more  clearly  under- 
stood, as,  not  only  does  much  depend 
ujion  a  clear  a})pre('iation  of  its  meaning, 
but  the  very  word  will  then,  when  used, 


CORRESPONDENCES. 


727 


open  up  to  the  inquiring  mind  fields 
of  investigation,  wliicli  will  repay  the 
student,  yet  will  ever  surpass  the  powei-s 
he  can  bring  to  bear  on  the  work. 

Every  created  object  may  be  said  to 
be  composed  of  two  parts — a  life,  power, 
or  eneriiy,  and  a  form  capable  of  bring- 
ing that  life,  power,  or  energy  into 
effect.  The  more  we  study  the  Divine 
■works  in  nature,  the  more  we  find  this 
true,  and  the  more  exact  the  analogy 
we  perceive  between  these  two  prin- 
ciples or  parts.  This,  at  once,  opens  to 
us  a  most  important  fact,  that  there 
must  be  here  a  union  of  two  forms,  one 
spiritual  and  the  other  natural ;  the 
spiritual  form  being  the  life,  power,  and 
energy,  and  the  material,  the  one  pre- 
sented to  the  senses,  being  the  form  by 
which  these  are  brought  into  act ;  and 
the  relationship  existing  between  the 
two  will  show  that  they  must  necessarily 
be  the  same,  not  necessarily  as  to  shape, 
but  as  to  use.  Now  that  which  is  true 
of  the  part  is  true  also  of  the  whole ; 
and,  therefore,  the  entire  universe  must 
be  a  form  capable  of  bringing  into  effect 
a  life,  energy,  or  power,  with  which  it  is 
replete,  and  wliich  acts  through  it ;  and 
there  must  be  the  same  relationship 
between  these  two.  But  what  are  these 
two? 

We  reply,  all  creation  is  first  derived 
from  the  suns  of  the  material  universe, 
and  the  various  worlds  are  but  forms, 
capable  of  receiving  and  bringing  forth 
their  life,  power,  and  energy.  But  ma- 
terial suns  are  themselves  only  effects, 
and  behind  or  within  them,  as  a  grand 
cause,  shines  the  Sun  of  heaven  itself — 
the  glorious  effulgence  of  the  life,  power, 
and  energy  of  the  Lord  himself;  and 
these  material  suns  are  but  forms  ca- 
pable of  bringing  these  things  into  out- 
ward and  material  efiects. 

£iit  the  caiise  both  precedes  and  enters 
into  the  effect.  Let  us  trace  this  idea  a 
little  further.  The  Lord  himself  is  the 
grand  and  glorious  Cause  of  all  things 


— the  essential  life,  power,  and  energy 
of  which  we  have  spoken ;  and  from 
himself  He  created  the  glorious  world 
of  heaven,  with  all  its  spiritual  reali- 
ties. But  here  let  us  digress  a  moment 
and  take  an  illustration.  No  man,  as  a 
mediate  wiuse,  produces  anything  but  a 
form  of  that  which  existed  previously 
in  his  own  mind.  This  is  true  of  the 
artist,  every  stroke  of  whose  pencil, 
every  idea  of  whose  form  of  beauty, 
existed  and  was  made  in  his  imagina- 
tion before  it  was  transferred  to  his 
canvass  or  marble.  We  can  see  that  it 
is  equally  true  of  the  poet,  architect,  or 
mechanic.  The  idea,  as  separate  from 
the  object,  exists  prior  to  the  object  it- 
self, and  the  outward  work  is  but  the 
material  form,  as  it  is  the  effect,  of  the 
spiritual  idea  or  spiritual  form.  But  in 
a  higher  sense  is  this  the  case  with  the 
Lord.  His  love  and  his  wisdom  are  the 
first  and  only  realities,  and  as  compared 
with  these  all  other  things  are  only 
appearances.  But  they  were  also  the 
creating  principles,  and  the  first  things 
created  by  them  would  necessarily  have 
impressed  upon  them  that  same  law  to 
which  we  have  already  referred  ;  these 
must  and  would  be  the  most  perfect 
forms,  most  perfectly  adapted  for  the 
reception  and  use  of  the  life,  power, 
and  energy  of  the  Divine  Creator.  But 
they  would  also,  as  such  forms,  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  law  laid  down,  be  not 
only  the  embodiment  but  also  the  man- 
ifestation of  those  principles,  bringing 
them  forth  to  view,  they  being  seen  in 
the  uses  such  forms  are  capable  of  ac- 
complishing. In  the  highest  sense, 
therefore,  the  things  of  heaven  are  as 
efTects,  embodiments,  and  shadowings 
forth  of  the  divine  principles  which 
exist  in  them  and  which  are  their 
causes. 

But,  2dly,  the  same  law  may  be  ap- 
plied to  man  and  to  the  world  of  nature 
by  which  he  is  surrounded.  All  these 
proceed  from  the  same  grand  Cause, 


728 


APPEXDTX. 


and  exist  under  the  same  divine  law  we 
have  been  considering.  Passing  through 
the  spiritual  work!  and  its  spiritual 
forms,  which  are  the  forms  of  thought 
and  affection,  the  forms  of  the  princi- 
ples of  the  human  soul  which  belongs 
to  that  world,  the  same  life,  power,  and 
energy,  coming  down  -with  material 
forms  through  the  suns  of  the  spiritual 
and  material  universes,  created  and 
formed  all  things  in  perfect  harmony 
with  tliemselves,  rendering  nature  a 
material  form  exactly  imaging  forth 
the  spiritual  form  within  and  the  in- 
most Divine  form ;  for  nature  is  but  a 
form  created  most  perfectly  to  receive 
and  bring  into  ultimate  effect  the  life, 
power,  and  energy  of  God.  This  truth 
was  seen  by  the  Apostle  when  he  wrote 
"  the  invisible  things  of  Him  from  the 
creation  of  the  world  are  clearly  seen, 
being  understood  by  the  things  which 
are  made,  even  his  eternal  power  and 
Godhead"  (Rom.  i.  20). 

But  one  of  these  is  spiritual  and  the 
other  material,  yet  one  is  the  effect  and 
the  other  the  cause — one  life,  power, 
and  energy,  the  other  the  form  proceed- 
ing therefrom,  most  perfectly  adapted 
to  bring  them  into  outward  manifesta- 
tion. There  is,  therefore,  not  only  as 
regards  mere  form,  but  also  as  regards 
■use,  a  perfect  and  complete  analogy 
between  the  two — a  perfect  adaptation 
of  one  to  the  other;  and  this  analogy, 
this  adaptation,  this  relation  of  cause 
and  effect,  is  what  the  Xew  Church 
means  by  Correspondence.  The  ma- 
terial form,  the  external  character,  and 
the  uses  of  all  outward  substances,  being 
the  outcome  of  the  spiritual  principles 
dwelling  in  them,  become  to  the  outward 
world  of  matter  precisely  what  the  in- 
ward causes  are  to  the  world  of  mind. 
They  "answer  thought  to  thought  and 
heart  to  heart."  Correspondence,  then, 
is  no  arbitrary  relationship,  like  mei.i- 
phor  or  figure,  but  one  founded  alike 
on  the  inward  and  outward  nature  of 


the  things  by  which  we  are  surrounded  ; 
and  a  knowledge  thereof  leads  us,  in- 
deed, "through  Nature  up  to  Nature's 
God."  It  enables  us  also  to  see  the 
truth  of  that  oldest  maxim  the  world 
knows,  old  and  associated  with  a  mythi- 
cal personage,  even  when  Moses  studied 
the  secrets  of  Egyptian  lore,  "  all  things 
that  exist  in  earth  exist  in  heaven,  but 

I  in  a  heavenly  form ;  and  all  things 

j  which  exist  in  heaven  exist  in  earth, 
but  in  an  earthly  form."  And,  carrying 
this  idea  from  the  revelation  of  God's 

'  works  to  the  revelation  of  God's  will — 
his  Holy  Word — following  out  the  re- 
lationship of  cause  and  effect,  we  shall 
be  enabled  to  read  in  that  'Word  the 
glorious  things  of  Him  who  is  its  inmost 
life,  the  possibilities  of  the  human  soul, 
the  glorious  states  it  was  designed  to 
reach,  the  wondrous  conditions  through 
which  it  passes,  and  the  merciful  means 
by  which  man's  advancement  to  heaven 

\  is  secured. 

I    The  second  term  used  in  the  foregoing 
work  is  representative.   This  word,  com- 
pounded of  re  and  prcsentio,  literally 
j  means  to  show  or  present  again,  or  in 
another  form.  Correspondence,  we  have 
seen,  is  the  relation  of  cause  and  effect, 
and  depends  on  the  nature  and  use  of 
the  things  spoken  of  Kepresentation, 
while  it  recognizes  and  springs  from 
correspondence,   belongs   not   to  the 
nature  of  things,  but  to  their  actions,  or 
the  things  which  spring  from  them. 
An  illustration  will  best  show  what  this 
difference  i.s.    The  kinuly  government, 
apart  from  the  king,  is  the  correspondent 
form  of  the  divine  government,  and 
springs  from  it  as  an  effect  from  a  cause. 
But  the  person  of  the  king,  with  the 
government  connected  with  it,  and  the 
act  ions  of  government,  do  not  correspond 
to,  but  repre.«ent  the  divine  government 
I  of  the  Lord.  Into  correspondence,  cause 
I  and  effect  only  enter ;  into  rcjiresentation 
'  apparent  cau.-ie  and  effect  may  enter. 
I  This  possible  introduction  of  appear- 


SIGNIFICATIVES. 


729 


ances  and  the  laws  which  govern  tliem 
will,  tlieref'ore,  show  how  wide  a  dis- 
tinction obtains  between  the  two  words. 
One,  indeed,  is  the  result  of  the  Divine 
life  alone,  the  other  of  the  admixture 
of  the  Divine  and  human.  Thus,  iron 
corresponds  to  the  divine  truth  in  a 
natural  form  and  degree ;  but  smelted 
and  hammered  and  shaped  and  sharp- 
ened into  the  sword  or  spear,  that  is, 
with  the  results  of  human  labor  added 
to  the  Divine  work,  it  becomes  the 
representative,  not  the  correspondent, 
of  that  degi'ee  of  truth  existing  and  used 
in  the  human  soul.  Again,  the  whole 
of  the  things  used  in  the  sacrificial 
service  of  the  temple  were  correspond- 
ences ;  but  their  use,  and  the  worship, 
of  which  they  formed  a  part,  were  repre- 
sentatives. 

The  places  mentioned  in  the  Word 
are  also  representatives,  derived  in  part 
from  the  correspondence  of  the  position 
in  reference  to  certain  other  places  in 
the  land  of  Canaan,  or  to  the  land  it- 
self;— in  part  from  the  surrounding 
scenery  or  some  particular  object,  as  a 
mountain,  valley,  river,  and  the  like ; 
in  part  from  the  tribe  of  the  peoj)le 
occupying  it ;  and  in  part  from  the 
meaning  of  the  name  of  the  place,  hence 
frequently  changed  ;  the  whole  depend- 
ent, however,  on  the  fixed  laws  of  cor- 
resjjondence  described. 

The  third  word,  signify,  is  derived 
from  the  Latin  siynum,  a  sign,  and  refers 
entirely  to  the  actions  spoken  of  or  the 
words  uttered,  and  is  governed  by  the 
same  laws  of  appearances  which  apply 
to  representation,  to  which  indeed  it  is 
more  nearly  allied  than  to  correspond- 
ence, though  of  course  the  laws  of  cor- 
respondence enter  so  largely  into  it  that 
in  reality  it  becomes  only  a  modification 
of  those  laws.  The  word  is  indeed  fre- 
quently used  in  this  very  form  in  the 
prophetic  portions  of  the  Word,  the 
actions  of  the  prophets  and  kings  being 
declared  to  be  "  a  sign  "  to  the  people. 


a  sign  not  only  of  good  but  of  evil,  be- 
cause the  true  correspondence  was  bent 
j  and  distorted  by  the  miserable  states  of 
tliose  whose  sins  of  life  hindered  heav- 
enly causes  from  producing  heavenly 
effects  in  the  world,  and  conijielled  them 
to  flow  into  opposite  and  disorderly  chan- 
nels. 

To  summarize,  then :  Correspondence 
is  the  relation  between  spiritual  and 
natural  things ;  representation  is  the 
action  of  things  which  are  correspond- 
ences in  themselves  ;  and  significatives 
are  the  words  and  ap{)earances  resulting 
from  the  actions  of  either  one  or  the 
other. 

Each  of  these  became  necessary  in 
the  great  work  of  Revelation.  Thty 
became  neces-ary  because  of  the  condi- 
tion of  man  himself.  The  divine  lan- 
guage must  ever  be  infinitely  above  the 
comprehension  of  human  thought,  and 
infinitely  above  the  capacity  of  human 
language.  The  one  can  no  more  re- 
ceive it  than  the  other  can  convey  it. 
For  the  divine  wisdom  to  reach  and 
affect  the  human  soul,  it  was  necessary 
that  a  process  should  be  gone  through, 
imaged  and  represented  to  us  by  the 
actions  and  uses  of  the  atmosphere  sur- 
rounding the  world  in  which  we  live. 
The  rays  of  heat  and  light  from  the 
sun,  were  tliey  received  without  any 
modification,  would  be  destructive  of 
all  life  in  the  objects  upon  which  they 
fell.  Yet  they  are  the  sources  of  all 
animal,  vegetable,  and  mineral  life  to 
all  things,  but  only  so  after  being  re- 
ceived into  and  modified  by  the  motions 
inherent  in  the  particles  composing  the 
atmosphere.  Just  in  the  same  way  the 
laws  of  correspondence  form  a  spiritual 
atmosphere,  enabling  the  divine  light 
and  love  to  flow  into  the  soul  and  ani- 
mate all  its  principles.  It  is  true,  in- 
deed, that  the  Scriptures  are  the  Word 
of  God  to  us,  whether  we  acknowledge 
the  existence  of  correspondence  or  not; 
but  our  ignorance  of  its  existence  would 


730 


APPENDIX. 


no  more  interfere  with  this  fact  than 
would  our  ignorance  of  the  laws,  con- 
stitution, and  uses  of  the  atmosphere 
debar  us  from  its  beneficent  effects. 
Enough  mav  be  seen  bv  every  reader 
to  enable  the  divine  life  to  act,  even 
though  the  s.vnibols  known  be  few,  and 
the  light,  like  that  of  the  sun  seen 
through  densest  clouds ;  but  still  as  in- 


finitely above  what  man  would  be  with- 
out revelation,  as  the  cloudy  day  is  above 
midnight  darkness.  But  with  this  knowl- 
edge Nature  and  the  Holy  Word  become 
one  grand  Kevelation,  making  known  to 
us  our  Father's  will  and  purpose,  and 
leading  us  on  to  the  perfect  and  eternal 
day  of  his  presence. — Ed.] 


[The  following  hymn,  translated  from  the  Greek  by  the  Rev.  I.  M. 
Neale,  D.D.,  and  inserted  in  "Ht/mns,  Ancient  and  Modern" — the 
hymn-book  most  widely  used  by  the  Church  of  England — aflbrds  a 
specimen  of  the  early  method  of  treating  the  wars  of  Israel.  It 
should  have  been  appended  as  a  note  to  Chapter  IX. 

"  "Whom  Resist,  Steadfast  to  the  Faith. 


"  Christian,  dost  thou  see  them 

On  the  holy  ground, 
How  the  troops  of  Midian 

Prowl  and  prowl  around  ? 
Christian,  up  and  smile  them, 

Counting  gain  but  loss; 
Smite  them  by  the  merit 

Of  the  holy  cross. 

"  Christian,  dost  thou  feel  them, 

How  they  work  within, 
Striving,  tempting,  luring, 

Goading  into  sin? 
Christian,  never  tremble ; 

Never  be  downcast ; 
Smite  them  by  the  virtue 

Of  the  Lenten  fast. 


"  Christian,  dost  thou  hear  them, 

How  they  speak  thee  fair? 
'  Always  fast  and  vigil  ? 

Always  watch  and  prayer?' 
Christian,  answer  boldly, 

'AVhile  I  breathe  I  pray:' 
Peace  shall  follow  battle, 

Night  shall  end  in  day. 

"  Well  I  know  thy  trouble, 

0  my  sei-vant  true ; 
Thou  art  very  weary, 

1  was  weary  too  ; 

But  that  toil  shall  make  thee 

Some  day  all  mine  own, 
And  the  end  of  sorrow 

Shall  be  near  my  throne !"— Ed.] 


INDEX. 


Aaron,  breastplate  of,  174,  529 ;  answer  by, 
542. 

Al»lutions,  antiquity  of,  Townley,  98  n.; 
Lord,  iii. 

Accoiumodation  of  letter  of  Word,  118. 
Adam,  247;  sig.  of  name,  Darwin,  247  n.; 

O'Brien,  248  ?!.;  Barnel,  ib.;  Vitringa,  ; 

Morell,  i6. ;  Philo-JudJcus,  ib. ;  Von  Behlen, 

ib. ;  sig  of,  339. 
Agate,  540. 

Allegory,  ancients  spoke  in,  a  univer.sal 
language,  Voltaire,  50  n. ;  Warburton,  ib. ; 
Hutchinson,  ib.;  Clemens  Alexandrinus, 
ib.;  Marsh,  66  n. ;  Horne,  *. ;  Origen,  70 
n.:  Augustine,  id. ;  More,  80  n.;  Law,  ib.; 
Jones,  108  11. 

Alms,  sig.  of, 

Amalek,  battle  of  Israel  with,  127 ;  battle 

with,  Origen,  129  n. 
Amethyst,  541. 

Analogy  between  sexes,  Grindon,  Good, 
130  n. ;  Cory,  ib. ;  Davis,  ib. ;  Milton,  ib. ; 
Croker,  135  n. ;  Townley,  ib. 

Ancient  Word,  the,  564;  first  chapters  of 
Genesis  taken  from,  565. 

Animal  Kingdom,  correspondence  of,  149, 
190 ;  bird.s,  fishes,  and  reptile.s,  190 ;  the  lion, 
192;  the  horse,  188,  193;  horses  of  fire,  198; 
colored  horses,  199;  Pegasus,  202;  mytho- 
logical horses,  203. 

Animals,  symbolism  of,  191  n. 

Apostles,  testimony  of,  to  .spiritual  sense,  65. 

Apparent  and  genuine  truths,  112 ;  har- 
monized by  true  doctrine,  121 ;  false  princi- 
ples confirmed  by  apparent  truths,how,122. 

ArcUitecture,  symbolic,  148  n. 

Ark,  256  ;  insufhciency  of  accommodation, 
ib.;  Dr.  Pye  Smith  on,  ib.;  traditions  of, 
258;  difficulties  in  the  literal  sense,  259;  a 
figure  of  the  human  mind,  261 ;  resting  on 
Ararat,  262. 

AssjTia,  signification  of,  168. 

Assj-ria  and  Egypt,  state  of,  167;  why 
spoken  of  (E.  S.),  169  ??. 

Augustine,  St.,  on  want  of  rule  of  inter- 
pretation, 40  n. ;  on  veil  of  Moses,  63  n. ; 
on  allegory,  70  n. ;  on  origin  of  idolatry, 
51  n.  ,■  on  letter  and  spirit,  105  n. ;  spiritual 
truths  easily  seen,  113  n. ;  opposite  mean- 


ings, 188  n. ;  on  creation,  243  n. ;  on  fall  of 
man,  248  n. 

Babel,  a  symbol,  Vaughan,  tower  of,  263  n. 
ISacon,  Lord,  on  mytliologies,  522. 
Bald-head,  81  n. 
Beryl,  542. 

Bible,  a  record  of  earthly  events,  Duke  of 
Argyll,  18  n.  ;  Bishop  Thirl  wall.  19  n.;  not 
the  \Vord  of  God,  35  n. ;  admitted  by  Chris- 
tians to  be  a  divine  revelation,  303. 

Blindness,  spiritual,  384;  miracle  of  cure 
of,  359. 

Body,  cor.  of,  78;  illustrations  of,  symbol 
of,  Howard,  80  n. ;  Serle,  ib ;  Roberts,  81  n. ; 
Moore,  ib. ;  cor.  of  motions  ajid  parts  of, 
157 ;  Bronze  age  (Ed.),  246  n. ;  cor.  of  mo- 
tions of,  368. 

Bramble,  cor.  of,  219. 

Brass,  253 ;  serpent  of,  ib. 

Bronze  Age  (Ed.),  246  n. 

Builders,  wise  and  foolish,  231. 

Bush,  Prof.,  definition  of  Scripture,  33  n., 170. 

Butter  and  honey,  cor.  of,  595,  597. 

Cana,  in  Galilee,  miracle  at,  285. 
Canaan,  land  of,  69 ;  sig.  of,  363 ;  journey 

from  EgjTt  to,  366. 
Canaanites,  early  idea  of,  sig.  of,  68  n. 
Carbuncle,  573. 
Cardinal  points,  sig.  of,  163. 
Celestial  sense  of  the  Word,  144. 
Cherubim,  296  n. 
Choenix,  494. 

Christian  Examiner  on  the  letter  of  Scrip- 
ture, 22  n. 

Christian  symbolism  of  middle  ages,  148  n. 

Chronologists,  contradictory  views  of,  as  to 
date  of  creation,  307 ;  Chrysophrasus,  638. 

Circumcision,  a  rep.  ceremonial,  66  n. 

Clouds  and  darkness,  cor.  of,  327. 

Colenso,  the  Bible  a  human  book,  23. 

Colors,  cor.  of,  170 ;  Portal  on,  170  n. ;  sig. 
of,  ib.;  writers  of  Light  (Temple  Bar),  172 
n. ;  St.  Pierre,  173  n. ;  Swedenborg,  ib. 

Conjunction  with  heaven  effected  by  the 
Word,  572, 589;  effects  resulting  from  read- 
ing the  Word,  573 ;  with  children,  576. 

Continuous  degrees,  146. 

731 


732 


INDEX. 


Copper,  cor.  of,  253. 

Correspondence;  illustrations  of,  from 
various  authors,  40  note  ;  definition  of,  39, 
71;  cor.  and  metaphor,  71;  Swedenborg's 
definitions  of,  73;  cor.  of  soul  and  body, 
why,  75 ;  originates  in  the  nature  of  angels 
and  of  the  Lord,  ih.;  of  the  heart,  75,  81; 
the  eye,  75 ;  the  face,  77 ;  of  the  body  and 
its  motions,  78,  80,  157  ;  of  flesh,  81 ;  of  the 
veins  or  kidneys,  82 ;  of  the  hand,  ib. ;  of 
the  foot,  ib. ;  of  the  ear,  83 ;  not  a  specula- 
tion, 85 :  the  only  forms  by  which  spiritual 
truth  from  the  Lord  can  be  revealed,  85; 
cor.  representatives  and  significatives  de- 
fined, 87 ;  the  key  of  knowledge,  ib.  ;  cor. 
of  mountains  and  hills,  90 ;  of  light  and 
heat,  91;  of  trea-sures,  ib. ;  of  darkness,  92; 
%  of  fire,  93;  of  water,  95;  of  baptism.  98:  of 
water-floods,  100;  of  Ezekiel's  vision,  102; 
between  earth  and  heaven,  106  n. ;  of 
war,  124;  of  eating  and  drinking,  135; 
of  the  passover,  136 ;  of  the  holy  supper, 
137 ;  of  the  animal  world,  149, 190 ;  of  the 
vegetable  world,  ib.,  206;  of  incense,  149; 
of  perfumes,  160;  of  the  cardinal  points, 
163 ;  of  colors,  170 ;  of  weights  and  meas- 
ures, 176, 180 ;  of  musical  instruments,  170, 
182 ;  of  stringed  instruments,  184 ;  of  tlie 
harp,  185;  Swedenborgon,  186 ;  of  the  horn, 
188;  of  ancient  instruments,  of  singing  i 
and  dancing,  189 ;  of  birds,  fishes,  and  rep-  ' 
tiles.  192 ;  of  the  lion,  192;  of  the  horse,  188,  | 
193;  of  serpents,  204;  of  flowers,  208;  of 
medicinal  plants,  209:  of  the  oak,  210;  of 
the  olive,  211 ;  of  the  vine,  213;  of  the  fig- 
tree,  215 ;  of  fruit  and  leaves,  ib. ;  of  the 
bramble,  219;  of  the  hyssop.  224;  of  the 
cedar,  ib. ;  of  the  palm-tree,  225 ;  of  ever- 
greens, 226 ;  of  leprosy,  230 ;  of  wood,  ib. ; 
of  earths  and  minerals,  233 ;  of  stones,  ib. ; 
of  sulphur  and  pitch,  237;  of  salt,  ib.;  of 
sun,  moon,  and  stars,  239;  of  tree  of  life, 
295;  a  universal  language,  321;  defined, 
ib.;  anciently  known,  322;  origin  of,  325; 
proofs  of,  ib. ;  descent  of  divine  truth  by, 
326;  bowing  the  heavens  and  coming 
down,  jT).;  opinions  of  writers  on  subject. 
(See  Opinions.) 

Creation,  history  of,  242;  and  first  chapters 
of  Genesis,  Celsus,  242  n.;  Lyell,  !6. ;  Philo, 
243  n.;  Bodinus,  243  Ji.;  Augustine,  ib.;  I 
Middleton,  Origen.iT). ;  Westminster  Rexnew,  \ 
ib.;  Nott  and  Glyddon,  i6, ;  Bunsen,  244)1. ;  I 
Honert,  ib. ;  Kitto,  ib. ;  Bloomfield,  ift. ;  ' 
Jones,  ib.;  Sewell,  ib. ;  St.  Cyril.  245  n.; 
Philosophical  Dictionary,  ib.;  Heringa.  246 
n.;  Home,  ib.;  Ferguson,  tb. ;  Eadie,  ib. ,• 
^Varhurton,  tT). ;  Kentish,  ib.  '  I 

Creation  of  the  world,  305;  God  present  in  ! 
his  works,  ib. ;  no  difficulty  in  attributing  j 
creation  to  God,  306:  the  account  in  (ion-  I 
esis  not  a  literal  history,  307 ;  opinions  of  I 


the  Fathers  on  this  subject,  ib. ;  contradic- 
tory views  of  chronologists,  ib. ;  harmony 
of  geology  with  Scripture,  308;  creation 
out  of  nothing  not  a  doctrine  of  revela- 
tion, 310;  creation  according  to  divine 
order,  ib.  /  the  sun  the  instrumental  cause 
of  creation,  311;  the  Lord  the  first  great 
cause,  312 ;  the  sun  a  concentration  of  the 
creative  rays  of  the  divine  Sun,  313;  Sir 
H.  Da^T's  opinion  of.  ib. ;  connection  be- 
tween the  Creator  and  his  works,  314;  an 
image  of  God,  315:  the  invisible  things  of 
God  in  creation,  316. 

Cubit,  495,  497. 

Cyanus,  540. 

Dancing,  cor.  of,  189. 
Darkness,  cor.  of,  92. 
Darkness  and  clouds,  cor.  of,  327. 
Day  spring,  n. 
Day  and  night,  557. 

Decalogue,  two  tables  of,  515;  writing  on. 
ib. ;  epitome  of  whole  duty  of  man,  ib.; 
written  on  both  sides,  516 ;  how  written, 
517 ;  first  pair  broken,  why,  518 ;  tables  of 
the  ancients  respecting,  521 ;  second  pair 
of  tables,  525;  distinction  between  the 
tables  and  the  writing  of  them,  526. 

Deg^rees,  discrete,  144;  continuous,  146;  dis- 
crete, nature  of,  630. 

Deluge,  a  i>arable,  260. 

Diamond,  .")39. 

Doctrine  must  be  drawn  from  letter  of 

WovA,  11:5. 
Drinking,  cor.  of  135. 
Dual  nature  of  all  tilings,  132. 

Ear,  cor.  of.  83. 

Karths  and  minerals,  cor.  of,  233. 
Fating,  cor.  of,  135. 

Kden,  247  ;  its  position,  etc..  Sir  W.  Jones,  247 
71. ;  Rabbi  Bar  Abniham, ib.  .•  Dr.  A.  Clarke, 
ib. ;  Sherwin,  ib. ;  Newman,  ib.  ,•  Bohn,  ib. ; 
339  ;  its  trees,  ib. ;  its  situation,  3^10. 

Egypt,  sig.  of,  167 ;  and  Assyria,  ancient 
state  of,  167  n.;  why  spoken  of,  Swoden- 
borg,  169  n.;  idolatry  of.  571  and  «. ;  jour- 
ney from  to  Canaan,  36t">. 

Elislia,  miracle  of  at  Gilgal,  378;  spiritual 
death,  what  it  is,  379. 

Ephali,  494,  495,  496. 

Epistles,  testimony  of,  to  spiritual  sense, 
6") :  diftorencc  between  and  the  Go.spels,.')85. 

Error  of  reading  the  Word  in  the  same 
spirit  as  other  books,  331. 

Essenes,  their  belief  in  outward  letter  and 
inward  spirit,  2.S  n. 

Evangelists,  four,  ancient  use  of  in  ordi- 
nation, 18;  oaths  administered  on,  ib. ;  hold 
over  the  head  in  ordination  of  bishops,  ib.; 
use  of  in  comminiion  service  of  Church  of 
England,  ib.;  Tatian's  harmony  of,  17  «. 


INDEX. 


733 


Everip-eens,  22(>. 

Kvideiice  required  to  prove  divinity  of 

Word,  11. 
Eye,  I'or.  of,  75. 
Eyes,  cor.  of,  ;i.')6. 

Ezekiel's  vision  of  holy  waters,  369. 
Face,  cor  of,  77. 

Fall  of  Man,  Tucker,  2-18  n. ;  Origen,  ib.; 

Augustine,  ib. ;  Ileylin,  ib. ;  Home,  249  n.  ; 

More,  ib. ;  Bridge,  ib, ;  Diderot,  ib. ;  Lamb, 

254  n. ;  effects  of,  563. 
Fallacies  of  the  senses,  114, 123. 
Famine,  sig.  of,  379. 
Feet,  cor.  of,  356 ;  washing  of,  357. 
Fig-tree,  cor.  of,  215;  the  barren,  Origen, 

216       French,  ib.;  Owen  Fellham,  ib.; 

Serlo,  (6. 

Fire,  cor.  of,  93 ;  perpetual  fire,  93  ?i. ;  a  sym- 
bol, Hloomfield,  ('()., ■  Lauretus,  ib. ;  sin  of 
kindling  .sacred.  Zoroaster,  95  ». ;  Euse- 
bins,  ib. ;  Bray,  ib. ;  Vaux,  ib. ;  Morheim, 
ib. ;  t'hanning,  ib. 

First,  middle,  and  end  in  all  things,  143. 

Flesh,  cor.  of,  .SI. 

Flood,  255;  not  universal,  256;  traditions 

referring  to,  258;  a  parable.  260. 
Flowers,  cor.  of,  208;  language  of,  ib. 

n. 

Foot,  cor.  of,  82. 
Forty,  sig.  of,  82. 
Foursquare,  sig.  of,  .501. 
Frankincense,  cor.  of.  646. 
Freemasonry,  symbols  of,  148  n. 
Furlong,  sig.  of,  495. 

Gates  of  holy  city,  164 ;  cor.  of,  555 ;  the 

Lord,  the  true  gate,  556. 
Genesis,  242. 

Genuine  and  apparent  truths,  112. 
Geology,  harmony  of  with  Scripture,  308. 
Gerah,  493. 
Giants,  245  n. 

Glorification  of  the  Lord's  human,  154 ;  rep- 
resented by  the  siicrifices  in'  the  Israelitish 
worship,  274. 

God,  ancient  opinions  respecting,  in  Egypt, 
Serle,  141  n. ;  Plato,  ib.;  Heraclitus,  if). ; 
Jones,  442  n. ;  names  of,  Hermes,  161  n. ; 
Holloway,  162  n. ;  Jerome,  ib. ;  .St.  Ignatius, 
ib. :  Swedenborg,  ib. ;  cor  of,  554,  044. 

God,  speaking  to  man's  will  and  intellect, 
332. 

Gold,  color  of,  170  n.;  cor.  of,  236,  554,  644. 
Golden  age,  235. 

Gospels,  position  of  at  coTincil  of  Ephosus, 
18  n. ;  lights  carried  before  them  in  East- 
ern churches,  ib. ;  Literally  true,  but  rep- 
resentative in  every  particular,  279;  para- 
bles and  miracles  of,  62,  279 ;  Clowes  on 
parables,  280 ;  frequently  in  a  series,  ib. ; 
miracles,  281 ;  Origen's  opinion  of,  282  n.  ; 
62 


Rev.  J.  Williams  on,  283 ;  Swedenborg's 
definition  of,  283;  Hindmarsh  on,  284. 

Grand  man,  position  of  inhabitants  of  this 
earth  in,  589. 

Groves,  sig.  of,  511. 

Hailstones,  cor.  of,  329. 

Hand,  cor.  of,  75. 

Hands,  cor.  of,  355. 

Heat  and  light,  cor.  of,  91. 

Heavens  and  earth,  cor.  of,  332. 

"He  that  was,  and  is,  and  is  to  come." 

Heraldry,  symbolism  of,  Lord  Lindsay, 

170  11. 
Hin,  494,  495. 

Holloway  (letter  and  spirit)  Christ  every- 
where in  Scripture,  27  n. ;  on  origin  of 
idolatry,  51  n. ;  on  rituals  of  the  law,  64  ?i.  ; 
on  creation,  245  ». 

Holy  supper,  sig.  of,  137. 

Holy  waters,  Ezekiel's  vision  of,  369. 

Homer,  494,  499. 

Honey,  the  Word  compared  to,  333 ;  cor.  of, 
595,  597. 

Horne,  on  the  spiritual  sense  of  the  Psalms, 
37  n. ;  liable  to  abuse,  88  n. ;  on  the  Psalms 
and  history  of  David,  264  n. 

Human  body,  cor.  of  motions  of,  368 ;  cor.  of, 
635 ;  physiology  of,  636  ;  the  head  and  hair, 
ib.;  Nazariteship,  038;  Samson,  his  rep. 
character,  039. 

Human  race,  mythological  account  of  ori- 
gin of,  150  n. 

Human  style  of  writers  of  the  Word  pre- 
pared by  God,  109  n. 

Hyssop,  cor.  of,  224. 

Ideas  flow  into  expressions,  34. 

Idolatry,  origin  of,  L'Abb6  Bazin,  50  n. ; 

Voltaire,  51  n. ;  Holloway,  ib. ;  Grote,  ib. ; 

Taylor's  lambliclius,  ib.;  St.  Austin,  26.; 

Warburton,ib.;  Servius,?6;  Cud  worth, 

S2  n. ;  Ellis,  51  n. ;  Pemble,  52  71.  ;  Orange, 

ib.,  239  ;  origin  of,  323. 
Imagery,  72. 
Influx  defined,  78. 

Inspiration  of  two  kinds,  plenary  and  sec- 
ondary, 15  ;  comparison  of  orthodox  and 
true  estimates  of,  10 ;  low  estimate  of,  by 
Dr.  Palfrey,  19  ;  Mcl.ellan,  i6.  ,•  Dr.  David- 
son, ib. ;  Bp.  Thirlwall,  ib.  note ;  Dewey,  20 ; 
Prof.  Andrews  Norton,  24;  Newman,  22  ?i.  ; 
Swains  on,  ib. ;  Colenso,  23. 

Instruments  of  music,  ancient,  184  n. 

Internal  and  external  of  the  Word  consti- 
tute one  series,  39. 

Israelites,  deliverance  of,  a  spiritual  nar- 
rative, 61,64  11.;  inconsistencies  in  num- 
bers of,  175. 

James,  sig.  of,  166,  286. 
1  Jaslier,  542. 


734 


INDEX. 


Jehovah,  on  name  of,  Maimonides,  142  n. ; 
Serle,  ib.;  Druidical  triad,  ib.;  D.  H.  H. 
(Am.  N.J.  Mag.),  ib.;  Cudworth,  ib.;  Fon- 
teuelle,  ib. ;  Pythagoras,  ib. ;  Dr.  A.  Clarke, 
ib. ;  apostolic  translation  of,  268. 

Jerome,  on  purity  of  the  word,  25  n. 

Jerusalem,  a  symbol  of  Christian  Church, 
Sherlock,  68  n. ;  sig.  of,  550 ;  destruction  of, 
609. 

John,  sig.  of,  166,  286. 

Jones,  Rev.  V.,  on  origin  of  Idolatry,  523. 

Jones  (Rev.  W.,  Xayland),  on  the  hidden 
wisdom  of  Scripture,  23  n.;  the  world  a 
parable,  41  7^.,  42  ti. ;  on  correspondence, 
108  71. ;  on  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost, 
142  n. ;  on  creation,  244  n. 

Jude,  reference  to  ancient  mythology,  524. 

Key  of  knowledge,  87, 593. 

Keys  of  heaven  and  hell,  590. 

Kidneys,  or  reins,  82. 

Kings  representative  of  the  Lord's  regal 

principle,  270. 
Knowledge,  three  degrees  of,  330 ;  mutually 

strengthen  each  otlier,  331. 
Knowledge,  tree  of,  248. 

I/ameness,  cure  of,  359. 

Lead  (a  weightl,  493. 

liCprosy  and  its  cure,  230. 

Letter  and  spirit,  ancient  opinions  on,  Jen- 
nings, 104  n.;  the  Therapeutae,  ib. ;  Origen, 
105  St.  Augustine,  i6. ;  Nealc,  j'ft.  ,•  Berk, 
ib. ;  More,  ib. ;  Hurwit,  ib. ;  Wake,  274  n. ; 
opinions  of  a  Jewish  sect  in  Poland, 
104  n. 

Letter  of  the  Word,  a  dead  body  containing 
a  living  soul,  28  n.;  truth  in,  112;  doc- 
trine must  be  drawn  from,  113;  compared 
to  skin  of  body.  Noble.  113  n.;  use  of,  116. 

Life  flows  from  the  soul  to  the  body;  three 
degrees  of,  141. 

Life,  tree  of,  225,  295. 

Light  and  heat,  cor.  of,  91 ;  trinity  of,  172  n. 
Light,  a  symbol  of  truth,  91  n. ;  lamblichus, 

ib.;  Roberts,  ib. ;  tensity  of  (Temple  liar), 

172  n. 

Light  of  the  world,  557. 

Literal  sense  of  Word  indefensible  and  full 
of  difficulties,  24 ;  passages  in  reference  to 
incarnation  not  explainable  in,  28;  com- 
pared to  man,  32. 

•<  I^iving  oracles,"  64  n. 

Lord,  birth  and  life  of,  285 ;  his  temptations, 
287  ;  the  chief  pro] >het,  291. 

Lord's  prayer,  development  in  (En.),  116  n. 

Lots,  casting,  sig.  of,  353. 

Love,  wisdom,  and  life,  a  trinity  in  (iod  and 
man,  350. 

Macrocosni  and  microcosm,  823,  330. 
Magi  and  their  gifts,  159;  on  the,  Hutchin- 


son, 159  n.;  Cudworth,  ib.;  Poly  carp,  ib.; 

Origen,  ib.  ;  Borlase,  ib. ;  Porphyry,  ib.; 

Moore,  ib. ;  Swedenborg,  ib. ;  Herodotus, 

160  n. ;  and  their  offerings,  642. 
Malioinetanism,  570 ;    its  truth  for  the 

Word,  ib. 
Man  a  microcosm,  332. 
Man  born  blind,  miraculous  cure  of,  383. 
Marah,  waters  of,  231. 
Marriage,  origin  of,  232 ;  sig.  of,  551. 
Martineau,  Miss  H.,  rejection  of  gospels 

by,  23  n. 

Measures  and  weights,  176, 180. 

Measuring  line,  sig.  of,  499. 

"  Mene,  mene,  tekel,  upliarsin,"  500. 

Metaphor  and  correspondence,  Hindmarsh 
on,  72. 

Microcosm,  41. 

Slineral  kingdom,  cor.  of,  149. 

Mingled  .seed,  fabrics,  etc.,  139. 

Miracles,  279 ;  Clowes  on,  281 ;  Sweden- 
I  borg  on,  283 ;  nature  and  design  of,  377. 
I  Miracles  of  our  Lord,  on,  Origen,  282  n., 
288  n. ;  Hilarj',  282  n. ;  John  of  Jerusalem, 
ib.,  288  «.,  291  n.;  Irenanis,  2f>2  n. ;  Hind, 
283  n. ;  Williams,  ib. ;  Heber,  ib. ;  'D-acts 
for  Times,  289  n. 

Miraculous  evidences  of  the  Lord's  divin- 
ity, 857. 

Mirror,  seeing  in,  Clarke,  117  n. ;  Maimon- 
ides, ib. 

Misery  the  consequence  of  sin,  Brown, 
j    119  n.;  Wilson,  ib. 
j  Moon,  cor.  of,  239. 

More,  H.,  the  law  of  >roscs  a  living  crea- 
ture. 31 71.;  the  world  a  macrocosm,  41  h.; 
on  history  of  David,  61  n. ;  on  symbols, 
86  n. ;  on  Adam,  88  n. ;  mystical  sense  of 
names,  105  n. ;  on  nmnbers,  176  n. ;  on  the 
fall,  294  n. ;  on  the  serpent,  250  n. 

Moses;  the  veil  upon  his  face,  63;  law  of, 
sig.  of,  268 ;  iiraycr  of,  explained,  S45. 

Most  ancient  church,  possessed  no  outward 
Word,  563 ;  character  of  its  people,  567 ; 
the  origin  of  mythology,  568;  had  imme- 
diate revelation,  f>64. 

Mountains  and  hills,  cor.  of,  90,  332. 

Mount  Zion.  why  mentioned,  Jerome,  90  n. 

Musical  instnnnents,  sig.  of,  170;  descrip- 
tion of,  182 ;  stringed,  184 ;  ancient,  list  of, 
184n.. ;  harp,  185;  Swedenborg  on,  186; 
horn,  188;  ancient  instruments,  188. 

Myrrli,  cor.  of,  647. 

Mythology,  origin  of,  552 ;  Lord  Bacon  on, 
522. 

Names  symbolical.  More,  105  n. 
Nativity  of  the  Lord,  (Vi:!;  nature  of.  644. 
Natural  forms  outbirths  from  spiritual 

causes.  54,  72;  from  tlie  Lord,  89. 
Natural  good,  its  relation  to  spiritual  good, 

045. 


INDEX. 


735 


Nature,  an  effect  from  a  higher  cause,  304; 
three  kingdoms  of,  348 ;  animal  kingdom, 
ib. ;  vegetable  kingdom,  349 ;  fertile  ground 
and  barrenness,  ib. 

Nazarlteship,  its  sig.,  G38. 

New  heavens  and  new  earth,  549;  cor.  of,  ib. 

NeAv  Jerusalem,  550 :  the  bride,  the  Lamb's 
wife,  551;  having  the  glory  of  God,  552; 
measured  with  a  golden  reed,  553;  city 
pure  gold,  554 ;  four-square,  ib. ;  its  foun- 
dations, walls,  and  gates,  655;  its  temple, 

556  :  the  Lamb  its  light,  ib. ;  no  night  there, 

557  ;  sovereignty  of  its  citizens,  559 ;  qual- 
ities for  citizenship,  SCO. 

Newman  (Phases  of  Faith)  on  Scripture  and 

reason,  22  n. 
Night,  cor.  of,  557,  611 ;  flight  in,  610. 
Noah  a  rep.  character.  260;  saved  by  the 

same  waters  which  destroyed  the  ungodly, 

262. 

Noble,  Rev.  S.,  on  what  constitutes  the  Word 
of  God,  36. 

Numbers,  sig.  of  170, 176  ;  simple  numbers, 
ib.  n. ;  seven,  ill.,  170  n.;  on,  Swedenborg, 
176  71./  More,  ib.;  Colman,  ib. ;  Sabbath 
Leisure,  ib. ;  Dehon,  ib. ;  Von  Bohlen,  ib. ; 
Cahen,  ii). ;  three,  178;  forty,  179;  relative 
numbers,  178;  why  changed  in  literal 
sense,  175  ;  general  sig.  of,  399 ;  multiplica- 
tion of,  401 :  numbering,  sig.  of,  ib.  ;  one, 
403 ;  two,  411 ;  three,  419 ;  four,  426 ;  five, 
434 ;  six,  445 ;  seven,  451 ;  eight,  450  ;  nine, 
ten,  469;  eleven,  475;  twelve,  478;  com- 
pound numbers,  rules  for  ascertaining, 
sig.  of,  487,  666,  391. 

Oak,  cor.  of,  210. 

Obedience  the  gate  of  admis.sion  into  heav- 
en and  the  Church,  560. 

Old  Testament,  books  in,  not  plenarily  in- 
spired, 486. 

Olive,  cor.  of,  211. 

Omer,  494,  495. 

Onyx,  542. 

Opinions  of  ancient  and  modem  authors 
as  to  the  Word,  337 ;  Origen  on  the  trans- 
figuration, ib. ;  Parkhurst  on  Gen.  ii.  8, 
ib.;  Rabbi  Simon  Bar  Abraham  on  the 
Garden  of  Eden,  338  n.;  Parkhurst  on 
the  word  "  Te.stimouy,"  341;  Lowth  on 
Isa.  xxvii.  1,  342 ;  Horne  on  Ps.  viii.,  i6.  ; 
Pascal,  343 ;  S.  P.  C.  K.  tracts,  ib. ;  Rev.  W. 
Jones  (Nayland)  on  correspondences,  344 ; 
Swains  on,  ib. ;  other  writers  in  confirma- 
tion of  correspondence,  345. 

Oi>posites,  law  of,  81. 

Origen  on  the  moral  sense  of  Scripture, 
30  n. ;  on  the  spirit  of  the  law.  68  n. ;  on 
allegory,  70  n. ;  on  letter  and  spirit,  105  n. ; 
on  war  with  Amalek,  129  n.  ,•  on  the  bar- 
ren fig-tree,  216  n.  ,•  on  the  fall.  248 ;  on  the 
gospels,  282;  on  the  miracles  of  our  Lord, 


t6.,  288  n.  .•  on  triple  sense  of  Scripture  and 
triple  constitution  of  man,  347. 
Ox  and  ass,  why  forbidden  to  plow  with,  139. 

Pagan  mysteries  derived  from  holy  sources, 

50  n. 

Fainted  windows,  171  n. 

l»alm-tree,  cor.  of,  225. 

Parables,  why  used,  62, 279 ;  Clowes  on,  280 ; 
frequently  in  series,  ib. 

Passover,  sig.  of,  136. 

I'atriarchs,  the  throe,  161. 

Paul,  definition  of  inspiration,  33;  a  minis- 
ter of  the  spirit  of  the  law,  64  n. 

Perfumes,  160. 

Persons,  why  named  in  the  word,  165. 

Peter,  sig.  of,  165,  286. 

Peter,  St.,  reference  to  ancient  mythology. 
524 ;  sig.  of,  591 ;  why  keys  of  heaven  were 
said  to  be  given  him,  592. 

Plag;ues  visited  on  them  who  fight  against 
Jerusalem,  363. 

Plants,  symb.  of.  Potter,  206  n. ;  Ridley,  ib. ; 
Bulwer,  ib. ;  Dublin  Review,  208  n. ;  Cour- 
celles,209  n. ;  Owens,  ib. ;  Carpenter,  211  n.; 
Harris,  ib. ,  253 n. ;  Hewlett,  221  n. ;  St.  Basil, 
ib.;  Montgomery  Martin,  222  n. ;  Dr.  Chan- 
ning,  ib. ;  Bryant,  227  n. ;  Serle.  ib. 

Precious  stones,  Aaron's  breastplate,  529; 
different  order  of  stones  and  tribes,  530; 
po.sition  of  stones  and  names,  532 ;  first 
row,  535  ;  ruby,  536 ;  sardius,  ib. ;  topaz, 
537  ;  second  row,  538 ;  Chrysophrasus,  ib. ; 
sapphire,  539;  diamond,  ib. ;  third  row, 
540  ;  Cyanus,  ib. ;  agate,  ib. ;  amethyst, 
.541;  fourth  row,  ib. ;  tarshish,  ib. ;  onyx, 
542 ;  beryl,  542 ;  method  of  answer  by,  ib. ; 
in  walls  of  holy  Jerusalem,  555. 

Preservation,  continual  creation,  619. 

Prophecy  a  miracle,  Collins,  14  n. 

Prophetic  style  of  Word,  Warburton,  104  n. 

Prophets,  state  of,  while  speaking  or  writ- 
ing, 15. 

Psalms,  spiritual  sense  of,  37  n. ;  Bp.  Horne 
on,  265  n. 

Rainbow,  sig.  of,  172. 
Reed,  cor.  of,  553. 

Regeneration  of  man  a  threefold  work, 
155. 

Religion  not  intuitive,  570. 
Rephidim,  battle  of,  127. 
Representatives,   correspondences,  and 

significatives,  87;  not  originally  derived 

from  man,  58. 
Responses  from  heaven,  by  literal  sense  of 

Word,  how  made,  547. 
Revelation,  book  of,  292 ;  predictions,  use 

of,  ib. ;  contents,  ib. 
Ruby,  536. 

Sabbatarians,  104  n. 


736 


INDEX 


Sabbath  day,  flight  on,  610,  614. 
Sacrifices,  not  by  divine  precept,  Outram, 
271  n. 

Sacrificial  worship,  266 ;  Origan  on,  68  n.; 
origin  ol'cxternal  ■\vorship,266 ;  clean  beasts 
and  fowls,  sig.  of,  267;  institution  of,  ib. ; 
burnt  ott'erings,  ib.,  275 ;  sacrifices  in  Jewish 
church,  267;  Mosaic  ritual,  268;  sin  and 
trespass  oflerings  not  expiations  of  moral 
turpitude,  269 ;  result  of  Jews  falling  into 
this  error,  270 ;  of  Christians,  276 ;  sacriiices, 
why  selected,  273;  opinions  of  Barnabas 
and  Eusebius,  273  n.;  called  a  "cove- 
nant," 274 ;  also,  "  bread  and  meat  of  God," 
ib.;  polluted  or  imperfect  oOerings,  ib. ; 
domesticated  animals,  275 ;  worship  from 
love  signified  by  Abel's  oflering,  ib.;  wor- 
ship from  faith  sig.  by  Cain's  ofi'ering,  ib., 
275;  the  Lord's  perfect  sacrifice,  278. 

Salt,  cor.  of,  237,  599 ;  why  offered  with  sac- 
rifices, 238 :  pillar  of,  ib. ;  to  be  offered  with 
all  sacriiices,  600 ;  its  opposite,  ib. ;  its  pre- 
servative power.  601 ;  its  jfructifying  power, 
602;  Elisha's  miracle  at  Jericho.  603;  its 
conjoining  principle,  604 ;  use  with  food, 
606. 

Samson,  his  history,  80;  rep.  of,  639. 
Sandals  or  shoes,  on  loosing  of,  25  n. 
Science  and  religion,  connection  between, 

389. 

Scriptural  imagery  not  to  be  accounted  for 
by  ordinary  criticism,  109  n. 

Seasons  of  year,  cor.  of.  612. 

Secinf;  and  seeing  not,  63  n. 

Serpent,  cor.  of,  250;  serpent  worship,  ib. 
n.;  .symbol  of.  More,  250  n. ;  I'hilo.  ib.; 
Bellamy,  ib.,  250, 251  n.;  Middleton,  250  71.; 
Schlegel.  251 ;  Gene,  i6.;  Teller,  ib. ;  Roberts, 
ib.;  Coleridge,  2.52  n.;  Davidson,  ib.;  ser- 
pent of  brass,  253 ;  cor.  of,  616 ;  venomous 
and  non-venomous,  618 ;  in  Eden,  ib.;  its 
subtilty,  620;  Dan  a  .serpent  in  the  path, 
622  ;  rod  of  Moses  changed  to,  ib. ;  serpent 
of  brass,  623  ;  its  poison,  624  ;  power  given 
to  tread  on,  625 ;  mythological  use  of,  ib. 

Sexual  system  in  nature,  130  n. 

Shekel,  193,  496. 

SiKnilicatives,  what  they  are,  87. 
.Slloani,  pool  of,  385. 
Singing,  sig.  of,  189. 

Sins,  what  is  meant  by  the  Lord  bearing, 
277. 

Sound,  resulting  from  affection,  Sherlock, 
182  n. ;  Ihtblic  Opinion,  ib. 

Space  and  time,  632;  their  analogues,  633. 

Spirit  of  the  law,  Locke,  64  n. ;  Jerome,  ib.; 
Ilollowny.  ib.;  Fiak,  ib.;  Dr.  Luntz,  it. ; 
Serle,  ib.;  Middleton,  ib.;  Clement,  ib. ;  St. 
Cyril,  67  n. ;  TracUifor  the  Times,  ib. ;  Origen, 
68  n.,  139  274  n.  ,•  Townley,  n. ;  Pa.soal, 
268  Ji. ;  Greswell,  271  n. ;  Hutchinson,  276  )i. 

Spiritual  and  natural  worlds,  relation  be- 


tween, 627 ;  spiritual  and  natural  body  of 
man,  628;  spiritual  substances,  629 ;  spirit- 
ual forms,  how  in  nature.  631. 

Spiritual  life,  three  degrees  of,  158 ;  sense, 
evidence  of  existence  of,  60 ;  truths  easily 
seen,  Augustine,  113  n. ;  Swedenborg,  114 
n.;  Pascal,  ib.;  Gregory,  ib. ;  Addison,  ib.; 
Gaussen,  ib. 

Spring,  season  of,  rep.  of  regeneration,  222. 

Stone  (a  weight),  494. 

Stones,  cor.  of,  223 ;  corner-stone,  234 ;  pre- 
cious and  common,  examples  of  uses  of, 
504  ;  use  of  in  altars,  memorials,  etc.,  507 ; 
the  decalogue,  515 ;  breastplate  of  Aaron, 
529 ;  stones  of  Jerusalem,  608.  (See  also 
Pbeciotis  Stones.) 

Stringed  instruments,  181. 

Substances,  spiritual  and  divine,  633. 

Sulphur  and  pitch,  cor.  of,  237. 

Sun,  an  image  of  the  Lord,  laws  on,  202  n.; 
prismatic  rays  of,  239 ;  worship  of,Bunsen, 
239  7). ;  Nature  Delineated,  ib. 

Sun,  moon,  and  stars,  239 ;  worship  of,  f6.  n.  ; 
cor.  of,  360 ;  called  on  to  praise  the  Lord, 
361 ;  darkened,  362  ;  woman  clothed  with, 
j6.  ;  an  instrumental  cause  of  creation, 
311 ;  a  concentration  of  the  rays  of  the 
spiritual  sun,  313 ;  trinity  in,  347. 

Swedenborg,  on  the  style  of  the  Word,  23 
n.;  twofold  sense  of  Word,  like  soul  and 
body,  28  n. ;  on  origin  of  idolatry,  50  n. ; 
on  the  expressions  of  the  Word,  104  n.; 
spiritual  truths  easily  seen  in  the  letter, 
114  7i.  ,■  on  angelic  esse  and  existere,  141  n. ; 
on  celestial  sense  of  the  Word,  144  n.  .•  on 
cor.  of  animals,  149  n.  ;  on  the  Magi,  159  n.  ; 
that  the  jiatriarchs  represented  states  of 
the  church,  162  )«.;  on  Egypt  and  .Assyria, 
169  n. ;  on  colors,  173 ;  on  numbers.  176  n. ; 
on  scientifics  of  the  ancients,  202  n.;  on 
the  cedar,  226  n. ;  on  worship  in  most  an- 
cient church,  266  )i. ;  on  the  cherubim, 
296  JI.;  versions  of  Word  used  by,  320;  not 
insjiired  but  illumined,  581. 

Symbolism,  Chippendale  on,  61  n. 

Symbols,  often  duplex,  86  n. 

Talent,  or  pound.  493,  499. 
Tiitian's  harmony  of  the  gcspels,  17  n. 
Temple,  the  living,  556. 
Theopneustos,  33. 
Th«'rapt'Ht;e,  104  n. 

Three,  symbol  of,  Thornton,  143  n..  151  »».; 

Davis,  143  n.;  Conybcare,  ib.;  I^cvis,  ib.; 

rythagora.s,  150  n. ;  Channing,  ib.;  I'ink- 

erton,  151  n. 
Tlireefold  nature  of  God  and  man,  132:  of 

all  things,  l.">0. 
Tomline,  Bp.,  definition  of  inspiration,  18. 
Transfiguration  of  the  Lord,  280,  332. 
Treasure,  91 ;  hid  in  field,  25  n. 
Trees,  cor.  of,  206 ;  tree  of  knowledge,  248 ; 


INDEX. 


737 


tree  of  life,  225,  295;  worship  of,  206  n.  ; 

anatomy  of,  207 ;  going  forth  to  choose  a 

kini;,  218. 
Tribute  money,  sig.  of,  387. 
Trinal  distinctions  in  nature,  149;  in  mind, 

l."iO;  in  understanding,  167. 
Trinity,  divine,  141  and  n. ;  in  God  and 

Nature  Marcus,  150  n. 
Triunity,  or  trinity,  of  God  exhibited  in 

creation,  347;  in  the  sun,  ib. 
Two  opposite  meanings  in  Scripture,  St. 

Augustine.  88  n. ;  More,  ib. ;  Maclean,  ift. 

VnderstaiKling  and  will,  cor.  of,  131. 
Uriin  and  thummim,  174  n. ;  529 ;  answer  by, 

542.  (See  also  Precious  Stone,s.) 
Uses  in  the  animal  and  vegetable  world, 

232. 

Vegetable  kingdom,  cor.  of,  149,  206. 

Veil  on  face  of  Moses,  St.  Augustine,  63  n. ; 
Boyle,  i6. 

Vessel  of  clay,  180  n. 

Virgins,  parable  of,  213. 

Visible  world  a  picture  of  heaven,  Browne, 
40  n. ;  Milton,  ib. ;  Barrow,  ib. ;  Leighton, 
;  Prescott,  ib. :  Jones,  ib. ;  More,  ib. ; 
Kingsley.  i6.;  Serle,  <6. ;  Clowes,  j6.  ;  Neale 
and  Webb,  Richer,  ib.:  TertuUian,  42 
71.,-  Julian,  ib.;  Schlegel,  ib.;  Plato,  ib. ; 
Cudworth, /6.  .•  Platinus,  ib. ;  Empedocles, 
ib. ;  Van  Mildert,  ib. ;  Burgon,  ib. ;  Tucker, 
ib. 

War,  sig.  of,  124. 
Wars  of  Jehovah,  book  of,  565. 
Washing  feet,  sig.  of,  357. 
Water,  cor.  of,  95 ;  symbol  of.  Trench,  98 

n.;  the  Lord  at  Jacobs  well,  09;  baptism 

by,  98,  99 ;  waterfloods,  100 ;  defect  of,  ib. ; 

Ezekiel's  vision  of  holy  waters,  102 ;  the 

flood.  255; 

Weiglits  and  measures,  176,180:  table  of, 

490 ;  sig.  of,  496. 
Wicked  men  and  nations,  rep.  of  good, 

how,  263. 

Wilderness  and  solitary  place,  sig.  of,  330. 
Will  rep.  by  heart,  76. 
Will  and  understanding,  cor.  of  131. 
Williams,  Rev.  I.,  on  spiritual  sense  of 

Word,  30  n. ;  on  the  miracles  of  our  Lord, 

283  n. 

Winter,  flight  in,  610. 
Word  of  God,  character  of  the  letter,  24; 
eflects  of  thinking  only  of  the  letter,  ib.  ; 

62*  2W 


necessity  of  inquiring  what  constitutes,  25 ; 
Swedenborg'.s  definition  of,  26;  purpose  for 
which  given,  27  ;  the  letter  and  the  spirit, 
ib.  note;  the  spiritual  sense  pervades  and 
fills  the  letter.  32;  divinity  of,  consists  in 
spiritual  sense,  ib.;  meaning  of  term,  33; 
not  designed  to  teach  man  such  things  as 
he  can  acquire  by  outward  means,  35 ;  but 
the  things  of  genuine  religion,  ib.;  without 
the  Word  man  could  know  nothing  of  God 
or  of  eternal  life,  ;  what  constitutes  the 
difference  between  the  plenarily  inspired 
and  other  books  (Noble),  36 ;  contains  true 
histories  and  prophecies  which  have  been 
fulfilled,  ib. ;  these  not  sufficient  to  make 
it  divine,  ib.;  from  God,  38;  the  external 
and  internal  sense  make  one  series,  39; 
style  of,  a  divine  style  (Swedenborg),  39 ; 
man  has  life  by  and  through  (Swedenborg), 
ib.;  in  heaven,  64 ;  not  weakened  by  spirit- 
ual sense,  Hilary,  102  n.;  Cyril,  ib.;  Cliristian 
Witness,  ib.;  why  written  as  we  have  it, 
107;  language  and  human  style  of  writ- 
ers of,  specially  i)repared  by  God,  109  n.; 
why  the  literal  sense  was  given,  110 ;  truth 
in  the  letter  of,  112 ;  uses  of  the  letter  of, 
116;  twofold  expressions  in,  reason  for, 
133;  its  celestial  sense,  144 ;  threefold  char- 
acter of,  152;  its  letter  rep.  by  the  burning 
bush,  295 ;  its  spirit  by  Jacob's  vision  of  a 
ladder,  ib. ;  its  literal  sense  by  a  cloud, 
296;  plenary  inspiration  of  317;  produced 
in  same  order  as  creation,  318 ;  Theopneus- 
tos,  lb.;  correspondence  the  sure  rule  of 
interpretation,  321 ;  universal  presence  of 
the  Lord  in,  .328;  literal  and  spiritual 
senses  compared,  353;  the  letter  rep.  by 
the  Lord  s  garments  on  which  lots  were 
cast,  ib.;  the  spiritual  sense  by  his  vest 
woven  without  seam,  ib. ;  kept  entire,  ib.; 
Christ  "the  Rock,"  354;  organs  of  the 
body,  why  mentioned  in,  355:  conjunc- 
tion with  heaven  effected  by,  572,  589;  in 
heaven,  577 :  character  of,  578 ;  how  written, 
579;  direct  inspiration,  580 ;  its  histories, 
581;  effects  of  reading,  ib.;  verbal  and 
plenary  inspiration,  583;  uninspired  parts 
in  Bible,  586;  why  written  on  this  earth, 
.588. 

Words  symbols  of  ideas,  34 ;  words  of  men 
contain  human  thoughts,  35;  words  of 
God  contain  divine  thoughts,  ib. 
Worship  internal  only  in  Adamic  church, 

266;  see  also  Sacrificial  Worship. 
Written  Word,  why  given,  107. 


738 


INDEX. 


INDEX  TO  APPENDIX. 


Ancient  Word,  account  of,  338 ;  where  men- 
tioned, i6. ;  Swedenborg  on,  ib. ;  Hermigas, 
339 ;  other  authorities,  ib. ;  that  there  was 
a  previous  word,  Williams,  340. 

Apocrypha,  contents  of,  308;  position  of, 
Burnett,  ib. 

Assyrian  tablets,  376. 

Autliorized  version  (English),  310;  the 
translators  not  inspired,  ib. ;  its  errors.  Dr. 
A.  Clarke,  341 ;  Bishop  Marsh,  ib. ;  Oxlee, 
ib.  ,•  Pilkington,  ib. ;  Noyes,  342 ;  Dr.  Pye 
Smith,  ib. ;  Newcome,  ib. 

Books  of  Word  not  plenarily  inspired,  308 ; 
sketch  of  those  of  Old  Testament,  309; 
Philo-Judseus,  \b. ;  Norton,  Va. ;  Theodore, 
of  Mopsuesta,  ib. 

Chronicles,  books  of,  Gray  and  Percy,  309 : 
Taylor,  ib.;  Ewald,  ib. ;  Morey,  li). ,'  Bun- 
sen,  310 ;  use  and  value  of,  ib. ;  Stuart, 
ib. :  Newman,  ib. 

Correspondences,  Representatives,  and 
Signiticatives,  726. 

Degrees,  342 ;  discrete  and  continuous,  ib.  ; 
Swedenborg  on,  ib. ;  necessity  of  knowl- 
edge of,  313 :  ascending  and  descending 
degrees.  344;  ancient  Egyptian  triads,  315; 
Pritcliard,  ib. ;  Egyptian  and  Grecian  mys- 
teries. 34G;  freemasonry,  ib.;  Ionic  and 
Grecian  architecture,  ib. ;  Indian  do.,  ib. ; 
Assyrian  triads.  Larwood  and  Hotten,  347 ; 
Taylor,  ib.;  Cud  worth,  ib.;  Origeu,  ib.; 
More,  ib. 

Docnntent  theory,  376. 

Druidisni,  348;  Cresar's  account  of,  not 
reliable,  i6. ;  extent  of,  ib. ;  worship  and 
rites  of,  ib.;  the  mistletoe,  349;  a  corrup- 
tion of  worship  of  ancient  Church,  ib.; 
Baal,  ib.;  Shaddai,  ib. ;  doctrines  of,  ib.; 
monotheists.  .•  triads  of,  ib. ;  Dr.  A. 
Clarke  0M,3,')1;  Bethel,  ib.,-  stone  pillars, 
lb.,-  Milman  on.i'b.  ,•  legenils  respecting, 
852;  authorities,  list  of,  8.52;  pyramids  and 
other  ancient  remains,  cairns,  cromlechs, 
kist  vacns,  etc.,  i'b. ;  Stonehcnge,  353 ;  dru- 
idisni in  Gaul,  ib. 

Ecclesiastes,  attributed  to  Solomon,  314; 
not  referred  to  in  New  Testament,  315; 
supposed  date  of,  Zirkel,  ib.;  Maltby  on, 
ib.;  Dr.  A.  Clarke,  ib. ,•  Jahn,  ib. ;  Critical 
History  and  Defence  of  0.  T.  Canon,  ib.;  said 
by  some  to  be  written  in  old  age  of  Solo- 
mon, lb. 

Egypt,  triads,  845;  mysteries  of,  346  ;  hiero- 
glyphics, see  Hieroglyphics. 

£pistles  of  Apostles,  inspiration  of,  Dr.  A. 
Clarke,  328;  Dr.  Whitby,  ib.  ,■  illustrations 
of  uninspired  parts,  329;  Tracts  for  'limes, 


ib.;  Swedenborg  on,  330;  Morell,  j6.; 
Dewey,  ib. ;  Powell,  ib. ;  Maltby,  331 ;  War- 
rinton,  332;  Stanley,  *.;  Kitto  on  Epistle 
toHebrews, ib.;  Matthew  Arnold,  333;  Dr. 
Arnold,  ib. ;  Kitto  on  the  Pauline  Epistles, 
ib.;  Paley  on  the  inscriptions  to  Paul's  Epis- 
tles, ib. ;  Duke  of  Somerset,  ib. ;  Jerome's 
opinion,  ib. ;  Paul's  quotations  from  hea- 
then writers,  334;  WilUams  on  the  He- 
brews, ib. ;  Williams  on  the  Epistles  of 
Peter,  ib.;  doubts  as  to  authorship,  Eich- 
horn,  ib. ;  Kitto,  ib. 
Esther,  opinion  as  to  origin  of  book  of,  312 ; 
Greek  and  Romish  versions  contain  more 
than  A.  V.,  ib. ;  Luther's  opinion  of,  ib. ; 
GilfiUan,  ib. ;  divine  Being  not  mentioned 
in  it,  ib. 

Ezra  and  Nehemiah.  opinions  as  to,  Calmet, 
311 ;  anciently  reckoned  as  one  book.  ib.  ; 
contents,  ib. ;  not  included  in  Ezra's  canon, 
ib. 

Freemasonry,  degrees  of,  316. 
Gemara.  (See  Rabbinical  Literature.) 

Hieroglyphics,  Egyptian,  356;  the  Rosetta 
stone,  ib. ;  its  inscription  and  style  of 
writing,  357  ;  antiquity  of  Egypt,  Osbortic, 
ib. ;  origin  of  hieroglyphics  and  diH'erent 
styles  of  writing,  ib  ;  phonetic  signs,  ib.; 
Swedenborg,  on,  ib. ;  Portal's  defence  of 
Swedenborg,  361 ;  correspondences  and 
hieroglyphics  compared,  362;  examples, 
ib. ;  Belzoni's  tomb.  Mason,  365 ;  Noble,  on, 
ib.  ,■  hieroglyphic  of  the  serpent,  MiddloMn, 
366;  inscription  on  the  Templeof  Minerva, 
ib. ;  decline  of  hieroglyphics,  367;  Cud- 
worth  on  estoeric  hieroglyphics,  ib. ;  in 
time  of  Jloses,  Portal,  368;  hieroglyphic 
description  of  a  perfect  man,  Oliver,  ib. ; 
the  effect  put  for  the  supposed  cause, 
Hayden,  ib.;  difference  between  hiero- 
glyphics and  the  Word  of  God,  ib. ;  doc- 
trines of  Egypt  and  Assyria,  Ramsiiy,  370 ; 
Wemyss.  371 ;  the  lion.  ib. ;  the  eagle,  ib. ; 
difference  between  Hebrew  and  thealpha- 
bets  and  Egyptian  hieroglyphics,  ib. ; 
Clement,  on,  ib. ;  Spineto,  ib. 

Human  race,  high  antiquity  of,  377. 

Jewish  canon  of  Scripture,  335 ;  Chetubim, 
ib.  /  hagiographa,  ib. ;  Kitto  on.  3.% ;  Jewish 
writers,  ib. ;  Prideaux,  ib. ;  Walton,  ib. ; 
Theodorct  and  Jerome  on  the  position 
given  to  Lamentation  and  Daniel  in,  ib.; 
anterior  and  posterior  prophets.  3;n ;  ori- 
gin of  various  Jewish  arrangements  of,  ib. 

Job,  book  of,  contents,  313;  history  of.  Mid- 
dieton,  ib.;  Noble,  ib. ;  Gliddou,314;  Rob- 
erts, ib. ;  Ueb.  Rev.,  ib. 


ERRATA. 


It^"  By  mistake  the  Index  to  Appendix  to  the  English  edition, 
which  contains  348  pages  less  than  the  American,  was  used  for  the 
latter,  unaltered.  The  reader  has,  therefore,  only  to  add  348  to  each 
page  referred  to  in  this  Index,  and  the  reference  will  tlieu  be  right. 
The  mistake  will  be  corrected  in  the  next  edition. 


INDEX. 


739 


John,  1,  V.  7,  8,  authenticity  of,  348. 

Masorah.   (Sec  Rabbinical  Literature.) 
Metempsychosis,  doctrine  of,  354. 
Allilian,  war  with,  ancient  Greeli  hymn 

founded  on,  378. 
Mishna.  (See  Rabbinical  Literature.) 

Nehemlah,  book  of.  (See  Ezra.) 

Plenarily  inspired  books,  inquiry  as  to 
which  are,  303;  Swedenborg  on,  ib.;  Prof. 
Bush,  ib.:  Philo,  ib.;  Tatian,  ib. ;  Origen, 
•ib. ;  Rev.  Text  for  Land.  Univ.,  ib. 

Proverbs,  book  of,  contents,  314 ;  many 
parts  very  ancient,  and  founded  on  cor- 
respondence, ib. ;  Nicholls,  ib. ;  Von  Boh- 
len,  ib. 

Pythagorean  doctrine  of  metempsychosis 
account  of,  354 ;  I'arsons,  i6. ;  Clement,  i6.  ; 
ancient  supposed  motion  of  earth,  Abb(; 
Planche,  iJb. ;  Plato's  doctrine,  ib. ;  a  be- 
lief of  the  Druids,  356 ;  Rose,  ib. 

Rabbinical  literature,  318;  targums,  ib. ; 
oral  and  traditionary  law,  ib. ;  Mishna, 
ib. :  Gemara,  ib. ;  Masorah,  ib. ;  Rabbin- 
ical rules,  327. 

Kuth,  contents  of,  311. 

Scripture,  canon  of,  Stuart,  305 ;  Milner,  ih. : 
Wordsworth,  ib.;  Newman,  ib.;  want  of, 
illustrated,  ib. ;  Eclectic  Review,  ib. ;  Noble, 
355 ;  Hindmarsh,  ib. ;  Knight,  ib. 

Septuagint,  history  of,  319. 

Song  of  Solomon,  a  supposed  epithalami  um, 
315;  contents  of,  316;  not  cited  in  Scrip- 


ture, lb. ;  Crit.  Bib.,  ib. ;  Dr.  A.  Clarke,  ib. ; 
Wharton,  ib. ;  Lowth,  ib. ;  supposed  not  to 
be  written  by  Solomon,  Pye  Smith,  317; 
RoseninuUer,  i6.  /  Theodore  of  Mopsuesta, 
ib. ;  structure  of,  Davidson,  i6.  ,•  Eclectic 
Review,  ib.;  Michaelis,  i6. ;  Stuart,  318. 
Spiritual  sense  of  Word,  why  not  earlier 
revealed,  340. 

Targums.  (See  Rabbinical  Literature.) 

Versions  used  by  Swedenborg,  320. 

Word,  integrity  and  miraculous  preserva- 
tion of  322;  Oldhausen,  various  read- 
ings in,  ib.;  Conybeare,  ib. ;  its  wonderful 
accuracy,  Gaussen,  323;  Eiehhorn,  ib. ; 
Wiseman,  ib. ;  copies  in  ancient  libra- 
ries, 324 ;  Horne,  ib. ;  Michaelis,  ib. ;  Vdn 
der  Hooght's  edition,  325;  no  doctrine  af- 
fected by  various  readings,  326  ;  Int.  Rep., 
ib. ;  Rabbinical  rules  for  transcribing,  327 ; 
Chappelon,  328. 

Word  of  God,  its  four  different  styles,  337. 

Word,  spiritual  sense  of,  cause  of  decline 
of  in  Christian  Church,  372;  relation  of 
Church  to  the  world,  i6.;  the  controversies 
in  the  Christian  Church,  ift. ;  Jewish  prep- 
aration for  Christian  teaching,  373 ;  prepa- 
ration of  heathens,  ib. ;  the  position  of 
doctrine  of  incarnation,  374;  origin  of 
apostolic  epistles,  ib.;  condition  of  war- 
fare in  Church,*.,-  its  results,*.;  doc- 
trinal statements  based  on  literal  expres- 
sions, 875 ;  the  law  abolished,  ib. ;  early 
heresies,  ib. ;  Gnosticism,  ib. ;  fall  of 
Church,  ib. ;  used  for  evil  purposes,  ib. 


INDEX  OF  PASSAGES  OF  SCRIPTUKE 

WHOLLY  OR  PARTLY  EXPLAINED. 


Genesis. 

i  242 

i.  15  619 

1.  31  446 

ii.  2  452 

ii.  8  337 

ii.  9  209 

ii.  10   96 

iii.  1  620 

lii.  24   295 

iv.  1  266 

V.  1  339 

vi  255 

vi.  7  122 

vi.  16  153 

vii  255 

vii.  2  412 

viii  255 


viii.  1,9,20   266 

viii.  21  KiS 

viii.  22  613 

ix.  13  172 

ix.  33  295 

xi.  2  263 

xiv.  4  479 

xiv.  8,  9  427 

xiv.  l»-20  .520 

xiv.  20   470 

XV.  13  180 

XV.  18  366 

xvii.  1  466 

xvii.  12  461 

xvii.  20   480 

xviii.  6  420 

xviii.  32   470 

xix.  26   266 


XXV.  22  406 

xxvii.  7  471 

xxviii.  12,  13  293 

xxviii.  18  235 

xxxi.  7  471 

xxxviii.  27   405 

xli.  1-7  453 

xiv.  22   435 

xlviii.  13  417 

xlix.  9  192 

xlix.  17  622 

xlix.  28   480 

£xodu8. 

iii.  3,  4  295 

iii.  18  425 

V.  2  367 

vii.  19   10 


740 


INDEX. 


vUi   191 

X.23   92 

xiv.  16  495 

XV.  20  1S4 

XV.  23-25   100 

XV.  25  231 

xvi.  18  296 

XVi.  21  239 

xvi.  26  iid 

xvii.  1-6.   96 

xvu.  8,  13  127 

XX.  5  428 

XX.  9-11  447 

XX.  12  121 

XX.  24,  25   509 

XX.  25   269 

XXi.  1   435 

xxi.  2  447 

xxiii.  14  420 

xxiii.  14,  17   178 

xxiii.  30  174 

xxiv.  1  412 

xxiv.  12  515 

xiv.  3  2">3 

xxvi.  ]  174,  472 

xxvi.  7  476 

xxvi.  25   462 

xxvii.  1,  etc  428 

xxviii.  15-21  529 

xxviii.  16  429 

xxviii.  21  480 

xxviii.  30   295 

xxix.  40   495 

XXX.  4,  5  174 

XXX.  12,  13  496 

XXX.  34  158 

xxxii.  15  516 

xxxiii.  18  345 

xxxiv.  l  296 

xxxiv.  1-4  518 

xxxiv.  18  454 

XXXV.  3   !M 

xxxvi.  14  476 

xxxvi.  30   462 

xxxix.  8-14  629 

Ltevlticug. 

ii.  13  2."58,  600 

vi.  13   94 

X.  1  347 

X.  1,  2   94 

xi.  3-9   149 

Xiv.  4  230 

xix.  35.  36  496 

xxi.  16  369 

xxiii.  32   467 

xxiii.  39   462 

xxiv.  2-4  212 

XXV  179 

XXV.  3,  4  448 

XXV.  22   463-467 

xxvi.  8  436 

xxvi.  26   472 

Numbers. 

vi.  8  m 

vi.  10  463 

XV.  30   269 

xxi.  8  512 

xxi.  8,  9  .'.  253 

XXXV.  14, 15  448 

Deut. 

ii.  33  124 

iil.6  124 

iv.  13  472 

iv.24   S>6 


vi.  4   407  I 

viu.  4  179 

viii.  7-9  227 

ix.  9  179 

X.  10  179 

XV.  21  27o 

xvi.  16  420 

xvii.  16  194 

xxii.  9-11  139 

xxiii.  44..  240 

xxvii.  5,  6   509 

xxxii.  2  227 

xxxii,  17, 18  232 

xxxiii,  16  295 

xxxiii.  33  232 

xxxiii.  41  240 

Joshua. 

vi  179 

viii.  30   509 

XV.  19  295 

xxiv.  26  210 

Judges. 

vi.  20,  21  510 

ix.  15  218 

xiii.  19,  20  510 

xvi.  17   81 

1  Samuel. 

xiv.  27   597 

XV,  22,  23   271 

xvi.  14  186 


Z  Samuel, 
xxiv.  1, 15  


.  402 


iv.  21,. 
vi.  7... 


1  Kings. 

 366 

 235 

 161 

X.  20   481 

xviii.  31  509 

xix.  19  481 


ii.  11,12. 

ii.  23  

ii.  23,24,... 

iv  

iv.  38  

vi.  17  

xiii.  14  

xviii.  3,  4.. 
xxiii.  11.... 
XXV.  1-3.... 
XXV.  2  


S  Kings. 


.  93 


Job. 


xxxix.  25.... 


193 


Fsalms. 

i.  1  157-161 


i.  2-4„ 
iv. 


iv.  6  

v  

vii.  16  

viii  

xi.6  

xvi,  17  

xviii.  4  100 

xviii.  10  328 


.  223 
,  184 
,  275 
,  181 
,637 
,  184 
,  237 
82 


xix. 1. 
XX.  7,  8.,.. 
xxiii.  16.. 

xxiii.  21.. 

xxiv.  12.. 


,  346 
.  195 
,  188 
.  193 
.  98 


xxvii.  4  407 

xxvii,  6  187 

xxxiii,  1-4  187 

xxxiii.  6  316 

xxxiii,  17  195 

xxxvi,  8  101 

xxxvii,  19  399 

xl,  6-8  272 

xiii.  5  18d 

xUi.  7  101 

xliii.  3  188 

xliv.3   98 

xiv  156, 160 

xiv.  9  236 

xlvi.  4  101 

1.5  274 

1.  7-14  270 

1, 10, 11  205 

li.  7  222 

li,  8   84 

li.  1,5-17  272 

lii,  8  212 

liii,  4   94 

liv  181 

Iviii,  4  624 

Ixi,  9   97 

Ixix.  2, 15  101 

Ixxi.  22   185. 187 

lxxui.6  295 

Ixxiii.  17  296 

Ixxvi.  56  196 

Ixxx.  8-11  214 

xcii.  12  225 

civ.  2  257 

Civ.  15  213 

civ.  16  225, 395 

cvii.  22  275 

cvii.  31  238 

ex.  3  612 

ex.  10  179 

exiv.  4  332 

cxviii,  22   234 

exix,  3  3;S5 

exix,  16  454 

cxix,  164  179 

cxxi,  5,6  239 

cxxiv.  1,  4.5  101 

cxxxii,  13-16   21 

cxxxiii.  1,  2  213 

cxxxix.  21,  22.™  121 

cxlvii.  4  401 

c-xlvii.  7  187 

cxlvii.  10  195 

exlviii  332 

cxlviii.  9,  13  225 

cxlix.  3  187 

el  183 

cl.3-5  188 

Isaiah. 

i.  5  637 

i.  11,  etc  271 

i.  29,  30   211 

ii.  4  1-25 

iv.  3-6   94 

V.  1-7  214 

v.  9.  10  496 

V.12  185 

V.28  196 

vi.  (Jehovah)  1,>4 

Vi.  2  449 

vii.  18,  19  100, 168 

vii.  '20   640 

vii.  21  -KM 

viii.  14, 15  192 

viii,  17  120 

ix.  18   94 


INDEX. 


741 


xi.  6-8  204 

xiii.  4  401 

xiii.  1:2  23G 

xvii.  6  413 

xviii.  2  lOL 

xix.  18  437 

xix.  23-25   167 

xxvii.  1  312 

xxvii.  9  510 

xxviii.  10  234 

xxix.  10-12   25 

XXX.  26   454 

XXX.  33    231 

xxxi  1U6 

xxxii.  20   204 

xxxiii.  14   i>4 

xxxiv.  8-10  237 

xxxiv.  13  217 

XXXV.  1,  2  217 

XXXV.  9   193 

xxxviil.  20  184 

xl.  12  497 

xl.  12, 17  175 

xl.  20   231 

xl.  31   158,  368 

xli.  17, 18  101 

xliii.  2  100 

xliii.  7  155 

xliv.  14-17  211 

1.11   94 

lili.  3  277 

Iv.  1,2  373 

Iv.  10   97 

Iviii.  11   97 

lix.  4-7  192 

Ix.  13  229 

Ix.  17   234,243,  350 

Ix.  20   240 

Ix.  21  228 

Ixv.  25   204 

Ixvi.  12  101 

Jeremiah. 

i.  16  231 

ii.  13  100 

ii.  17  101 

iv.  23,  25   334 

vl.  10   83 

vii.  21-23   269,  271 

viii.  13  215 

viil.  17  622 

X.  5  226 

xvii.  5-8  224 

xvii.  7,  8  227 

xxi.  12   97 

xxii.  33-10   269 

xxlv.  1, 3  215 

xxxiv.  18  518 

li.  20-'23  134 

li.  25   334 

Lamentations. 

ii.  1,  2  236 

£zekiel. 

i   290  n. 

iv.  6  179 

vi.  3  333 

ix.  2  449 

xvii.  24   224 

XX.  46-19   229 

xxii.  19,  20   233 

xxvi.  10  196 

xxxv.  26   81 

xxxvi.  25   98 

xxxvii.  9  430 

xxxvii.  24   264 


xxxix.  2  450 

xxxix.  17-20  138 

xl.  2,  etc  497 

xl.  9  463 

xl.  31  464 

xl.  41  464 

xli.  22   274 

xliii.  16  481 

xlv.  13  450 

xlvii.  1-5  369 

xlvii.  3-9  102 

xlvii.  12  22f> 

xlvii.  35   498 

Daniel. 

iii  185 

v.  25-27   181 

V.  25-29   500 

vii.  2,  3  430 

vii.  7  472 

ix.  25  4.55 

Xli.  12  488 

Hosea. 

ii.  18   323,  625 

ii.  18-20   205 

iii.  2  499 

iii.  5  264 

vi.  2  421 

vi.  6  272 

xiv.  2  275 

xiv.  3  195 

xiv.  5-7  227 

Joel. 

ii.  10  241 

ii.  22  215 

ii.  23   295 

iii.  10  124 

ui.  18  91 

Amos. 

i.  3,  etc  421 

ii.  9  207 

iv.  8  414 

V.  23  185 

vi.  1-5  185 

Viii.  11  100,  379 

ix.  3  624 

Mlcah. 

iii.  6  558 

iv.  4  227 

V.  5  464 

vi.  6-8  271 

Habakkuk. 

ii.  11  231 

ii.  19  231 

iii.  18  198 

iii.  19  184 

Zecliariah. 

i.  8  201 

i.  18  430 

ii.  1,  2  181,  499 

ii.  5   93 

iv.  2,  etc  414 

iv.  3,  14  211 

V.  5-8  499 

vi.  1-5  431 

vi.  1-8  201 

viii.  23   473 

xii.  4  196 

xiii.  1   98 

xiii.  8,  9  421 

xiv.  9  407 


xiv.  12  863 

xiv.  20  199 

Malachl. 

i.  7,  8  275 

i.  11  160 

iii.  3  391 

iv.  2  239 

Matthew. 

i.  21   285 

ii.  11  159 

ii.  16  415 

ii.  18  161 

iii.  4  155 

iii.  7  2.52 

iii.  10  222 

iv.  2  179 

V.  21  161 

V.  29  a56 

V.  38,  39    269 

vi.  3  355 

vi.  11  116  n.,  136 

vi.  23    92,  407 

vi.  28-33   221 

vii.  8  156 

vii.  16-20   208,  221 

vii.  24   592 

vii.  24-27   234 

viii.  16,  17  27? 

viii.  20  2iK) 

ix.  13  272 

X.  9,  10  416 

X.  16  334 

X.  20-28   166 

X.  35  121 

X.  36  124 

xi.  5,  6  360 

Xii.  43-45   455 

xiii.  6  2.39 

xiii.  9   83 

xiii.  23  157 

xiii.  28,  29   163 

xiii.  33   422 

xiii.  58  167 

xiv.  20,  21   481 

xiv.  25   432 

XV.  6  264 

XV.  13  221  • 

XV.  34-37   455 

xvi.  18,  19  590 

xvi.  19,  23  165 

xvi.  21  422 

xvi.  .36  114 

xvii.  1   165,  286 

xvii.  20   334 

xvii.  26-27   387 

xviii.  1,  etc  332 

xviii.  8,  9   82 

xviii.  19,  20  417 

xviii.  21,  22  197,  456 

xix.  5  408 

xix.  17  408 

xix.  28   482 

XX.  3, 5  468 

xxi.  33  217 

xxi.  42   234 

xxii.  37-39   517 

xxiii.  8.  9  408 

xxiii.  17  188 

xxiii.  27  615 

xxiv.  20   608 

xxiv.  29   362 

XXV.  1,  2  437 

xxv.  1-13  213 

XXV.  14. 15   408, 438 

xxv.  31-46  216 


742 


INDEX. 


xxvl.  28   277 

xxvi.  36  165 

xxvi.  53   482 

xxvii.  45   468 

xxviii.  16  477 

Mark. 

iii.  17  167 

iv.  28  154 

vi.  5  167 

Vi.  7   356 

vi.  38,  etc  439 

vii.  37  165 

■viii.  23  165 

ix    286 

ix.  44   94 

ix.  49  2:36 

X.  21  409 

xii.  26   296 

xii.  28-34   272 

xiii.  33  157 

XV.  33  4.">0 

xvi.  9  179 

xvi.  18   204,  625 

I.uke. 

ii.  7  290 

ii.  19  280 

ii.  42   482 

iii.  16   93 

iv.  8  165 

viii.  7  222 

viii.  35  359 

viii.  43,  44  483 

viii.  51  165 

ix.  .  286 

ix.  28,  29   462 

ix.44   83 

ix.  63,  54   166 

lx.58.  290 

X.  1  138 

X.  19  204 

X.  18  62.5 

X.  35  417 

X.  41,  42   409 

Xii.  6  440 

xii.  52   440 

xiii.  7   224,422 

xiii.  32  154 

xiv.  16,  20  442 

XV.  a  473 

xvi.  22  163 

xvi.  26  121 

xvi.  27,  28   443 

xvii.  32   238 

xix.l3  474 

xix.  14  274 

xxi.  1-4  418 

xxii.  15  290 

John. 

i.  11  290 

i.  13  155 

i.  14  296 


ii.  1-12  283 

ii.  6  451 

ii.  21  153,  608 

iii.  14, 15   254 

iii.  15  628 

iv.  6-15  280 

iv.  32  137 

iv.  35   433 

V.25    360 

vi.  31  '.  136 

Vi.  32  137 

vi.  51  364 

vii.  6-30   99 

vii.  38   97 

viii.  17,  18  409 

viii.  43  279 

ix.  6,7  383 

X.  18  278 

X.  30  410 

Xii.  2  161 

Xii.  13  225 

xii.  49   279 

xiii.  8   96 

xiii.  4-17  279 

xiv.  12  285 

XV,  1  214 

XV.  1-5  229 

xvii.  11,21  411 

xix.  15   290 

xix.  23  '296 

xix.  24   477 

XX.  4  368 

XX.  9  481 

Acts. 

xiii.  22   264 

ICor. 

V.7  136 

XV.  36^  223 

2  Cor. 

xi.  3  250 

Ephesians. 

V.  25-27    99 

vi.  10-17  125 

1  Tim. 

i.  5  278 

Phil. 

ii.  12  278 

Hebrews. 

ii.  10  278 

ii.  18  277 

iii.  '25   277 

iv.  15  290 

v.  8,  9  278 

vii.  28   277 

viii.  5  268 

ix.  9  268 


ix.  20   268,  269 

x.  l   268 

X.  1-9  273 

X.  20   278 

1  Pet. 

ii.  4  234 

ii.  21  278 

iii.  21  287 

2  Pet. 

i.  18  287 

1  John. 

ii.  11-20  121 

Revelation. 

i.3  293 

i.  4  456 

i.  7  293 

i.  8   154, 288 

i.  15  623 

i.  20   456 

ii.  7,  etc  609 

iii.  18   160, 236 

iii.  21  155 

iv.  3   172 

iv.  6  433 

V  199 

V.  1  457 

V.  5  159, 193 

V.  8   159, 185, 188 

vi  199 

vii.  9  225 

ix.5  444 

ix.  17  196 

xi.  l  181,500 

xi.  3,  4  418 

xi.4  211 

xi.  13  474 

xii.  1  241,362,484 

xii.  11  278 

xii.  3  457 

xii.  4  423 

xiii.  18  399 

xiv.  2  185, 188 

xiv.  6  294 

xiv.  14  163 

XV.  2  188 

xvi.  13  424 

xvi.  13, 14  192 

xvii.  3  458 

xvii.  3,  4  200 

xvii.  11  465 

xix.  11  198 

xix.  17,  18  138 

xix,  20    237 

xxi  549 

xxi.  12-14  485 

xxi.  13  424 

xxi.  15-17  501 

xxi.  16  4.S3 

xxii.  2  486 


THE  END. 


"The  Swedenborg  Library." 

Complete  in  12  volumes,  averafring'  250  pages  each ;  consisting  of  choice  selections 
from  the  writings  of  Swedenborg  topically  classilied  and  arranged ;  with  a  full  Table 
of  Contents  enabling  the  reader  to  readily  find  the  best  things  the  author  has  said  on 
the  numerous  subjects  treated,  which  in  the  aggregate  cover  the  entire  domain  of 
Christian  theology.  Swcdenborg's  religious  and  ethical  teachings  arc  here  presented 
in  a  condensed,  intelligible,  neat,  and  extremelu  chcai)  form.  Vol.  12  contains  330 
pages,  with  a  very  beautiful  portrait  of  the  author.  Their  several  titles  are : 

Vol.  1.  Death,  Resurrection  and  the  Judgment. 

"  2.  Heaven. 

"  3.  Freedom,  Rationality  and  Catholicity. 

"  4.  Divine  Providence  and  its  Laws. 

"  5.  Charity,  Faith  and  Works. 

"  6.  Free-Will,  Repentance,  Reformation  and  Regeneration. 

"  7.  Holy  Scripture  and  the  Key  to  its  Spiritual  Sense. 

"  8.  Creation,  Incarnation,  Redemption,  and  the  Divine  Trinity. 

"  9.  Marriage  and  the  Sexes  in  both  Worlds. 

"  10.  The  Author's  Memorabilia. 

"  11.  The  Heavenly  Doctrine  of  the  Lord. 

"  12.  Swedenborg.  With  a  Compend  of  His  Teachings, 


A  FEW  OF  ITS  RECOMMENDATIONS. 

1st.  It  gives  the  substance  of  Swedenborg's  teachings  in  a  compact  form,  and  in 
his  own  words  (translated),  with  references  to  the  particular  works  whence  the  ex- 
tracts are  taken. 

2d.  It  classifies  the  subjects  in  a  way  to  render  it  easy  for  the  reader  to  find  what- 
ever si)iritual  instruction  he  may  be  seeking. 

3d.  It  does  not  interfere  with,  but  helps  all  other  enterprises  which  aim  to  dissem- 
inate the  highest  truths,  and  to  promote  the  upbuilding  of  the  true  Church  on  earth. 

4th.  The  volumes  are  of  such  a  convenient  size,  that  one  of  them  may  be  easily 
carried  in  the  coat-pocket. 

5th.  Any  volume  of  the  series  makes  a  cheap  yet  beautiful  gift-book  to  a  friend, 
or  to  any  seeker  after  the  highest  truths. 

6th.  Each  volume  being  complete  in  itself,  may  be  purchased  separately  when  so 
desired. 

7th.  The  work  is  gotten  up  in  very  tasteful  and  attractive  style,  the  series  making 
a  beautiful  and  valuable  addition  to  any  library. 

8th.  Last,  but  not  least,  of  its  recommendations,  is  its  cheapness, — being  about  half 
the  us>ial  price  of  works  published  in  similar  style. 

Price  50  cents  a  volume.  vSent  (post-paid)  to  any  address  on  the  receipt  of  price.  A 
liberal  discount  made  to  ministers  and  theological  students. 

Address  SWEDENBORG  PUBLISHING  ASSOCIATION, 

930  Market  street,  Philadelphia, 

Or,  B.  F.  BARRETT,  Germantown,  Pa. 


WHAT  GOOD  JUDGES  THINK  OF  IT. 

The  following  extracts  are  from  letters  received  by  the  Editor  from  eighteen  intel- 
ligent New-Church  ministers: 

"  The  SwEDENBOHO  LiBRART  plan  excites  the  universal  admiration  and  commen- 
dation of  those  whose  attention  I  have  called  to  it." 

"  Exactly  what  it  ought  to  be,  beautiful,  attractive,  and  not  too  large.  Such  books 
are  read.  I  regard  this  enterprise  as  the  best  yet  started  to  promulgate  the  heavenly 
doctrines." 

"  This  seems  to  me  Just  what  we  need ;  I  am  delighted  with  it." 

"  I  think  the  idea  is  a  very  happy  one :  I  have  shown  the  book  to  several  of  our 
people,  and  all  give  it  unqualified  praise." 

"I  like  the  project  very  much;  .  .  I  feel  sure  you  will  be  gratified  with  the  recep- 
tion which  the  Swedenborg  Library  will  meet." 

"  As  to  the  Swedenborg  Library  plan,  I  approve  of  it  thoroughly.  It  is  in  the 
direct  line  of  the  mission  we  have  to  accomplish." 

"  Splendid !  Jiist  the  thing  that  Is  needed  by  a  large  class  of  readers  even  in  our 
so-called  New-Church  Societies." 

"  You  are  doing  just  now,  in  my  estimation,  the  greatest  work  of  your  life ;  and 
my  heart's  wish  is  that  every  member  of  the  Church  may  encourage  you  in  it." 

1 


"  I  have  received  and  read  several  volumes  of  the  Swedenborg  Librart  with 
great  interest;  I  find  them  to  be  the  best  missionary  books  that  I  have  ever  read." 

"  Just  the  thing  for  our  [missionary]  work.  .  .  I  like  it  very  much,  and  believe  you 
are  doing  a  good  service." 

"  The  Swedenborg  Library  supplies  the  want  I  have  felt  for  some  time,  and 
proves  very  acceptable  and  convincing  reading  to  beginners." 

"  The  volumes  are  convenient  for  family  and  social  reading,  and  form  admirable 
text-books  for  adult  classes,  and  elder  classes  in  Sabbath-schools." 

"  I  think  you  are  engaged  in  a  noble  work  in  bringing  out  the  substance  of  Sweden- 
borg's  teachings  iu  such  an  attractive  and  inexpensive  form  as  the  Swedenborg 
Library." 

"The  publication  of  the  Swedenborg  Library  meets  my  heartiest  approval.  It 
was  a  well-conceived  idea,  and  has  been  carried  out  in  great  good  taste." 

"  This  series  of  New-Church  works  has,  in  my  judgment,  no  equal  for  girtng  to  the 
masses  the  grand  truths  of  the  New  Age." 

"  The  little  books  are  delightful.  Volume  12  is  a  perfect  treasure,  and  must  meet  a 
very  general  want." 

"  I  find  the  Swedenborg  Library  very  convenient  and  every  way  satisfactory. 
I  deem  it  among  the  very  best  works  of  the  Church." 

"  I  am  more  and  more  delighted  with  what  I  see  of  the  Swedenborg  Library. 
Volume  13  seems  to  me  one  of  the  very  best  things  we  have  in  the  literature  of  the 
Church." 


OPINIONS  OF  THE  PRESS. 

"  The  Swedenborg  Library  is  the  best  adapted  to  the  purpose  of  bringing  Swe- 
denborg's  voluminous  system  within  the  scope  of  popular  comprehension,  of  any 
work  that  has  come  to  our  notice." — Philadelphia  Inquirer. 

"  It  is  one  of  the  most  useful  works  which  has  lately  shown  itself  in  the  Church. 
For  this  reason  we  recommend  it  with  our  irliaie  timrt.  .  .  The  choice  of  extracts  is 
exq  uisite,  admirable,  and  of  the  greatest  importance  and  use  even  to  well-instructed 
members  of  the  New  Church." — Bote  der  Neuen  Kirche. — Edited  by  Rev.  A.  O. 
Brickman. 

"  The  work  is  interesting,  not  only  to  churchmen,  but  to  all  who  desire  to  be  well 
informed  on  the  religions  of  the  day." — Kokoino  Dispatch. 

"  Managers  of  New-Church  libraries  will  find  the  volumes  of  this  series  especially 
useful  to  persons  just  becoming  interested." — BcMon  N.  J.  Magazine. 

"  We  can  heartily  commend  this  little  book  to  any  who  may  desire  a  general  notion 
of  the  theological  views  of  one  of  the  most  remarkable  men  that  ever  lived."— Ci/i- 
cinnati  Times. 

"If  what  Swedenborg  relates  [in  Vol.  IT.,  about  Heaven]  is  a  coinage  of  the 
brain,  then  he  is  the  greatest  master  of  fiction  among  modern  writers."— San  Fraii^ 
Cisco  BiiUclin. 

"Swedenborg,  when  studied  for  the  sake  of  his  spirit  only,  must  improve  in  the 
esteem  of  all  good  men.  The  abridged  edition  of  his  works  is  very  attractive  in  form, 
and  is  full  enough  to  convey  the  author's  meaning." — llie  Cliri.itian  Uiiian. 

"  Mr.  Harrett  is  excellently  well  qualified  for  this  labor.  .  .  The  New  Church  is  grow- 
ing and  infiuential ;  and  this  popularization  of  its  creed  will  be  of  value  to  some  and 
of  interest  to  all." — Philada.  iVort/i  AmeriMin. 

"  If  one  desires  to  have  a  succinct,  clear,  and  adequate  idea  of  the  teachings  of  the 
New  Church,  liere  in  these  handsome  and  portable  volumes,  in  a  cheap  form,  he  can 
obtain  it." — Zion'x  Heraid. 

"The  editor  has  done  a  real  service,  not  only  to  those  of  his  own  special  faith,  but 
for  thoughtful  Christians  in  all  denominations.  .  .  Such  selections  as  are  contained 
tn  this  neat  and  choice  little  volume,  are  spiritually  edifying  and  abundantly  sugges- 
tive."—C/iicoflo  Advance. 

"Life  is  too  short  to  enable  us  to  read  Swedenborg  in  oxtonso ;  .  .  Hut  gleaned 
from  the  wide  expanse  of  the  Swedenborg  literature  by  a  man  of  rare  talent  for  his 
woi-k,  the  salient  teachings  of  this  author  appear  to  their  best  advantage  in  this 
edition."— Minneapolis  Tribune. 

"  We  think  this  [Vol.  VT.]  an  excellent  continuation  of  an  excellent  series  of  New- 
Church  publications." — Kcw  Jerusalem  Messenger. 

"This  edition  is  an  excellent  condensation  of  the  pith  and  substance  of  Sweden- 
borg's  teachings  and  rev  elations.  Whoever  desires  to  know  the  fundamental  views 
of  his  church,  will  find  them  here." — Zion'g  Herald. 

"  The  series  is.every  way  admirable,  and  cannot  fall  to  be  welcomed  by  the  relig- 
iously inclined  everywhere,  as  well  ms  by  the  linnuMliate  f<iUowers  of  the  doctrines 
taught  by  the  great  Swedish  philosopher."— C/iicayo  Journal. 

2 


OPINION  OF  THE  NEW-CHURCH  REVIEW. 

The  following:  appreciative  notice  of  this  series,  is  copied  from  the  July,  1682.  No. 
of  The  New-Church  Review.  It  is  from  the  pen  of  a  competent  critic  and  one  of  the 
most  intelligent  and  scholarly  ministers  in  the  New  Church. 

THE  SWEDENBORQ  LIBRARY. 

"Of  the  'Swedenborg'  Library,'  as  edited  by  Mr.  Barrett,  and  published  in  the  neat, 
elegant  and  attractive  little  quartos,  we  may  justly  say  that  it  will  be  hard  to  find  any 
other  printed  matter  in  the  world,  which  will  so  worthily  occupy  an  equal  twelve 
inches  of  shelf  room.  This  little  Library  is  a  specialty,  indeed.  It  is  devoted  to  one, 
and  only  one,  theological  system,  but  that  a  very  catholic  and  comprehensive  one ; 
so  that  there  is  hardly  a  principle  in  science  or  philosophy,  a  question  of  morals,  or 
of  life,  or  of  death,  or  of  the  here,  or  of  the  hereafter,  that  is  not  elucidated  in  it. 
But  it  isanalj^icalso,  and  so  thoroughly  and  admirably  so,  that  we  find  here  its  pecu- 
liar value,  not  only  to  the  world  at  large  but  to  the  New  Churchman  himself,  to  whom 
the  theologj'  here  presented  is  already  tolerably  familiar. 

"We  need  say  but  little  about  the  advantages  the  Library  offers  to  the  world  at 
large.  The  handy  and  inexpensive,  yet  thoroughly  tasteful  little  volumes,  speak  for 
themselves,  and  are  sure  to  find  a  welcome  entry  into  thousands  of  homes  and  libra- 
ries where  the  more  sombre  and  stately  volumes  of  the  complete  editions  of  the 
author,  or  the  more  elaborate  and  ponderous  single  treatises,  would  be  politely  de- 
clined admission.  The  advertising  circular  calls  attention  to  some  of  the  '  distinguish- 
ing merits  and  ob\ious  advantages  of  this  series,'  enumerating  among  these  its 
cheapness,  its  convenient  size,  its  attractiveness,  its  compactness  and  brevity  of  state- 
ment, and  the  aid  it  affords  to  the  reader  in  its  classification  of  subjects.  It  is  es- 
pecially the  last-named  feature  which  commends  the  work,  in  our  judgment,  and 
which  puts  the  New  Church,  as  well  as  the  general  reading  public,  under  special  ob- 
ligation to  the  pains-taking  editor  of  this  series. 

"The  diffuseness  of  Swedenborg's  style  has  been  the  general  complaint  urged  by 
most  novitiate  readers,  and  the  very  vastness  of  the  field  his  writings  cover,  makes 
the  investigation  of  them  seem  at  first  an  almost  hopeless  task.  Just  where  to  turn 
for  enlightenment  on  this  or  that  special  topic,  has  not  been  always  at  the  command 
of  well-read  New  Churchmen,  without  the  aid  of  the  somewhat  rare  Indexes :  and 
then  no  little  time  is  consumed  in  searching  for  passages,  in  half  a  dozen  volumes  it 
may  be. 

"  Now  we  would  not  think  for  a  moment  of  recommending  this  analysis  of  the 
Writings  by  Mr.  Barrett  as  a  substitute  for  any  student  to  adopt  in  any  thorough  or 
fundamental  investigation  of  any  topic.  The  editor  never  intended  them  for  this 
use.  He  refers  his  readers  to  the  complete  works  of  Swedenborg  for  the  thorough 
and  final  study  of  any  of  these  subjects.  But  we  are  free  to  say  that,  for  a  ready  refer- 
ence and  a  convenient  summary  of  what  Swedenborg  has  said  on  any  of  the  themes 
here  mentioned,  we  do  not  know  where  to  look  for  a  more  valuable  work  than  this. 
Moreover,  it  is  of  the  first  importance  that  in  the  study  of  any  subject  there  should 
be  an  order  and  a  progressive  classification  of  truths,  as  well  as  an  analj'sis.  And 
here  is  where  we  have  found  much  to  admire  in  these  little  books. 

"With  the  helpfulness  of  this  orderly  arrangement  of  the  contents,  we  have  been 
especially  impressed  in  Vol.  I.,  on  '  Death,  Eesurrection  and  the  Judgment,'  and  in 
Vol.  VIII.,  on  'Creation,  Incarnation,  Redemption  and  the  Trinity.'  Any  one  can 
see  at  a  glance  that  this  is  the  natural  order  of  these  topics  when  considered  together, 
and  the  plan  of  the  respective  volumes  is  arranged  accordingly.  But  few  have 
thought,  perhaps,  what  a  complete  whole  each  of  these  groups  makes  when  thus 
considered  together,  and  what  a  clearly  defined  and  lasting  impress  a  careful  study 
of  such  a  treatise  must  leave  in  any  thinking  mind.  .  .  . 

"Take  this  little  book  on  Death,  etc..  Vol.  I.  Here  a  man  is  literally  Introduced 
into  the  spiritual  world  at  the  threshold.  He  is  led  upward  through  the  process  of 
physical  (fying,  ha\'ing  first  been  described  in  his  real  being,  that  is,  as  consisting  of 
a  spiritual  and  immortal  body,  clothed  on  earth  with  a  temporary  material  one. 
Arriving  in  the  spiritual  world  he  is  shown  what  manner  of  life  the  spiritual  body 
leads;  then  he  is  led  through  the  several  stages  of  the  resurrection,  or  the  develop- 

3 


ment  of  the  real  man  out  of  all  the  outside  concealments  which  in  some  measure  at- 
tend him  even  into  the  world  ot  spirits,  until  at  length  ho  is  brought  to  that  linowledge 
of  his  real,  abiding,  unchangeable  character  or  fitness  for  heaven  or  hell,  which  con- 
stitutes the  judgment.  Then  is  briefly  described  the  quality  of  the  life  in  heaven 
and  in  hell,  and  some  practical  guides  for  us  all  as  to  '  the  way  that  leads  to  heaven,' 
while  we  are  still  undergoing  the  discipline  of  earth.  The  Little  book  is  a  wonderful 
mariner's  chart  for  a  world  that  reaches  out  into  eternity.  It  will  suffice  for  all  the 
funeral  discourses  that  ever  need  be  uttered,  so  far  as  instruction  goes ;  and  it  te'lls  a 
man  more  of  what  he  is  made  of,  than  all  the  volumes  of  ancient  or  modern  philoso- 
phy put  together.   And  yet  this  is  but  one  of  these  little  treatises. 

"  In  Vol.  VIII.  the  arrangement  is  indeed  drawn  from  the  author's  True  Christian 
Religion ;  but  the  subject  of  creation  is  wonderfully  elucidated  by  the  citations  from 
the  Divine  Love  and  Wisdom.  No  sj"stem  of  pure  philosophy  could  present  a  more 
orderly  or  logical  sequence  than  is  here  observed,  in  starting  out  first  with  God  as  the 
sole  Creatice  Substance,  then  discussing  the  materials,  the  form  and  process  of  creation 
by  the  method  of  discrete  degrees,  then  the  ends  or  uses  of  creation,  then  the  com- 
pleted creation  or  universe,  as  an  image  of  the  infinite;  then  the  influx  of  spirit  into 
nature,  or  the  relation  of  matter  to  life  and  ot  the  natural  to  the  spiritual  world. 
From  this  primary  discussion  the  book  proceeds  to  the  descent  of  Jeliovah  God  into 
the  created  world,  or  into  nature  as  man,  for  the  purpose  of  the  i-edemption  and  sal- 
vation of  the  human  race.  This  embraces  the  discussion  of  the  Incarnation,  of  the 
union  of  Humanity  with  Divinity  in  the  Lord ;  also  the  wars  with  the  power  of  evil, 
or  the  'conflict  with  the  hells,'  by  which  the  Lord  succored  mankind  and  restored  the 
race  to  spiritual  liberty  and  to  the  light  of  divine  truth ;  and  finally,  the  Holy  Spirit 
and  its  operation,  and  the  Di\ine  Trinity,  what  it  is  and  what  it  is  not ;  and  the  Divine 
Prox'idence  as  directing  the  formulating  of  the  Christian  creeds,  teaching  a  trinity  of 
persons  with  a  view  to  protecting  the  Christian  Church  from  Arianism,  or  the  utter 
rejection  of  the  Lord's  divinity  until  the  time  of  his  second  coming,  to  show  us  in 
Himself  '  plainly  of  the  Father ;  '—this  sublime  progi-ess  of  truth  is  here  unfolded  to 
the  reader  with  an  admirable  order,  conciseness  and  simplicity  of  arrangement,  which 
makes  the  study  of  the  subject  an  attractive  one,  and  leaves  a  most  satisfying  impres- 
sion, because  clear  and  well  defined. 

"  We  might  instance  the  features  of  others  of  these  volumes  which  have  especially 
delighted  us;  but  the  chief  merit  in  all.  is  this  excellent  arningeraent  by  which  the 
reader  finds  so  conveniently  at  hand  a  brief  survey  of  the  most  interesting  truths  on 
the  subject  before  him.  For  purposes  of  religious  culture,  or  for  devotional  reading 
as  a  spiritual  exercise  most  healthful  for  every  Cliristian,  we  cannot  too  highly  com- 
mend the  \-oIume  on  Free  Will,  Repentance,  Refornwtion  and  Regeneratitm  as  a  most 
practical  and  genuinely  useful  guide  to  a  man's  everyday  thoughts  and  character. 

"The  volume  on  Heaven,  far  from  being  a  mere  repetition  of  Vol.  I.,  is  a  survey  of 
the  regenerated  human  life,  and  a  picture  of  a  perfect  society,  with  its  uses  and  its 
delights  as  exhibited  in  the  actual  life  of  angels.  It  is  as  beautiful  and  wonderful 
as  any  Utopia,  with  the  advantage  of  being  very  real,  and  attainable  by  all  who  will 
accept  the  simple  rules  of  citizenship  here  laid  down. 

"  The  volume  on  '  Holy  Scripture  and  the  Key  to  its  spiritual  sense '  contains  not 
only  the  general  doctrine  of  the  internal  sense,  but  is  full  of  practical  and  pointed 
illustrations  of  the  doctrine  of  correspondences,  concluding  with  some  'trials  of  the 
key '  and  an  example  of  '  its  power  to  unlock  Itev.  xxi."  This  very  plain  presentation 
of  the  subject  cannot  but  impress  favor-ably  the  minds  of  the  young ;  and  we  do  not 
see  why  the  study  of  the  Word  by  this  means  should  not  become  a  fascinating  as  well 
as  edifying  employment  for  youthful  minds,  provided  It  be  done  reverently  and  In  a 
religious  spirit. 

"For  the  sake  of  the  children,  again,  and  even  those  of  older  growth,  we  are 
delighted  to  see  a  volume  of  this  scries  made  up  wholly  of  those  interesting  and 
graphic  '  Memorabilia'  which  make  the  spiritual  world  so  practically  real  to  us,  and 
convey  spiritual  truths  in  so  objective  and  forcible  a  manner.  .  .  .  With  these  little 
volumes  within  easy  reach  on  the  librarj'  shelf  or  the  centre-table,  we  can  hardly  see 
how  any  well-reared  child  could  fail  to  be  attracted  to  their  pages,  and,  with  a  little 
encouragement  and  direction  on  the  parent's  part.  Induced  to  make  a  couaocutive 
study  of  them,  as  of  any  other  engaging  text-books." 


4 


A  Much-needed  Work. 

The  Doctrines  of  the  New  Church  briefly  explained.  By 
B.  F.  Hiirrett.  250  pages.  Neatly  bound  in  cloth.  Priee  30  cents,  post-paid.  Address 
Swedenborsr  Publisliing  Association,  930  Market  Street,  rhiludelphia,  Pa. 

This  work  Is  intended  as  an  answer  to  the  Inquiry  often  made,  "What  are  the 
Doctrines  of  the  New  Church,  and  wherein  do  they  differ  from  those  of  other 
churches?"  It  has  been  received  with  more  than  usual  favor,  and  is  considered  by 
■  competent  judges  the  best  work  that  has  yet  appeared  to  place  in  the  hands  of 
strangers,  or  persons  desirous  of  knowing  what  the  New  Church  doctrines  are.  It 
is  not  quite  a  month  since  the  book  was  published ;  yet  the  author  has  received  many 
highly  commendatory  letters  from  some  of  the  most  intelligent  students  of  Sweden- 
borg  (ministers  and  laymen),  a  few  extracts  from  which  are  (with  his  consent)  here 
given  by  the  Board  of  Managers  of  the  S.  P.  Association.  Seven  of  the  writers  from 
whose  letters  the  following  extracts  are  taken,  are  ministers,  and  nine  of  them  are 
connected  with  societies  belonging  to  the  General  Convention  of  the  New  Church  in 
the  United  States. 

"  I  have  longed  for  just  such  a  work  as  this.  When  I  was  working  my  way  into  the 
light  of  the  New  Church,  if  I  had  met  with  a  work  of  this  character,  I  would  have 
been  helped  very  much.  .  .  .  We  need  to  have  the  doctrines  of  the  Second  Coming  of 
the  Lord,  presented  in  language  familiar  to  the  people.  This  need  you  have  met  in 
the  most  admirable  way.  Your  work  is  the  most  beautifully  adajrted  to  the  states  of 
those  outside  the  New-Church  organization,  of  any  I  have  ever  read.  The  strongest 
and  best  feature  [of  the  book],  and  one  I  had  never  before  seen  so  well  drawn,  is  the 
strong  yet  charitable  contrast  between  the  teachings  of  the  Old  and  those  of  the  New 
Church.  The  way  you  present  the  doctrine  of  the  Lord,  the  doctrine  of  Atonement 
and  Redemption  and  Resurrection— in  fact,  all  the  doctrines— in  contrast  with  the 
old  ones,  must  strike  the  candid  mind  with  great  force  ....  I  like  the  chapter  on 
'  Catholicity.'  It  shows  what  the  New  Church  is,  and  where  it  is  to  be  found.  Cer- 
tainly any  one  can  see  the  wonderful  modifications  which  are  going  on  all  around 
us;  and  it  gives  me  a  grander  and  broader  view  of  the  New  Church,  to  believe  that 
the  Lord  is  in  all  these  movements,  and  effecting  his  second  coming  in  all  good  minds 
everywhere."  (A  New-Church  Minister.) 

"  I  am  so  highly  pleased  with  your  new  little  book,  that  I  must  thank  you  again  and 
again.  It  is  truly  a  missionary ;  and  I  would  despair,  if  its  mission  should  not  in  time 
bring  grand  results."   (A  New-Church  Missionary.) 

"  I  am  delighted  with  your  little  work  on  the  '  Doctrines  of  the  New  Church.'  I 
think  it  would  not  be  easy,  if  indeed  possible,  to  write  a  book  better  adapted  to  do 
efficient  service  among  candid  inquirers,  or  persons  willing  to  learn  what  the  New 
Church  teaches,  and  the  difference  between  the  Old  and  the  New.  .  .  . 

"The  treatment  of  the  various  subjects  of  the  volume  is  as  clear  and  sound  as  it 
is  brief,  and  its  tendency,  wherever  carefully  and  sincerely  read,  must  be  to  lead  from 
darkness  to  light.  .  .  While  it  does  its  work  thoroughly,  it  does  it  so  kindly  as  to  offend 
no  reasonable  person.  It  is  a  book  which  I  should  have  valued  highly  while  in  transit 
from  the  Old  to  the  New.  It  should  be  put  into  the  hands  of  every  sincere  truth- 
seeker  in  the  land,  of  which  there  must  be  many.  If  there  is  a  better  or  as  good  a  work 
for  missionary  purposes,  it  has  not  come  to  ray  notice."   (A  New-Church  Minister.) 

"A  brief,  clear  and  plain  answer  to  the  question  so  often  asked,  'What  are  the 
Doctrines  of  the  New  Church?  '  has  long  been  greatly  desired.  This  wide-felt  want 
seems  to  be  well  supplied  by  your  little  book,  'The  Doctrines  of  the  New  Church 
briefly  explained.'  The  contrast  between  the  New  and  the  Old  is  so  clearly  defined, 
that  the  receptive  mind  will  be  sure  to  be  led  to  further  investigation  in  the  Writings 
themselves.  I  am  greatly  pleased  with  your  forcible  and  beautiful  statement  of  the 
'Central  Doctrine'— the  Di^ane  Personality  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  ib  his  Divine 
Humanity  as  the  \'isible  God  and  sole  Object  of  worship.  It  brings  Him  very  near 
to  us  as  our  Heavenly  Father,  and  not  as  an  Infinite,  diffused  and  formless  essence  or 
entity  of  whom  we  can  form  no  idea,  and  with  whom  there  are  no  personal  relations. 
.  .  .  On  the  whole,  the  book  admirably  serves  Its  purpose,  and,  I  think,  better  than 
any  similar  one  that  has  so  far  appeared." 

5 


"I  received  your  little  book,  and  think  itjtiM  ivhat  isat  thii  time  ivanted.  Sufficient, 
when  one  is  in  a  state  to  receive  New-Church  truths,  to  induce  him  to  seek  further." 

"  This  is  a  magnificent  little  work ;  it  will  bring  many  to  the  doors  of  the  New 
Jerusalem.  I  am  glad  of  it ;  such  a  work  was  needed  all  the  time." 

"  The  fifty-six  pages  of  your  little  work  (all  I  have  yet  been  able  to  read),  I  thought 
beautiful  and  perfect.  .  .  .  I  think  it  is  just  what  is  needed,  and  will  do  a  great  work." 

"After  a  careful  study  of  the  book,  I  feel  free  to  say  that  I  have  no  knowledge  of 
any  collateral  [New-Church]  work,  so  comprehensive,  so  likely  to  be  the  favorite  of 
those  of  our  Church  who  have  the  true  missionary  spirit,  or  from  the  circulation  of 
which  such  large  results  may  reasonably  be  expected." 

"Dear  Brother  Barrett: — Many  thanks  for  your  excellent  and  timely  work  on 
'The  Doctrines  of  the  New  Church.'  It  is  a  deeply  interesting  volume,  and  cannot 
fail  to  perform  an  important  use  in  the  Lord's  kingdom.  I  think  it  is  just  the  book 
needed  for  colleges  and  seminaries.  Inclosed  find  $5  to  help  it  along ;  and  if  you 
need  another  $5,  iust  say  so,  and  it  will  be  forthcoming.  God  bless  you  in  your  great 
and  good  work.  My  heart  is  with  you  always."  (From  a  Baptist  Minister.) 

"I  have  been  reading  your  little  book  as  I  could  find  leisure,  and  am  delighted 
with  it.  The  idea  of  contrasting  the  Old  Theology  with  the  New,  and  adding  con- 
firmatory extracts  from  Swedenborg,  is  excellent.  The  wonder  is  that,  in  so  small  a 
compass,  you  could  so  beautifully  and  clearly  state,  illustrate,  and  confirm  the  doc- 
trines of  the  New  Church  . .  The  book  is  a  gem.  In  fojm  and  make  up,  inviting ;  in 
substance,  absorbing ;  and  in  style,  fascinating  to  such  a  degree  that,  if  any  one,  in 
the  least  desirous  of  becoming  acquainted  with  the  New-Church  theology,  should 
get  it  into  his  hands,  he  would  not  lay  it  aside  until  he  had  finished  it. 

"  Yesterday  at  church  [after  ser\ice],  with  my  own  copy  in  hand,  in  a  few  minutes 
seventeen  copies  were  called  for,  and  I 'm  sure  more  will  be  needed.  So  send  mc  20 
copies  at  your  earliest  convenience.'  "  lln  less  Utan  tivo  iieehs  this  gentleman  ordered 
20  copies  more.] 

"  The  book  seems  to  me,  on  a  thorough  perusal,  the  best  of  its  class,  and  a  very 
useful  and  important  contribution  to  our  literature."   (A  Xciv-Church  Minister.) 

"  Though  loaded  down  with  a  press  of  duties  of  all  sorts  which  had  accumulated 
during  a  three  weeks'  absence,  I  have  found  time  to  read  your  work,  and  to  read  it 
very  carefully.  .  .  .  There  is  nothing  in  the  book  which  any  Christian  need  be  afraid 
of,  and  much  that  is  calculated  to  remove  doubts  and  difficulties,  and  to  help  humble 
and  earnest  inquirers  on  their  heavenward  way.  .  .  . 

"You  seem  peculiarly  fitted  to  unfold,  illustrate  and  confirm  the  doctrines  of  the 
New  Church,  and  in  a  manner  so  clear  and  simple  as  to  bring  them  within  the  com- 
prehension of  the  average  reader,— more  so  than  any  New-Church  writer,  living  or 
dead,  whose  writings  have  come  under  my  eye. ...  I  do  not  know  but  this  little  work 
actually  surpasses  in  value  as  an  introduction  to  Swedenborg,  all  your  previous 
writings.  For  this  purpose  it  is  even  better  than  'Barrett's  Lectures  ou  the  New 
Dispensation,'  valuable  as  that  work  is.  .  .  . 

"  This  much  is  certain  to  me :  Swedenborg  was  a  great  philosophical  and  theological 
thinker,  and  indeed  so  c^rccptinnaVy  great,  that  his  writings  have  certainly  revolu- 
tionized theological  thought ;  and  with  him  the  Church  unquestionably  entered  upon 
a  new  Epoch— though  his  Influence  is  only  just  bcginniny  to  be  felt ;  and  that  Epoch 
Is  therefore  yet  in  its  early  dawn."   (An  Episcopal  Minister.) 

"  It  is  not  flattery  to  say  of  your  little  work  ['  The  Doctrines  of  the  New  Church '], 
that  it  is  by  far  the  most  comprehensive  and  correct  summary  of  the  main  doctrines 
set  forth  in  the  writings  of  Swedenborg,  that  I  have  ever  read.  It  must  needs  prove 
useful  for  the  i)urpose  intended. 

"  I  have  read  your  last  work  through  with  care,  and  re-read  portions  of  it.  Allow  me 
to  say  that  the  end  aimed  at  in  its  preparation  has,  in  my  opinion,  been  moM  admirahly 
accnmplished.  I  wish  the  press  would  pour  forth  multiplied  thousands  of  it,  so  that  a 
copy  could  be  lodged  in  every  home.  .  .  .  Certainly  every  New  Churchman,  and  espe- 
cially every  missionary,  will  thank  you  for  this  little  book,  and  join  in  the  prayer  for 
Its  widest  possible  circulation."  (A  yew-Church  Missionary.) 

6 


True  Character  of  the  Bible. 


By  Eev.  L.  p.  mercer. 


PRESS  NOTICES. 


"A  smnll,  but  remarkably  thoughtful  and  edifying  book,  by  Rev.  L.  P.  Mercer. 
We  have  examined  it  with  unconuuon  interest.  The  spirit  and  manner  and  style  of 
the  author  are  admirable.  .  .  The  fundamental  conception  running  through  this 
thoughtful  treatise,  is  one  of  the  utmost  interest  and  importance.  The  careful 
perusal  of  It  will  do  any  candid  student  of  God's  Word  lasting  good." — Oticago 
Advance  (Cong.). 

"  This  book  is  worthy  of  taking  a  front  rank  among  the  collateral  writings  of  the 
New  Church.  It  is  the  most  clear  and  forcible  and  comprehensive  popular  treatment 
of  the  subject  that  our  literature  affords.  It  goes  over  the  whole  ground  of  the  doc- 
trine of  Divine  Revelation,  not  exhaustively,  of  course,  but  with  that  comprehensive- 
ness and  lucidity  of  statement  which  make  brevity  a  virtue."— iV.  J.  JV/mcJiflcrliV.  Ch.). 

"  Mr.  Mercer's  book,  even  to  those  who  will  decline  to  accept  its  teachings,  will  still 
have  uncommon  value  and  interest.  It  will  enable  the  reader  to  form  a  more  intelli- 
gent idea  of  what  Swedenborgianism  is,  than  the  vague  notion  most  people  have,  and 
prepare  for  that  more  sound  and  fair  judgment  of  it  which  an  honest  mind  would 
always  wish  to  frame  for  itself.  The  book  is  remarkably  well  written,  and  presents 
its  subjects  in  a  form  exceedingly  inviting  to  the  reader." — Chicayo  Standard  (Bap.). 

"This  book  was  prepared  for  the  uninitiated  or  those  ignorant  of  the  doctrine  [of 
the  New  Church  concerning  the  Scriptures],  and  is  clear  and  concise  in  what  it  seeks 
to  teach.  It  will  prove  interesting  reading  to  many  who  now  entertain  but  the 
vaguest  idea  of  the  belief  of  this  sect."—Biuiinyton  Daily  Hawh-Eye. 

"The  book  is  characterized  bysomewholesome  teachings,  and  . . .  some  of  the  views 
expressed  in  regard  to  plenary  inspiration  of  the  Sacred  Scriptures,  are  pertinent,  clear 
and  strong."— St.  Louis  Christian  Advocate. 

"This  little  manual  gives  the  spiritual  signifioance  and  correspondence  of  the  letter 
of  the  Holy  Scriptures  as  held  by  Swedenborgians.  It  is  interesting  as  an  authentic, 
modern  exposition  of  the  views  of  quite  a  large  body  of  sincere  Christians,  and  is 
intended  for  the  instruction  of  those  who  are  not  members  of  the  communion." — 
Zion's  Herald. 

"A  little  work  on  the  Bible  as  taught  by  Swedenborg.  It  is  a  book  worthy  of  a 
careful  reading  by  all,  and  especially  by  those  who  are  studying  the  Sacred  writings 
with  a  view  to  getting  a  higher  understanding  of  their  te&ching."— Indianapolis 
Times. 

"  Designed  to  prove  that  the  Bible  is  a  book  of  Divine  Parables  which  the  doctrine 
of  Correspondences  can  alone  make  clear  to  the  mind  of  man.  The  law  of  Inspira- 
tion is  sought  to  be  explained :  the  history  of  Revelation  is  considered,  asare  also  the 
real  and  apparent  in  the  Scriptures:  the  whole  presenting  in  a  lucid  manner  the 
character  ot  the  Bible  and  its  spiritual  meaning  as  held  by  Swedenborgians."— JJaji- 
?i€r  of  Light. 

"The  author  holds  that  the  Bible  is  a  book  of  parables ;  that  the  inspiration  of  the 
writers  was  temporary  and  for  a  specific  purpose ;  and  that  everything  in  this  world 
corresponds  to  the  spiritual  cause  in  the  world  of  souls  through  which  it  is  created 
or  produced.  It  is  a  book  to  awaken  thought,  at  least."— C/iicayo  Saturday  Express. 

"  It  contains  lectures  on  parables,  revelation  and  inspiration,  and  though  its  doc- 
trinal points  may  be  disputed  by  some  readers,  it  proves  to  be  a  thoughtful  little 
book  with  utterances  suitable  for  consideration  in  these  tivaea."—Brooklun  Dailii 
Times. 

"  A  perusal  of  this  book  cannot  fail  to  interest  those  who  wish  to  be  informed  con- 
cerning the  teachings  of  a  most  remarkable  man,  and  the  beliefs  of  a  rapidlv  growing 
sect.  There  is  much  in  these  views  that  must  appeal  to  every  thoughtful  mind."— 
Buck's  County  Intelligencer. 

"  This  neat  volume  of  18.5  pages  has  for  its  object  the  presentation  of  the  teaching 
of  Swedenborg  concerning  the  Scriptures,  in  a  form  likelv  to  reach  those  who  might 
otherwise  remain  ignorant  of  it.  .  .  The  author  is  a  versatile  and  entertaining  writer 
and  an  eminent  student,  whose  ideas  have  accomplished  much  in  aiding  to  a  correct 
knowledge  of  bibliology.  The  book  deserves  a  wide  sale."— iVew  England  ObseiTer. 

"  An  interesting  and  instructive  exposition  of  the  ^iews  of  the  New  Church  in  rela- 
tion to  the  Eible— its  inspiration,  authenticity,  etc.  Those  interested  in  the  doctrine 
of  the  New  Church,  will  find  this  book  of  great  value."— ^(bony  Sunday  Press. 

7 


Mr.  BARRETT'S  WORKS. 


Lectures  on  the  New  Dispensation.   Extra  cloth,  pp.  328,  12mo.   Price,  60  cents. 

The  New  View  of  Hell.    Extra  cloth,  pp.  215,  12mo.    Price,  50  cents. 

The  Golden  City.    Extra  cloth,  pp.  253,  12mo.    Price,  tiO  cents. 

Letters  to  Beecher  on  the  Future  Life.    Extra  cloth,  pp.  I'Jl,  l2mo.   50  cftute. 

Swedenborg  and  Channing.    Pp.  2SS,  12mo.    Price,  60  cents. 

Letters  to  Beecher  on  the  Divine  Trinity.    Pp.  1(50,  12mo.    Price,  50  cents. 

The  New  Church ;  Its  Nature  and  Whereabout.    Pp.  213,  12mo.     Price,  50  cents. 

The  Doctrines  of  the  New  Church  Briefly  Explained.    Pp.  25t>,  ISmo.    30  cents. 

A  Bishop's  Gun  Reversed.  Being  an  attack  on  the  New  Church  by  Bishop  Burgess, 

and  the  Reply  thereto  by  B.  E.  Barrett.    Pp.  220,  ISmo.    25  cents. 
The  Apocalyptic  New  Jerusalem.    The  question  coucerniug  its  visibility  carefully 

considered.    Paper  covers,  pp.  108,  12mo.    Price,  10  cents. 
Memorial  to  the  General  Convention ;  and  full  Text  of  passages  in  Swedenborg 

referred  to,  revealing  the  grand  catholicity  of  liis  teachings.  Pp.  95.  Price,  6  cents. 
The  Man  and  His  Mission.    In  two  parts.    Pp.  HO,  12mo.    Price,  5  cents ;  six 

copies  for  25  cents,  and  28  for  $1. 

NEW-CHURCH  POPULAR  SERIES. 

1.  The  World  Beyond.    By  John  Doughtv.    Pp.  182. 

2.  The  New-Church  Theology.    By  Rev.  J.  H.  Smithson.  Pp.230. 

3.  Aphorisms  of  the  New  Life.    By  Dr.  W.  H.  Holcoiube :  with  a  beautiful  Por- 

trait of  Swedenborg. 

4.  The  True  Character  of  the  Bible.    Bv  Rev.  L.  P.  Mercer.    Pp.  185. 

5.  The  Doctrines  of  the  New  Church  Briefly  Explained.  By  B.  F.  Barrett.  Pp.  256. 

6.  The  Key  of  Knowledge.  By  Rev.  Thomas  Goyder.  Pp.  188.  (Ready  Feb.  1884.) 

These  works  are  desig'ned  to  meet  a  growing-  popular  want,  and  are  being  received 
with  marked  favor.  They  present  the  doctrines,  philosophy,  and  spirit  of  the  New 
Church  in  a  simple,  clear,  and  concise  manner;  lu-e  neatly  bound  in  cloth,  sufficiently 
Tasteful  in  appearance  for  any  library  or  centre-table,  and  remarkably  cheap.  Single 
copy,  30  cents ;  four  volumes  to  one  address  for  SI,  post-paid. 

Address  SWEDENBORG  PUBLISHING  ASSOCIATION, 

930  Market  St.,  Philadelphia. 

SWEDENBORG'S  THEOLOGICAL  WORKS 

At  Greatly  Reduced  Prices. 

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